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Only Chemical Abortions Permitted So Far   AMSTERDAM, July 2, 2002 (LSN.ca) – The Dutch Ministry of Health has cleared the way for Dr. Rebecca Gomperts’ converted fishing trawler to distribute the RU-486 human pesticide to customers outside the 12-mile limit of countries where abortion is not legal. However, Minister Els Borst rejected Gomperts’ wish to conduct surgical abortions at sea, citing safety reasons.  Gomperts claims several unnamed countries have invited Women on Waves, her company, to come and promote what she calls “women’s right to self-determination of which the right to abortion is part” by offering abortifacients at sea. Last year, after failing to obtain a Dutch licence to conduct first-trimester abortions in international waters, the ship sailed to outside Irish waters anyway to offer abortions and “information, contraceptives, counseling and the abortion pill for very early pregnancies,” according to a press release. Her target list includes unborn babies in Poland, Malta and Ireland as well as all of south America and much of Africa—in fact, anywhere that governments dare to try to protect life in the womb.  Dr. Gomperts, who claims to be inspired by the Rainbow Warrior, the Greenpeace ship sunk by the French secret service in 1995, says: “This means we can sail again and offer the abortion pill for early stage pregnancies. … At least we can now do something to help women … legally.”  For the Women on Waves press release and to visit their website see: https://www.womenonwaves.org/e_pressrelease.html   For previous LifeSite coverage see:  DUTCH GOV’T FUNDED ABORTION SHIP’S CONVERSION FROM FISHING TRAWLER https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2001/jun/01062603.html