Sad to report, support for the cause to help end the killing of dolphins in Japan is facing a serious low. The drive-slaughter season in Japan is over for the summer, but the fight to see an end to this cruel practise goes on because on September 1st, it all begins again. And throughout the summer whales and small cetaceans are still being harpooned in Japan’s coastal waters.

The good news is we have seen very real and positive progress in Taiji this last season with fewer numbers of dolphins being killed. But to continue these efforts, we need your help! So, we’d like to invite UK dolphin supporters to join us for a special fundraiser screening on Friday May 18th at the Soho Hotel in London.

IN DEFENSE OF DOLPHINS:
TALES OF DARING, ESPIONAGE, INTRIGUE AND CORRUPTION

Dolphins are one of the world’s most popular and sought-after creatures, possessed of a mysterious and compelling allure; this has resulted in increased demand to supply marine parks and ‘swim with dolphins’ attractions opening in many holiday locations, cashing in on human desire for closer contact with these magnificent marine mammals. However, there is a darker side to this ‘experience of a lifetime’ kept secret and hidden from the public; ‘The Cove’ exposes the shadowy international trade in what have come to be known as ‘blood dolphins’ – involving big money and corruption at the highest levels of the marine park industry and government.

Author Leah Lemieux and advocate Tia Butts are part of a team of international experts working to save the lives of thousands of dolphins in Japan and expose the secretive connections to holiday resorts and marine parks around the world who keep these animals in captivity.

Join us for an exclusive screening of ‘The Cove’ and the opportunity to put your questions directly to those involved in helping to expose this atrocity.

Friday 18 May @ 7.00pm – The Soho Hotel, London

Spaces at this screening/event are strictly limited – reservations by email only to liz@marineconnection.org

Event supported by London based dolphin/whale charity Marine Connection

www.marineconnection.org
www.savejapandolphins.org

In a world where unrestrained human greed and ignorance has put the survival of all earthly life at risk, increasing standards of compassion and ethical concern may be crucial for our survival. The human capacity to evolve ethically may hold the key; it may be our only hope. Acts of cruelty tarnish and diminish us as human beings and the insistence that such injuries are beneath our moral concern betrays something terribly ugly in our species. Certainly a solely utilitarian view is severely lacking in noble and compassionate humanitarian qualities that we claim to value so highly.

When change is demanded, conflicts inevitably arise, as those untouched by increasing compassion and likely benefiting from its absence, try to maintain the regime in place. Additionally, most people initially experience great difficulty in accepting that they may be involved in something wrong or exploitative—I In defense of their accustomed habits, many lash out — usually at the wrong targets.
I have known the horror of captured lives that were destroyed to feed the greed of slaveholders and their ignorant customers. I have watched these slaves suffering as they were crushed, through brutality and indifference. I see little difference between the abuse, exploitation and enslavement of humans and dolphins because a clear view of our tangled global economical substrate reveals that these issues are one and the same. Both are symptoms of the system in place where the greedy and powerful routinely subjugate the poor, the weak and the vulnerable for profit.

The pursuit of profit and pleasure routinely subordinates morality and compassion; business does not acknowledge the devastating legacy of toxins, strife and suffering it passes on to future generations. As long as we value money more highly than living beings and our relationships with them, we will continue to regard Others only as resources to be used, objectified, discarded or killed.
We protect ourselves from painful realizations by dismissing or ignoring evidence that we participate in atrocities — even though the facts may be staring us in the face.
We desperately need to understand the reality of the lives that are affected by our consumer culture; to realize what luxuries come at the expense of others’ suffering — and thus, at the expense of our very humanity. We must recognize the inherent inhumanity of our current system and in order to evolve beyond it, we must cease valuing commodities over life.

