Urgent Update from Taiji: Sept. 1, 2009, A Good Day for Dolphins
Editor's Note: This piece was written by guest contributor Richard O'Barry of the Save Japan Dolphins Coalition. As TakePart reported earlier this week, O'Barry is currently in Taiji, Japan with European and Japanese journalists in anticipation of the start of the annual dolphin slaughter. Today is September 1, the first day of the dolphin slaughter season in Japan. But when I arrived today by bus from Kansai Airport with media representatives from all over the world, the notorious Cove from the movie was empty. There were no dolphin killers in sight.
So today is a very good day for dolphins!
I vowed to be back in Taiji when the dolphin killing began. I've often been here alone, or accompanied by a few environmentalists. Sometimes, I was able to talk a major media organization into sending someone.But the people of Japan never learned about the dolphin slaughter, because none of the media in Japan (with the exception of the excellent Japan Times) have ever sent reporters to the killing Cove. Until today!When I got off the bus at the Cove this afternoon, I was accompanied by my son Lincoln O'Barry's film crew, a crew from Associated Press, Der Spiegel (the largest magazine in Germany), and the London Independent.No dolphins and no dolphin killers. We would not have had a story at all, except for the police who were there, waiting all day for us to appear. Nine policemen came to talk to us.Now, I have said this repeatedly: Unlike the Cove fishermen, the police from this Prefecture have always acted professionally, courteously, and fairly. I have never been mistreated or threatened by the police here. I think they are a microcosm of the people of Japan--the very people I am trying to reach about the dolphins!And as I was talking with the police, as the international journalists stood around listening, suddenly a camera crew arrived from Japan! And then another! And then still another!You have to understand that this is SO IMPORTANT. These TV stations have REFUSED to cover the story in Taiji for years and years. NOW, for the first time, they have shown up, with cameras rolling. The head policeman talking with me even said, for the cameras, that the police are not there to support the dolphin killing fishermen. We shook hands, and they left.As I said, it is a good day for the dolphins. And for me personally, as the police only wanted to talk with me, not arrest me!The Cove movie led to the strong action by the city of Broome, Australia, in suspending the sister-city relationship with Taiji. So now, the Japanese media are sitting up and listening, for the first time.And I'm telling them: "This tour is to show journalists the GOOD things about Taiji." You see, with The Cove movie out now, we don't have to show the BAD things about Taiji. Soon, the whole world will know about the Taiji dolphin slaughter. And all Japanese will soon know about the cover-up that has occurred by the government in refusing to stop mercury-contaminated dolphin meat from being sold to unsuspecting Japanese consumers and children.But Taiji can change this image of shame, if they want to. I will be telling them that the town of Nantucket used to be the capitol of the whale killing industry in the US. Now, it uses its history of whaling combined with whale-watching to market tourism very successfully. Whales and dolphins are worth more alive than dead. Taiji can do this, too. But the killing has to stop.Yes, today was a good day for dolphins. Tomorrow, I will take journalists with me around town to show them Taiji. Tomorrow, too, I predict will be a good day for dolphins. Every day that we are here and the fishermen KNOW we are here, will likely mean no boats going out to round up dolphins for the killing Cove.And because of The Cove movie, the dolphin killers must now fear hidden cameras and microphones, even when they THINK we are not here.And soon the world spotlight from The Cove will shine a very bright light on Taiji.Please help us by donating.Your donations and efforts are a key part of our success so far on this tour of Taiji. For the first time, thanks to your support, the secrets of Taiji are being told to the Japanese people by television. And thanks to your help and interest, I can go to Taiji with journalists around me and not fear arrest. This is an historic moment for the dolphins and whales of Japan. I sincerely thank you and ask you to join us in spirit for this return to Taiji.The Save Japan Dolphins Coalition consists of Earth Island Institute, Elsa Nature Conservancy of Japan, OceanCare, In Defense of Animals, Campaign Whale, and the Animal Welfare Institute.
Ric O'Barry in Japan
- Categories: Environment
Please google "KILLING DOLPHINS IN JAPAN FOR FOOD" and Video.
It appears that I could not enter the full link in my previous posts. The footage is more disturbing than the one shown in the movie "The Cove".
http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-1232324060774166027&ei=rAVdS9WAA...
What good news! Finally! Nevertheless, most probably there are other cities in Japan where the slaughter continues: http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-1232324060774166027&ei=rAVdS9WAA...
