Complicit in violence and destruction

Manu Caddie

Opinion

The new NZ Space Policy released last week is quite a contrast with another space policy document released on the same day: “For All Humanity — the Future of Outer Space Governance: Our Common Agenda Policy Brief” released by the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs.

“For All Humanity” has a section on prevention of conflict in outer space, which points out that additional normative frameworks are needed to prevent any extension of armed conflict into outer space and to prevent the weaponisation of outer space.

“A major risk to outer space security is its emergence as a possible domain of military confrontation between major military powers. The combination of new space actors, the proliferation of space objects, the fact that many space-based services have both civil and military users and the increasing reliance of armed forces on space systems, exacerbates this risk. Given these emerging risks, a number of national security strategies, doctrines, concepts and policies describe outer space as a warfighting or operational domain. These are not just theoretical concepts, they are being backed by the development of military capabilities to deny, disrupt, degrade or destroy the space systems of adversaries. This can include direct-ascent missiles, manoeuvrable satellites, Earth or space-based laser systems, electromagnetic and cyber capabilities or even the use of nuclear weapons.”

The policy discussion document is explicit about the need for a rules-based governance that limits the ability of both state parties and private companies to use space as a domain for war-fighting and exploitation.

“Without agreed international principles on activities in the exploration, exploitation and utilization of space resources, these economic incentives carry a potential risk of conflict, environmental degradation and cultural loss.”

The full document is available at: https://t.co/L2KRrmw4ys

By way of contrast, the only reference to conflict in New Zealand’s new space policy — released by the Minister for Economic Development (!) — is: “The potential for conflict in space creates additional risks to New Zealand’s interests, including the potential for disruption to critical national infrastructure that need to be understood and managed.”

Peace Movement Aotearoa has pointed out that, while the policy does have four references to a “peaceful” space environment and mentions “partnering with like-minded launch states to adopt peaceful, responsible and sustainable space practices”, it has no reference at all to disarmament, arms control, conflict prevention, or preventing the militarisation of space.

Even worse, the policy has a section each for the Ministry of Defence and NZ Defence Force which refer to “engagements with strategic defence partners” and “close co-operation with partner militaries” respectively . . . and at least one of those “partners” is actively engaged in further developing their “national security strategies, doctrines, concepts and policies” describing “space as a warfighting or operational domain”. So much for “partnering with like-minded launch states to adopt peaceful, responsible and sustainable space practices”.

All this despite dozens of submissions by citizens calling for the policy to explicitly exclude launches for military purposes.

Instead, like most public policy in this country, the industry and foreign interests get to call the shots and public concerns get side-lined until the shit hits the fan and the officials and politicians responsible are long gone. The Labour and National parties since 1984 are no different in this regard and concerned citizens voting for either are just as implicated with the blood of the innocent victims of military satellite-guided missiles and drones on our hands.

Having military technology launched into space in our region makes us a target and complicit in the horrific violence and destruction those launches enable.