Those who oppress and destroy, knowingly or otherwise, need to recognize the oppressed as members of their greater community, worthy of real compassion and respect.
Historically, the evolution of ethics has come from the inclusion of other races or genders into the community of moral concern, and thus has our humanity grown and evolved. Faced with the dawning realization that other species have intrinsic worth and that our morality ought to include our relationship and dealings with animals and ecosystems, our humanity is again struggling to evolve ethically on a deep level. Choosing compassion over utility and profit appears to be one of the most profound choices we are struggling to move towards.
There are those who appear unable or perhaps profoundly unwilling to grasp this concept, or move towards the necessary kinds of change. For a long time, much human morality has been mired in narrow self-interest, but as our ethical standards evolve, what once appeared reasonable may no longer seem that way.
Where we fight for the freedom of dolphins, we fight for the freedom of the Earth and all its peoples, because the destructive system that ensnares and harms dolphins, also harms us all. They are a supremely apt symbol for the polarized human relationship with Nature and the internal struggle we are facing within human nature itself.

Each one of us can and must make a difference. Never forget, when the money flow stops, harmful practices cease — and that puts the reins of power squarely in the hands of ordinary citizens.

Reconnect
In order to summon the effort, the time and the energy for restorative actions, we have to want to — we have to care. This means more than simply engaging our heads with grim facts and figures. We must engage our hearts. When things get personal, we get motivated.
In order to care, we need to reconnect, with Nature and with each other! This an integral and entirely accessible component of restoration — inspiring us to help restore and support living, thriving, diverse, sustainable communities of all kinds, through direct involvement.
Without this profound transformation of human spirit and consciousness, without a REKINDLING of this sacred covenant with Nature and within ourselves, the suffering cannot end. In this crucial respect, we must either evolve or go extinct.

When I was last in Japan this previous winter, activist-philanthropist Ady Gil purchased a boat. Along with Masako Maxwell of A.G.W.C. Ady joined me in Taiji this October and soon we were exploring the coastline around Taiji by sea! Worried we might take some kind of drastic action to interfere with the hunters during the dolphin-drives, the Coast Guard arranged a formal meeting for our little crew. We laid out the nautical charts of the Taiji coastline and asked them to show us any places we were prohibited to venture into, assuming the killing Cove would be first on the list, closely followed by Taiji harbor.

But we were surprised to find all areas were open to us—provided there was no dolphin drive in progress. It was then requested we keep at least 2 nautical miles from the hunters while they were driving dolphins. Was this the law, we asked? It appeared it was not, but rather, merely a request from the hunters. Oh really?
When Ady asked to be briefed on the exact laws binding us—so we could properly follow them, there were no straight answers forthcoming. Rather the authorities shook their heads, muttering that Japanese law was far too complex to explain. This struck us as odd and certainly begged us to cautiously push the envelop that appeared to be little more than a result of the dolphin hunters preferences—surely a poor substitute for any actual concrete rules. As we were well aware, before now, no one had ever approached the hunters on “their own turf” and it was clear no one knew really how to deal with our presence.

Once the boat was ready to roll, we set out to sea, against a blood red sunrise, following the banger boats that vanished, fanning out over the horizon. The massive Coast Guard ship lurked in the distance, keeping us always in clear sight. Way out we found the banger boats, belching the black clouds of smoke that told us they were chasing and herding dolphins. It soon became apparent that there was not one, but two separate dolphin hunts in progress by two different banger gangs.
As we prowled the far perimeter of the unfolding hunt, our minds were focused on the hapless dolphins we were not surprised to see the massive Coast Guard ship swing into action and head our way. We eased off a little, but kept close enough to make sure our presence was noted by the hunters; cat and mouse on the high seas.

Eventually one banger gang began to accelerate and drive their pod toward shore. The other hunt in progress stood between us and them, so we stayed as we were, pacing this way and that on the water, praying hard that the dolphins might somehow escape and always wondering when the gigantic Coast Guard ship might come at us and drive us away.
We were heart broken when reports from volunteers on shore told us that the first pod of about 10 Risso’s dolphins had been successfully driven into the Cove and set upon by the first group of hunters.

But out at sea, we could clearly see at such close quarters that this banger gang was having a much harder time. On the prow of our little vessel I leaned over the water and wished with every bit of my being that these dolphins might escape–but it looked impossible, the poor dolphins were surrounded by five roaring high powered boats, piloted by men whose experience driving dolphins is only exceeded by their lack of compassion for these amazing creatures. But suddenly, after more than four long hours of chase, the hunters just turned and headed back to Taiji! And there racing back out to sea, we glimpsed the dolphins themselves, leaping over the waves! What a moment, to see them still alive and racing free!

