===== A message from the 'makahwhaling' discussion list ===== FROM WASHINGTON CITIZEN'S COASTAL ALLIANCE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Once again, the Pacific Northwest is awash with rumors about when the Makah will be going out to kill another gray whale. That's right, folks- that's WHEN- not IF. We must remember the fact that the Makah are sticking to their plan to kill NINETEEN more gray whales through 2002. Your calls and letters are SO vital in preventing any more whales from being slaughtered. PLEASE keep the pressure on, and demand that the killing be stopped! To answer your many questions, YES! Each of you may state that you are a member of the Washington Citizen's Coastal Alliance when asked by the various political offices! There is strength in numbers, and our alliance is growing on an hourly basis! We are having an effect, folks. Various governmental agencies have had to call in extra manpower to answer phones, reorganize office staff to address the Makah whaling issue, and a LOT of influential people are starting to ask some very pointed questions about the killings... PLEASE! We all must keep the pressure on in order to stop the massacre! ***** MAKAH EXPORTING WHALE MEAT TO CANADA? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Documents obtained by the Humane Society of Canada under the Federal Access to vInformation Act clearly show that Canada is working to wreck the international ban on the trade in whale meat by bringing CITES and IWC into direct conflict with each other. Inquiring minds want to know: 1. Why did Canada issue a CITES Appendix 1 export permit to the Makah tribe giving them permission to export whale meat from Canada to the US? 2. Why did Canada indicate that it is also prepared to issue a CITES Appendix I import permit to Canadian natives to import whale meat form the Makah into Canada from the US? 3. Why did Canada issue a permit for the Makah to hunt gray whales in Canadian waters without the permission of the IWC? Canada says it did not give the Makah permission to hunt, but only to pursue and kill a wounded whale so that it recieved a humane death. How about giving the whale a humane life by not issuing the permit in the first place? 4. Did the Makah or the US request that Canada issue any of the above hunting licences or CITES permits? The Canadian Observer to this meeting has first-hand knowledge of these matters because he is specifically mentioned in the documents and he actually voted on behalf of Canada at the last CITES meeting in favor of a resolution that would bring the IWC and CITES into conflict. Just one more small point. A study released last month by the Government of Canada showed that 95% of Canadians support the protection of widlife. (ECO '99 / Michael O'Sullivan, Humane Society of Canada ) ***** CLANDESTINE VIDEO NOW ONLINE! -------------------------------------------------------- The now-famous video, taken after the Makah had killed the baby gray whale, is now available online. You can access this video on the Sea Shepherd main page at: http://www2.seashepherd.org/orgs/sscs/ . There are also some still shots available online, as well. ***** TO SEATTLE MEDIA: ONCE AGAIN, IT IS NOT A LEGAL HUNT ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Having attended the International Whaling Commission (IWC) for the past seven years (the last four as an adviser to the United Kingdom government delegation), I would point out that the IWC has never given The Makah a quota to hunt even one whale. During the Makah application for a quota in 1997, 10 out of 14 interventions by member states opposed the application on the grounds that the Makah did not fulfill the IWC definition of "aboriginal subsistence whaling." In 1998, the IWC secretariat stated in a letter to a conservation group that, "The IWC has specifically not passed a judgment on recognizing or otherwise the claim by the Makah ..." I must also point out that there are not a dozen countries whaling and indeed most whales are being taken by Japan and Norway in contravention of the will of the IWC. Inuit in Alaska, Greenland and Russia are allowed an aboriginal kill, while the IWC is now reviewing the ongoing kill of humpbacks by Saint Vincent in the Caribbean. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society condemns this killing of a gray whale as an appalling abuse of IWC regulations and an unnecessary slaughter of a sentient creature. Alter 70 years of not killing whales, one could hope that the Makah could find other ways of expressing their "culture." CHRIS STROUD Chief executive, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society West Bath, England ***** ANOTHER WAY TO SAY "NO MORE GORE!" ------------------------------------------------------------------- The vice-president invites you to share your feelings at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/Mail/html/Mail_Vice_President.html You may all enter "Washington Citizen's Coastal Alliance" in the 'organization' box, if you wish. Be sure and tell Mr. Gore what you think of his whale-killing policies, and demand the the killing stop now! ***** EXPRESS YOURSELF! ---------------------------------- Envirolink has a Makah whaling discussion board- here you can register your opinion or get into a full-blown brawl. Check it out at: http://www.envirolink.org/express Additonally, many of you have expressed an interest in finding out MORE about Congressional ways- especially as they pertain to your district and state. A list subscriber kindly sent along the following link, which will assist in finding just about anything you ever wanted to know: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/eyewash/default.asp One more- you can cast your vote on SeattleInsider.com at: http://www.seattleinsider.com/community/forums/makahforum.html ***** NATIONAL POLL ------------------------- The McLaughlin group is still conducting a poll on whether the Makah should (or should not) be allowed to hunt whales. This poll will apparently be open for a short time yet. Have you voted? Have you asked your friends, family and associates to vote? Do it now! VOTE! You can cast your vote at: http://www.mclaughlin.com/91.cfm ***** MAKAH E-MAIL ------------------------ Folks, we are getting a lot of questions about e-mailing the Makah Nation. Our sources tell us that most of the e-mail is not being answered- indeed, most of it is simply being ignored. There is a main e-mail address for the Makah Nation- mtcops@makah.com This address is for the Makah Tribal Commission, not the Makah Police, as one might think. A note for those wanting to contact the Makah: Please do not use threatening language. The Makah leaders have received a large number of death threats, and it is our understanding that law-enforcement agencies are on the lookout for such mail. In addition, we simply will not be associated with those few individuals who are reacting in an unlawful manner. Please choose your words carefully, and remember that the WCCA condemns the use of violence, threats or racially-motivated language. Lastly, if the Makah actually respond to your e-mails, be sure and share their responses with us! *****