Page 12 - IB September 2018 Edition

Political Brief - PacIFIc

Japan fails in bid to resume whaling

JAPAN will not be able to resume commercial whaling in
the Southern Ocean after losing its bid at the International
Whaling Commission (IWC).
The commission met in Brazil where Japan’s proposal
that would have opened the door to commercial whaling
was defeated 41 to 27.
In response, Japan is threatening to quit the commission.
It has been arguing that whale stocks have recovered suf-
ficiently for the ban to be lifted. Japan’s Agriculture Minister
Masaaki Taniai has warned his country will consider its
options, if different positions and views cannot coexist. Japan has been prevented from resuming commercial whaling.
“Then Japan will be pressed to undertake a fundamental (File photo by Reuters)
reassessment of its position as a member of the IWC,” he this,” Senator Ruston said. “Obviously we will reserve our
said. Japan had proposed a restructure of the organisation rights about what further action we take should we not be
that would make it easier to pass decisions — a move it successful through that mechanism.”
hoped would make it easier to eventually resume com- But the win is not enough for the Greens, who have
mercial whaling. criticised the Government for not sending the Environment
Australia’s assistant minister for the Pacific Anne Ruston Minister and instead sending Ruston. Senator Ruston is a
was in the South American country earlier in the week junior minister and was not there for the actual vote.
campaigning against the move and said Australia had now The party is worried support for resumption for com-
“warded off” any threat to whales in the Pacific. Despite mercial whaling is growing and Australia is not putting
“strong lobbying” from Japan, Senator Ruston said Aus- enough pressure on Japan. Greens environment spokes-
tralia’s case that whales continued to face many threats in woman Sarah Hanson-Young said Japan got more votes
their ocean environment was ultimately successful. than expected after exerting pressure on smaller nations.
“When the whaling moratorium was put in place there She says she was concerned Japan could walk away from
was really only whaling that was the only issue that threat- the commission altogether and wants Australia to take a
ened the existence of whale populations,” she said. tougher stance.
The assistant minister said Australia would now renew “We’re about to have the Government vote on the Trans-
its efforts to end whaling for “scientific” purposes. At the pacific Partnership trade deal of which Japan is the other
commission Australia launched a Southern Ocean research major trading partner. We should put a hold on that until
project that demonstrated there was no need to kill whales Japan says ‘no, OK we agree, we won’t go to the Southern
to study them, as part of its efforts to end scientific whaling. Ocean this summer and slaughter Australian and southern
“We will use the processes of IWC in trying to achieve water whales,” she said.

Cook Islands immigration sets new rules organisation based in Indonesia’s Papua region, said Kanaks
RAROTONGA, Cook Islands - Proposed new immigration should reject all French propaganda to maintain the territory’s
legislation and regulations aim to manage the travel, entry, status quo. Its chairman, Victor Yeimo, claimed it was impor-
stay and departure from the country of non-Cook Islanders to tant that the Kanaks took up the opportunity of decolonisation
support the “success, safety and security” of the Cook Islands, which he said West Papuans had been denied. “I just want
says Principal Immigration Officer Kairangi Samuela. In a to tell something to the people of Kanaky (New Caledonia),
media statement outlining a recent review of the Immigration to please choose yes for your future. Because if you don’t
Act, Samuela said the proposed legislation should support the choose yes for your future, it means you allow your people,
success of the Cook Islands through supporting investment your land to be extinct,” said Victor Yeimo.
and business development, and access to skilled and needed
workers. “Immigration should support the safety of the Cook Attitude towards violence should change
Islands through legislation that helps prevent the travel, entry SUVA, Fiji - A spokesperson for UNICEF says destructive at-
and stay of non-Cook Islanders that are not of good character, titudes towards violence and discipline in the Pacific need to
with criminal convictions or who are not of an acceptable change. A survey by the UN body says teenagers in Pacific
standard of health. It should support the security of the Cook countries face school bullying at a rate way higher than the
Islands by ensuring there are provisions to remove or deport global average. More than half of 13-to-15-year-olds in Sa-
non-Cook Islanders who do not abide by Cook Islands law, or moa, Tonga, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu experience bullying
who are considered a threat or risk to security.” at school, compared to a third globally. The survey looked at
bullying including physical fights and emotional abuse, as
Kanaks urged to vote for independence well as corporal punishment. UNICEF’s Pacific representative,
JAYAPURA, Papua - The West Papua National Committee has Sheldon Yett, said violence is an issue throughout the Pacific.
urged New Caledonia’s indigenous Melanesians to vote for “People think it’s inevitable but we know it’s not. We also
independence during the upcoming referendum. In November, know that our failure to address this has tremendous impact
New Caledonia is to hold a referendum on possible inde- on the well-being of children around the world and, of course,
pendence from France. The Committee, a pro-independence we also know that children who have been bullied, children

12 Islands Business, September 2018