AR-News: GALAPAGOS UNDER SIEGE

[סמדר]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Sea Shepherd 
To: seashepherd at seashepherd.org 
Sent: Friday, June 04, 2004 6:46 AM
Subject: GALAPAGOS UNDER SIEGE!

JUNE 3, 2004

NEWS RELEASE
 

GALAPAGOS UNDER SIEGE!

Reported by Captain Paul Watson 1800 hrs. PST

(Darwin Research Station, Santa Cruz & Isabella Islands, Galapagos, 
Ecuador)

Sea Shepherd crew members held hostage by angry mob of fishermen 
demanding unrestricted exploitation of Sea Cucumbers

 The offices of the National Park on Santa Cruz Island and the 
offices of the National Park on Isabella Island have been taken over 
by angry mobs of fishermen.  Also taken were the island of Espanola 
and the tourist sites there.  The mob is armed with clubs, lead 
pipes, & Molotov cocktails.  Our unarmed Sea Shepherd Crew had a 
standoff lasting hours until just recently when the rangers & all 
persons were ordered out by the Ministry of the Environment, 
basically leaving the office in the hands of the Mob. Some of the 
Marines & the Police are still there but it's a very touchy 
situation.  Apparently there is help coming from the mainland. 

 However, our Sea Shepherd crew on Isabella Island is still being 
held hostage there, and that includes citizens from America, Canada, 
New Zealand and Switzerland.  There has been no word from them at the 
time of this release. People are getting weary of this mob rule. 
anytime the fishermen make demands; they simply use violence to get 
what they want.  

 They were given a quota of 4 million sea cucumbers, that's not 
enough for them, even though the scientists have said that none was 
too many.  Now the fishermen are demanding unrestricted exploitation 
which is an impossible demand. 

The fact is that the Galapagos Islands are a World Heritage site. We 
all have a responsibility to protect them, not just the Ecuadorians!
 We possibly protect natural resources that don't have even this so 
called "protection". 

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is asking that people write, 
fax, or e-mail the Ecuadorian government through the embassies in 
their countries and demand that the government stand up to the mob of 
violent thugs terrorizing the Galapagos.  
  
El presidente Lucio Gutiérrez , Presidente de la Republica del 
Ecuador Fax: 593-2-580-735 
E-mail: monica.iza at presidencia.gov.ec 
 
Embassy of Ecuador UK 
Flat 3, 3 Hans Crescent 
London 
SW1X 0LS 
United Kingdom 
Tel: +44 (0)20 75842648 
Fax: +44 (0)20 78239701 

Consulate of Ecuador Canada 
50 O'Connor Street, Suite 113 
Ottawa, ON K1P 6L2 
Tel: (613) 563-8206 
Fax: (613) 235-5776 

Consulate of Ecuador USA 
2535 15th Street, NW 
Washington, D.C.  20009 
Tel: (202) 234-7166 
Fax: (202) 667-3482 
e:mail: consuladodc at ecuador.org 
website: http://www.ecuador.org  

 
Captain Paul Watson
Founder and President

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
www.seashepherd.org
Director-Instituto Sea Shepherd Brasil
National Director-Sierra Club
Director-Farley Mowat Institute
paulwatson at earthlink.net
Satellite: 011-8816-3143-4290
Office: 360-370-5650
Fax: 360-370-5651
Cell: 310-701-3096











the wild, cruel beast is not behind the bars of the cage. he is in front of it - axel munthe

"Never doubt that a small group of dedicated citizens can change the world. 
Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."      Margaret Mead
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