Three activists 'prisoners' after slipping aboard Japanese ship

[The Traveler]

36. Political context is important to understanding these events

It is clear that many here do not understand the full political context of the action.

The SM2 was purchased by the Japanese government from the Institute of Cetacean Research (whalers). Their argument is that technically the vessel can operate in Australian waters, despite the ruling of the Australian federal court, because they are not specifically a whaling vessel any more. (The federal court basically upheld a ban on whaling vessels in the Australian economic zone and territorial waters.)

This position is quite controversial within the Australian government and before this action had provoked a lot of protest from opposition parties. The current government had made a fairly big deal during the elections of promising support for protection of the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary, and many voters feel betrayed by the government's recent choices on this issue.

In particular, the SM2 was allowed to operate in territorial waters without even so much as turning on its AIS. (AIS is a system that identifies ships, their locations, courses and speeds ... obviously useful information when charting a course through heavily trafficked waters. This should NOT be interpreted to suggest that the SM2 was a hazard to navigation! It is more of an add insult to injury kind of thing ... )

If you think the target of this operation was the crew of the SM2, I think you are mistaken. Enforcement of the Antarctic Treaty, and of Australia's sovereignty, is likely to become a very hot topic in Australian political life in the very near term and could even conceivably result in a change of government. This is difficult to gauge because while there is broad support for the anti-whaling position, it is by no means universal, nor does it automatically trump other considerations in Australian political life.

The activists are not victims and are not playing victims. They have aimed a stake directly at the heart of a government that has proven to be unwilling to enforce its stated anti-whaling policies and its sovereignty. If you will, they have tried (and in large part succeeded) in forcing the issue. It remains to be seen if this will prove to be an effective action in that sense, but it is clear it has already stimulated new energy in the discussion.

Trav