The Power of Petitions

There comes a moment that we have to stand up for the voiceless, there is a power inside, the power unknown to many, the power of your signature in a petition. Believe when we come together as the “power”, united, all following the idea of one, anything is possible.

On a call to action from   Ric O’Barry’s     blog that the Government of Indonesia threaten to dump the captive dolphins back to the ocean, without first being rehabilitated was found as an appalling move to by-pass a “Memo of Understanding” between activists and the Indonesian government.

We received a email from  Jakarta Animal Aid Network  one of the rescue organizations in Indonesia, wherein we read how they were trying to stop the abuse of Dolphins in several Circuses around the Island. A search in Google turned up one of the videos being shared by Ric O’Barry and The Black Fish Group .
How could this be? Dolphins in a traveling Circus? We had heard of The Black Fish group from their attempt to cut the nets at The Cove around the end of September in the 2010-2011 herding season.

The video was so compelling

72  Dolphins caught around the island of Indonesia were being held prisoners in several traveling circuses around the islands of beautiful Indonesia along with other wild animals including an orangutan.

Our first petition to the Indonesia Government   stalls and we cannot swiftly gather signatures and the Indonesia Government uses  stalling tacticts in order not to release the Dolphins.

The rehabilitation pool built by Earth Island Institute with the help of Lincoln O’Barry and Ric O’Barry  it is still empty a year after the signed “MOU”, Memo of Understanding.

The petition  Dolphins do not belong in traveling Circus was started in the end of February 2011, after receiving a compelling poster that the Day of the Indonesia Dolphins, March 10, 2012 was fast approaching.

On March 4, 2012 upon learning that Pete Bethune from ECO Earthrace Conservation Organization had just left Washington, we asked to help us deliver the petition to the Embassy in New York City, armed with over 4,000 signatures, he proceeds to deliver the petition.

Earthrace Conservation Org. activists reached out stating that they have an activist that can deliver a petition to Washington, DC. How lucky can we get?  Matt Griffin from ECO sets out and records the petition being delivered to Washington, DC. (Video to be posted soon)

– Activists armed with over 4,000 signatures, individuals and the organization Animals Australia descended on Indonesian Embassies in the United States, England, Sweden and Australia to deliver copies of the petition.

Protests abound in Indonesia, no more dolphins in traveling circuses.

We are informed that Garuda Airlines is transporting Dolphins, of course another petition is issued Garuda Airlines petition – Talk about putting pressure on all those that are in partnership with the Dolphin Captivity trade.

We get a break when we get an email with a photo attached; Flight G411 left Bali airport with dolphins being transported in  Cargo hold.

With barely 1,000 signatures to the petition and an undercover photo. We brought a stop to Dolphins being transported between islands in Indonesia.

July 16th, 2012 Animal Activist call for Boycott in the Jakarta Globe.

and July 16th, 2012 The Jakarta Post reports.

July 19, 2012 the BBC picks up the story  The BBC

A Victory is declared on our petition to Garuda Airlines by the Editors of Change.org., but the Dolphins are still in prison and we must continue to bring attention to the plight of the Circus Dolphins.

I leave you with my Mantra:

“Activist never quit when they believe in the cause they are fighting for.
Do not feel discouraged, feel enraged.
Do not falter, feel the power of a thousand voices.
Do not waver, they will see weakness.
Do not go silently into the night.
Do not deter, We will never stop or surrender.”
For the Dolphins, For the Whales, For the World

Save the Blood Dolphins!