As usual, my time in Taiji overlapped with other visitors evincing a marvelous mix of nationalities and backgrounds. Among them were a soundman from the BBC, marine scientists from Israel, a filmmaker from New Zealand as well as Japanese citizens who are concerned about the fate of dolphins in Japan. Another unusual visitor I was most pleased to welcome into our midst was artist and performer Russ Ligtas from Cebu (in the Philippines). Russ who has a deep respect and affection for dolphins also studies the art of Japanese Butoh dance, had made his way to the Cove in Taiji for a series of performances dedicated to the cetaceans killed there.
What we initially thought might be a quiet first performance at the Cove soon turned out to be anything but as Ady Gil’s boat came ambling nonchalantly into the Cove itself to film the performance—closely followed by the coast guard’s small inflatable.

They both floated quietly waiting for the show to start. Word of this quickly spread and the place was soon fully stocked with around 15 police who had turned out to see what was going on. Meanwhile Russ was in the public bathroom putting on his costume, which includes very striking white face paint, which caused the officer who discovered him there to shout with surprise. As has become mandatory here now, before Russ could perform, he had to go through the passport check procedure, while the officers peered curiously at him. Finally, everyone settled down, and Russ began to perform on the shoreline of the Cove while cameras rolled and clicked.
Butoh dance is a more modern adaptation stemming from more traditional art forms like Kabuki theatre. It often addresses difficult social issues through the expressive medium of dance and voice. Russ’ performance, like his haunting white visage, was captivating.

The emotions we all struggle with here in Taiji were portrayed with incredible poignancy: the anguish, the grief, the despondence, the rage, and the empty lack of understanding at the seemingly endless deluge of death and cruelty lashing the shores of the Cove…. To say it was a powerful performance would be a terrible understatement.
During Russ’ short time here, two pods of beautiful Risso’s dolphins, totaling around 20 individuals, including tiny babies, were slaughtered in the Cove. Arrayed against them was the full might of the Taiji hunters: a wall of steel and roaring engines and always, that relentless banging noise driving the dolphins closer and closer to a painful death.
The dolphins were so incredibly beautiful, surfacing close together, keeping close to each other with their little babies at their sides.

Such grace and camaraderie evident in these, the only wild creatures that will go out of their way to help humans in trouble at sea–and look what our species does in return… Having to witness this atrocity with one’s own eyes changes a person forever, and Russ took these experiences and incorporated them into his skillful artistic expression. There are times when art goes where activism cannot and where it can touch or reach those who might otherwise remain deaf and blind to issues of cruelty and suffering.
The connection between the killing, capturing, buying, selling and trade in dolphins and whales is nowhere more obvious than in Taiji.

However, this deadly connection is intentionally hidden from the many Japanese tourists visiting these parts, eagerly paying to watch dolphin shows and to pet, kiss and swim with captive cetaceans – all of whom have endured the trauma of chase, capture and the tragic slaughter of their families and communities. How ironic that it is the lure of the dolphins’ beauty and grace that condemns them to death and servitude….and commands such a high price.
Other shadowy interests lie behind the Taiji hunters, ones with enough power to command a lot of power and invest what could amount to around 2 million dollars over the six month killing/capturing season to keep the kind of police/coast guard presence here In defense of this lucrative dolphin trade. A job surely for private security rather than the public authorities.

In challenging these powers of greed and pride and commerce, our presence here has been drawing threats of violence and danger. The importance of keeping pressure/presence, bearing witness and continuing to give voice to the millions of people around the world including in Japan, who value dolphins alive and free has never been more important.
On a quiet day SJD volunteer Heather Hill and I went down to the cove to pick up garbage for over an hour, something that clearly struck locals, who thanked us for our efforts.
Through the tension and danger, I’ve continued daily efforts at building friendships, learning more about various aspects of Japanese culture and daily life, improving communication and connection and seeking ways towards positive change that will ultimately benefit the greater Taiji community as well as the oceans. I always think its what the dolphins themselves would do in my place.