Kristian Edd I Nemenzo

IT - 213


Philippine trial of Chinese fishermen accused of turtle-
poaching stalls without interpreter

The lack of an interpreter held up Philippine legal proceedings against nine
Chinese fishermen caught with hundreds of marine turtles in a disputed South
China Sea shoal. Manila says the fishermen were within the Philippines 322km
exclusive economic zone and were in possession of endangered species of turtles,
a violation of a United Nations convention on trading wildlife species. China has
demanded the release of the fishermen, saying the arrest was illegal because they
were caught in Chinas waters. China claims about 90 percent of the South China
Sea, an area believed to be rich in hydrocarbon deposits and fisheries. Brunei,
Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan also claim the sea, through which
US$5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year.

Reaction
This kind of problem between nations is so dangerous and need to be solve
through words alone and an interpreter is one of the key to solve a case like this,
and because this is a problem between nations the pressure of being an
interpreter makes it hard to find one. Because any misunderstanding between the
trial could be interpreters fault and can be accuse by the Law. About the territory,
they should clear the boundaries of each country in the South China Sea. Since
the said territory is claimed by many countries, if the problem about the
boundaries is not solve properly most likely peace will be disturb and the war that
everyone fear will occur.