ID :
76800
Tue, 08/25/2009 - 12:10
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/76800
The shortlink copeid
Broome suspends sister-town ties with Taiji over annual dolphin kill
SYDNEY, Aug. 24 Kyodo -
The community of Broome in northwestern Australia effectively suspended its
sister-town relationship with the Japan's Taiji over the weekend to
disassociate itself from the Japanese town's annual slaughter of thousands of
dolphins.
Citing ''significant international and national pressure,'' the Broome Shire
Council passed a resolution Saturday saying it is ''unable to fulfill its
pledge as a sister town with the Town of Taiji while the practice of harvesting
dolphins exists.''
The move follows the recent release of the documentary titled ''The Cove,''
which shows Taiji fishermen killing thousands of dolphins for their meat. The
film's release coincides with the beginning of the dolphin culling season in
the town, located in Wakayama Prefecture.
''I think with the screening of the documentary as it goes worldwide, there
will be more concentration on Broome,'' Shire President Graeme Campbell told
the Australia Broadcasting Corp.
''We can't afford to have our town destroyed because of the actions of
others,'' he said.
The council said Broome has already suffered social and economic sanctions as a
result of its relationship with Taiji, causing ''significant harm to the
community.''
Last week alone, the council received 7,000 to 8,000 emails complaining about
the shire's ties with Taiji.
The resolution also voiced concern over the ''continued harrying of Broome
persons with Japanese descent by advocates against Taiji.''
One shire councilor was reportedly reduced to tears at Saturday's meeting as he
described his family's Japanese heritage and the hurt the issue had caused.
''Offensive emails, offensive phone calls, you'd hate to go back to the bad old
days of racism,'' Campbell told ABC.
Broome, located on the northern coast of the state of Western Australia, has
historic links to Taiji that predate the sister-town relationship which began
in 1981. Before then, Japanese assistance was key in the development of the
shire's pearling industry.
Campbell stressed that the resolution does not constitute a severing of
relations with Taiji and said the shire is purposefully ''leaving the door open
to reengage in the future.''
''We are withdrawing from our obligations under the relationship, rather than
severing or suspending,'' he told ABC, adding that the word ''suspending''
would come across as ''fairly offensive'' in Japanese.
''We're not wishing to be offensive but we're wishing to point out that we're
unable to continue our relationship whilst dolphin slaughter, culling,
occurs,'' he said.
Campbell said the shire would still engage in dialogue with Taiji, hoping to
convince the town to give up killing dolphins.
''If we in no small way cause them to cease the practices they are doing, I
think that can only be a good thing,'' he said. ''We'll be looking at
suggesting that environmental tourism is probably the way for them to go.''
==Kyodo
The community of Broome in northwestern Australia effectively suspended its
sister-town relationship with the Japan's Taiji over the weekend to
disassociate itself from the Japanese town's annual slaughter of thousands of
dolphins.
Citing ''significant international and national pressure,'' the Broome Shire
Council passed a resolution Saturday saying it is ''unable to fulfill its
pledge as a sister town with the Town of Taiji while the practice of harvesting
dolphins exists.''
The move follows the recent release of the documentary titled ''The Cove,''
which shows Taiji fishermen killing thousands of dolphins for their meat. The
film's release coincides with the beginning of the dolphin culling season in
the town, located in Wakayama Prefecture.
''I think with the screening of the documentary as it goes worldwide, there
will be more concentration on Broome,'' Shire President Graeme Campbell told
the Australia Broadcasting Corp.
''We can't afford to have our town destroyed because of the actions of
others,'' he said.
The council said Broome has already suffered social and economic sanctions as a
result of its relationship with Taiji, causing ''significant harm to the
community.''
Last week alone, the council received 7,000 to 8,000 emails complaining about
the shire's ties with Taiji.
The resolution also voiced concern over the ''continued harrying of Broome
persons with Japanese descent by advocates against Taiji.''
One shire councilor was reportedly reduced to tears at Saturday's meeting as he
described his family's Japanese heritage and the hurt the issue had caused.
''Offensive emails, offensive phone calls, you'd hate to go back to the bad old
days of racism,'' Campbell told ABC.
Broome, located on the northern coast of the state of Western Australia, has
historic links to Taiji that predate the sister-town relationship which began
in 1981. Before then, Japanese assistance was key in the development of the
shire's pearling industry.
Campbell stressed that the resolution does not constitute a severing of
relations with Taiji and said the shire is purposefully ''leaving the door open
to reengage in the future.''
''We are withdrawing from our obligations under the relationship, rather than
severing or suspending,'' he told ABC, adding that the word ''suspending''
would come across as ''fairly offensive'' in Japanese.
''We're not wishing to be offensive but we're wishing to point out that we're
unable to continue our relationship whilst dolphin slaughter, culling,
occurs,'' he said.
Campbell said the shire would still engage in dialogue with Taiji, hoping to
convince the town to give up killing dolphins.
''If we in no small way cause them to cease the practices they are doing, I
think that can only be a good thing,'' he said. ''We'll be looking at
suggesting that environmental tourism is probably the way for them to go.''
==Kyodo
