BY CHRIS RAYSON AND SCOTT BREEN
NEAH BAY, Washington - The campaign against the Makah Indian
Nation and their treaty right to hunt gray whales escalated
November 1. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which has
pledged to stop the Makah from whaling, organized a provocation
against the Makah on their reservation here.
Lisa Distefano, Sea Shepherd International Director, and three other members of the group attempted to land on the Makah's docks as part of an anti-whaling protest. Makah Tribal Police took them into custody and their inflatable boat was confiscated. The protestors were turned over to Clallum County police. No charges were filed.
These groups have been frustrated by their lack of public support and the restraint and discipline shown by the Makah. They have been escalating their campaign against the Makah, taking increasingly provocative and racist actions in the process.
They have converged with Rep. Jack Metcalf, a Republican who opposes Indian treaty rights in general and has crusaded against the Makah whale hunting in particular. Metcalf and Sea Shepherd held a press conference in nearby Seiku to condemn the Makah Nation, especially its Tribal Police. Sea Shepherd claims its members were "assaulted by members of the Makah Indian tribe," and may charge tribe members with assault and illegal seizure. Metcalf called for "an immediate aggressive investigation by the Justice Department." The Federal Bureau of Investigation also announced that it is actively investigating whether the civil rights of the Sea Shepherds were violated during the anti-whaling protest.
Makah Tribal Chairman Ben Johnson, Jr. was quoted in the Seattle Post Intelligencer as saying that the tribal police "were protecting them [the protesters]." According to press reports, the anti-whaling ships were pelted with stones thrown by some teenagers on the Makah docks during the November 1 confrontation. Johnson also pointed to the U.S. government's responsibility in the situation. "We did all we were supposed to do, and then they allow Sea Shepherd to provoke our people. If we have a treaty right, why can't the government stop Sea Shepherd from doing this?"
On August 25, the Makah Tribal council passed an ordinance prohibiting the opponents of Indian treaty rights from docking at the Makah marina. They were warned that if they docked or came ashore, their vessels would be seized and their members detained. Sea Shepherd's vessels - including a 172-foot ocean- going ship and a former Coast Guard cutter - have been constantly anchored in Neah Bay and patrolling the Washington coastline since early October, with the aim of preventing the Makah from hunting a gray whale.
Makah reclaim right to hunt whales
The Makah, who had hunted whales for more than 2,000 years,
managed to hold onto that right in an 1855 Treaty with the
United States, where they were forced to cede nearly 700,000
acres to the government. They continued to whale until the
1920s, when they voluntarily halted due to the depletion of
whale stocks caused by commercial whaling. The gray whale was
removed from the U.S. Endangered Species list in 1994 and
numbers about 22,000 today. After a four-year process, the
Makah finally received permission to hunt four gray whales a
year for subsistence and cultural reasons. The Makah began the
hunt October 1 this year, but postponed it until November 1
under pressure from the National Marine Fisheries Service,
which opposed the Makah hunting any "resident" gray whales in
the area. After October 31, gray whales from Alaska are
migrating past Washington to Mexico.
Sea Shepherd and some other "animal rights" groups have carried out increasingly provocative acts over the last few weeks, in an attempt to intimidate and terrorize the Makah. Residents told Militant correspondents that Sea Shepherd has fired its cannon several times while anchored in Neah Bay, startling and offending residents of this small community. Sea Shepherd claimed the shots were blanks. They have repeatedly broadcast animal noises and speeches over loudspeakers, disturbing the community. And in an interview with the Seattle Times, Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd, declared, "My job is to rock the boat, sometimes to sink the boat." According to the Times, the Sea Shepherd is responsible for ramming or sinking 11 vessels engaged in whaling since 1979.
Provocations and racist taunts
Some 20 whaling opponents organized by Progressive Animal
Welfare Society (PAWS) tried, unsuccessfully, to caravan
through the Makah reservation as the tribe was beginning a
potlatch gathering October 31. This provocation, witnessed by
these reporters, was stopped by about 30 Makah youth and Tribal
police, who met the caravan at the border and prevented them
from entering. The treaty rights opponents yelled insults and
made threats against the Makah youth, especially targeting
whaling crewmembers like Eric Johnson and Wayne Johnson.
One woman took out her anger at a young Makah by saying, "I wish I could harpoon you," and threatingly said, "As god is my witness, you will regret this."
Others taunted the Makah with racist statements like "How many of you will be drunk when you all go out in your canoe after your big party tonight?" Another baited a member of the whaling crew: "What is a Makah whaler? A harpoon on Viagra."
Despite these vulgar and racist insults and threats, the Makah maintained a firm and disciplined line, forcing the protesters to turn around and leave the reservation without provoking the Makah into a fight.
Simultaneously with PAWS' protest, a Sea Shepherd flotilla of 10 boats, including kayaks and even a small submarine, was maneuvering into Neah Bay and heading for the docks. It was led by an all-black cutter, the Sirenian. Those aboard tried to incite the Makahs at the docks and shoreline.
Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd, led the insults. "Just because you were born stupid doesn't give you any right to act stupid," Watson yelled over loudspeakers mounted on the Sirenian. His crew, who like him were dressed in all-black uniforms, began videotaping all those on the shore. The smaller vessels cruised up to the docks as crewmembers, including Lisa Distefano, mocked and taunted the Makahs.
The Makah drowned out the Sea Shepherd loudspeakers by honking their car horns. One youth held up a hand painted sign: "Eco-colonialists go home." At a certain point, Eric Johnson and other crew members organized those on shore to turn their backs on Sea Shepherd, and the confrontation fizzled as the flotilla moved away from the shore, unable to provoke the Makah.
The potlatch, which brought together hundreds of Makah tribal members and natives from Alaska, British Columbia, and other parts the Pacific Northwest, continued unaffected that day. Its theme was celebrating Indian treaty rights and the unity of the Indians in fighting for their treaty rights. "We're a strong tribe, we're a fighting tribe," Marcie Parker told those at the celebration.
The night of the November 1 provocation by Sea Shepherd, the tribe held a community meeting to discuss the incident. They decided not to allow themselves to get into a future confrontation. "The elders gave us a very clear message yesterday," Ben Johnson explained. "We should never have went down there and if they start a fight to walk away." Two weeks later, another attempted march through the reservation was turned back by the Makah without incident.
A few days later, Henry Cagey, chairman of the Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest representing 44 tribes, spoke at a press conference in Neah Bay. "You are not alone," he told the Makah. "We are standing behind you." Also speaking at the press conference were Billy Frank Jr. of the Nisqually Tribe, Joe De La Cruz of the Quinaults, Terry Williams of the Tulalips, and Lee Silversmith of the Navajo Nation. They announced that the National Congress of American Indians, representing 288 tribes, also voted to support the Makah.
Reflecting the growing weakness of the Sea Shepherd siege of the Makah, Captain Watson agreed to withdraw their two ships, the Sirenian and the Sea Shepherd, from Neah Bay in exchange for a meeting with the Tribal Council on November 23. The Makahs have emphasized that they still plan to carry out their whale hunt.