It is great what the movie has done, but what if the Japanese government is just covering it up and the fishermen just relocated the slaughtering to another place?? Please check all other possible places where fishermen can intercept the dolphin's migratory path!
i watched the cove ,my heart went out to all the loving protective dolphines, that doco had me in tears , i so wished they live more in NZ and Austrailians part of the sea .
Its very speacial that the dolphines have a careing and loving committed person/persons ,so who all was involved in the cove doco keep it up ,kia kaha, means (Be strong in maori language).
Yay!!!!!!!!
Well done!Keep up the good work!
Very,very good news,
i´m so happy you saved the lives of thousend of dolphins.
but is there not the possibility that the dolphin fishers moved to a diffrent place on the coast to continue the killing??as it is a lot of money they lost.??¿¿
or they start the killing later??
How is it possibel to keep the situation clear?
Thank goodness there are people like you to care and ACT to save these beautiful and sensitive animals. I have seen them swim free and frolick wildly when in Australia and it is something I will remember always and makes me smile even on a bad day!!!! Keep up the good work and well done.
Good article, thank you
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Hey Ric,
Very wonderful news! Lots of luck to you. You have my full support. It gives us all some hope that dolphins and whales will live in our oceans for many, many, many years to come! I am also afraid of what Nancey said. We all hope that the fisherman won't find some place els kept secret from the public to continue the killings. That worries me.
Yay!! Way to go Ric and Lincoln! Have seen "The Cove" and was very disturbed. So happy to hear it made such a difference in Taiji.
ric you are my heroe,
Rick we met like 25 years ago. I was doing an interview with you, with my friend Carol in Miami, then NYC. We shared ideas about the dolphins that needed to be cared for from captivity and abuse etc. and your times with Flipper(s) and Greenpeace.
I am so happy your still doing something for them, great work. My mind goes out to you.
I am still shooting film.
Rick Gioiello NYC.
Just emailed these 2 animal rights org.'s to step up the pressure.
Hi PETA & IFAW...Recently, a documentary called "The Cove"
(Click: http://thecovemovie.com/ ) reported the massacre of thousands of dolphins off the coast of Japan...the carnage is about to begin this week and I urgently need your help stop it. I am a teacher and my elementary students are deeply disturbed at what they see as a merciless hunt of an intelligent mammal into extinction...and I promised them that many adults were working hard to stop the slaughter from occurring this year. Any animal rights footage or media presence in Taiji, Japan - exposing the sale and slaughter of dolphins - may be enough to scare the hunters away as they try to work in a cloak of secrecy and darkness to carry out this dolphin slaughter in order to sell it as "whale" meat. {Click: "Has Japan's Dolphin Slaughter Been Prevented?" http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/142358/has_japan%27s_dolphin_slaughter_been_prevented/#comments}
If we can stop the Canadian seal hunt, surely we can stop this crime from occurring again. And please sign the global petition with over 37, 000 signatures...Click: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/campaign
I am so happy, this is incredible!!!! :D
What a wonderful day indeed! It shows that we can influence the Japanise to change, in the senseless killing! Today the dolfins and, hopefully one day very soon, we can stop the senseless killing of whales,they are calling," sciense! "
Really great to read that the dolphins can be left alone ..I hope the Japanese stop killing the whales also..............
Here's the Toronto Star article http://www.thestar.com/article/694948
about the renewed slaughter. Boycott all Japanese products!
Just read in Toronto Star that the slaughter has commenced and that few Japanese know about it. I suggest everyone boycott anything that is Japanese in style or culture at their local malls - sushi etc. Just give it up. Do something to get world's attention. Keep blogging!
god bless you Ric and all involved keep up with all your efforts its fantastic
great news thanks keep up the great work best wishes give my heart to the dolphins and whales
I took my daughters and friends to watch The Cove twice. Both times, it totally wrenched me to watch this shocking, gruesome atrocity -- a horror that had to be documented and told. I am so very heartened to read that the movie has garnered widespread attention from lawmakers and the media. And I am even more thrilled to hear that the fishermen have not yet turned up....I hope they never do again. Thank you so much Mr OBarry for your courage, your passion and efforts which millions finally can see and appreciate.
My wife and I have always wanted to visit Japan. Seeing The Cove has changed our minds and lives. We will never visit Japan or any country that supports them unless they change their ways and ban all whale/dolphin crimes.
