ISAHAYA, Nagasaki Pref. -- As authorities stand idle and let the entire ecosystem on this tideland perish by the day, marine creatures on the brink of extinction are fighting back against the human race -- in court.
Since last July, six plaintiffs, each claiming to represent a species that inhabit areas undergoing reclamation work in Isahaya Bay, have turned to the Nagasaki District Court to seek a halt to the central government project. In court hearings, they speak for the animals whose survival is being threatened. Although their action is largely symbolic, they hope to promote the notion that other living creatures besides humans have the right to live.
"In my childhood, my parents always taught me never to be the bully," said Keiichiro Harada, 45, one of the plaintiffs. "Men have the means to fight back against men, but other creatures can only put up with human bullies." The 3,000-hectare tideland, known worldwide for its rich ecodiversity, has been disappearing fast since a 1.2-km part of the 7-km embankment that blocks the flow of tide was closed April 14 amid angry protests by locals.