Thank you Richard O'Barry for continueing your effort to save the dolphins I read your book Behind the Dolphin Smile when i was a teenager still one of my favorites
You have amazing perserverance. We need to learn from you. Thank you for saving these dolphins.
Very good news
Congratulation Ric seems like the message is starting to filter in.
Keep pressing u are almost there.
Thank u for making the world a better place
I saw The Cove and was very moved and impressed by this gigantic task undertaken by Mr. O'Barry and the crew. I did not know about this until I watched this film.
I became interested and searched for more information. To my surprise, I found reports of a similar slaughter of pilot whales, beaked whales and dolphins carried out every year at the Faroe Islands (Denmark). If true, why it is not addressed in The Cove.
Thank you and my respects.
I thought this post is about Tai Ji (a form of martial art... or more commonly spelt Tai Chi). Haha!
Ric, please keep us updated. We want to know the latest news from Taiji. Today is Sep 7th, has there been any update?
Yaay thats the way to Go Ric.. A greate day for the dolphins! Thanks to you:)
Thank-you for your live, Ric O'Barry
GO RIC GO!!! This is so inspiring to read...tears of joy flow down my face and a my heart swells with hope - everyone involved is making a difference for these beautiful creatures and our ocean. I was blessed to see The Cove in Janaury and meet the crew - inspiring, courageous and humble individuals. Let's continue the wave of education and help Japan stop this unacceptable situation. My thoughts and prayers are with Ric, team and the dolphins swimming off the shores in Taiji - be strong and safe and know you have made a difference in our world.
Friday 5th Sept we (on way back from a dive) saw a huge pod of dolphin's outside Perhentian, north east coast Malaysia. Maybe 50 of them... some playing around the boat. AWESOME!!!
The Oceans have to be protected--just recently a baby whale washed up on the beach in Jupiter Florida suffering from an unknown illness--keep up your good work! I have some media ideas for you--contact me!
Are there plans to engage the fishermen in other meaningful work? If they were trained in other jobs would a path be made to stop the killings. This is probably all the fishermen know, is it not a legacy that needs an intervention?
Dearest dolphin angel, you are truly a special spirit and this is a great day for Rick O'Barry as well as the dolphins. I called the White House and spoke to a receptionist regarding Obama taking this issue directly to the Prime Minister of Japan. This is just the beginning for the entire world to step up and change the wrongs that hurt so many. I'm with you all the way and I will continue to work on your behalf. I signed the petition and will make a donation as well. May God be with you and our important dolphin friends.
well done for all your hard work has finally paid off!
well done for all your hard work has finally paid off!
Ric: Your courage, and commitment to this essential and worthwhile pursuit is greatly appreciated by all persons of good conscience. Thanks, Mitch Smith
\o/ very nice!
yea!!!!!!!!!!!!that's great news. any idea how long it will last. please pray with me that the spirit oflove and gentleness enter the heart of the fishermen & protect the dolphin. love to get Bill Clinton on the case -- somehow i think you'd have more clout with him than i. thank u for bringing this to the world's attention. Yea Australia!!!
I had just sent out a note to friends on facebook to pray that the heart of the fishermen be softened & the dolphin be protected. thx for update. will u stay til end of season. am writing a letter to Bill Clinton asking for his intervention. -- somehow i think you would get a faster response. thank you so much for bringing this to world's attention.
I had just sent out a note to friends on facebook to pray that the heart of the fishermen be softened & the dolphin be protected. thx for update. it's a long way to go til May -- any idea how long this peace will last. will u stay til end of season. Wrote letter to Bill Clinton asking for his intervention. -- somehow i think you would get a faster response. thank you so much for bringing this to world's attention.
As a dolphin & Orca trainer myself, I don't like much when you go and chase marine parks Ric, but this action I completely support !
It's far too early to tell, but it may be good news. I sure hope so. The Japanese coverage was (surprise, surprise) totally noncommittal and touched on none of the serious issues such as mercury. I only heard pathetic pleas saying the tradition should not be stopped. Tell me, why is compassion for animals such a taboo word here? Isn't compassion the core of buddhism...or is that, like too much of christianity, only for the humans?
Thanks, Ric. When is "The Cove" coming to Japan?
Do you think the film had an effect or Broome or what?
It is wonderful to know that such an important mission has succeeded in its cause.I believe we can always be successful like this always in times to come...
ThThis is such a great news!think you so much for your courage and perseverance
Thank you so much for your courage and perseverance