a broken warrior.
New Zealanders can be more than a little bloody-minded. We like to describe ourselves as independent thinkers. Historically our position so far from "everything", (except Aussie), has probably served to mould us culturally into a people very used to making our own decisions without much reference to the "rest of the world".
The Franchise
So, for example, way back in 1893, New Zealand became the first country in the world to extend the franchise to all women, both Pakeha and Maori, and at the same time to all Maori men who did not already have the vote through property ownership.
You can contrast that with the United States where "white" women did not get the vote until the nineteen twenties, and "blacks", (first nation Americans and African Americans), until the nineteen sixties.
In Australia the Aboriginal (first nations) people did not get the vote until the nineteen seventies. (But then they were not counted in the national census of Australia until the 'sixties).
Nuclear Testing In The Pacific
After the Second World War the United States, along with their French and British allies, frequently tested nuclear weapons in the Pacific region. In the nineteen-fifties, New Zealand military personnel observed British and American nuclear tests in Australia, the Pacific and in Nevada, and vessels of the Royal New Zealand Navy were weather ships for British tests in the Indian Ocean.
In 1963, the British, American and Soviet governments agreed to ban atmospheric tests. New Zealand also signed this treaty. Noticeable exceptions among the signatories were India, China and France.
New Zealand was involved in ongoing protest over French nuclear testing from the mid-nineteen sixties when France began testing nuclear weapons in French Polynesia. Mururoa Atoll became the focal point for both the tests and opposition to them.
Greenpeace vessels sailed into the test site in 1972, and the following year the New Zealand and Australian governments took France to the International Court of Justice in an attempt to ban tests. France ignored the court's ruling that they cease testing.
This was our backyard. By now we had been confronted with stories of jellyfish babies born to Pacific Island mothers and we had been hearing more and more of high cancer incidences and radiation illnesses in servicemen and Pacific Islanders.
The third Labour Government, led by Norman Kirk, responded to France's continued underground testing by sending two navy frigates, HMNZS Canterbury and Otago, into the test area. A Cabinet minister was also selected to accompany this protest.
Many private vessels swelled this protest flotilla.
Right through the 'seventies and into the 'eighties and as a result of huge public pressure, a series of bills were introduced in the house aimed at making NZ nuclear free. The David Lange-led Labour party campaigned and won the election on the nuclear-free issue in 1984.
The Rainbow Warrior
Then just before midnight on the evening of 10 July 1985, two explosions ripped through the hull of the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior, which was moored at Marsden Wharf in Auckland. A Portuguese crew member, Fernando Pereira, was killed in the explosions.
The Rainbow Warrior had been involved in protests over French nuclear testing in the Pacific. French Secret Service (DGSE) agents were sent to prevent it leaving for another protest campaign at Mururoa Atoll.
The French Terrorists
Two of the DGSE officers, Dominique Prieur and Alain Mafart, were arrested on 24 July. (The others got away). Prieur and Mafart were charged with murder, both pleaded guilty to manslaughter and were sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment in our jails.
The case was a source of considerable embarrassment to the French government.
While the attack was on an international organisation and not the New Zealand nation as such, most New Zealanders did not make such a distinction. The fact that the attack was carried out on New Zealand territory produced a sense of outrage and a serious deterioration in relations developed between New Zealand and France. We regarded these "agents" as terrorists on our land.
The BROKEN Agreement
France used its influence to threaten New Zealand's access to the important European Economic Community market, and New Zealand exports to France were boycotted. New Zealanders reacted in a similar manner to French imports. Eventually, both countries agreed to allow the United Nations to mediate a settlement.
Almost a year after the bombing, on 8 July 1986, United Nations Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar announced, in a binding decision, that New Zealand would receive an apology and compensation of $13 million from France. France was also ordered not to interfere with New Zealand's trade negotiations.
As part of this agreement Dominique Prieur and Alain Mafart were to serve their sentences in full on Hao Atoll in French Polynesia.
But in what was considered to be the final insult, both were released early: Alain Marfart returned to France because of 'illness' in 1987, while Dominique Prieur was repatriated in May 1988 because she was pregnant. Both were honoured as heroes, decorated and promoted upon their return home.
New Zealand Nationalism
This incident did much to promote what was described as New Zealand's 'silent war of independence' and was central to an upsurge in New Zealand nationalism. There was a sense of having to 'go it alone' as traditional allies such as the United States and Britain had sat on their hands while France worked to block New Zealand exports. The failure of Britain and the United States to condemn this act of terrorism hardened support for a more independent foreign policy line.
The New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone,
Disarmament, and Arms Control Act 1987.
The New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act is a New Zealand law passed by the Fourth Labour Government in 1987 "to establish in New Zealand a Nuclear Free Zone, to promote and encourage an active and effective contribution by New Zealand to the essential process of disarmament and international arms control".
The act also implemented a number of treaties in New Zealand, including the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty and the Treaty on The Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
The Act establishes "The New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone" comprising all New Zealand territory (including ocean territory and airspace), prohibits "entry into the internal waters of New Zealand by any ship whose propulsion is wholly or partly dependent on nuclear power" and bans the dumping of radioactive waste within the nuclear-free zone, as well as prohibiting any New Zealand citizen or resident "to manufacture, acquire, possess, or have any control over any nuclear explosive device."
Similar provisions were made for biological weapons. Immunity from the law was granted to ships and aircraft exercising the right of innocent passage and/or the the right of transit passage (in accordance with international law). The act established a 'Public Advisory Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control' "To advise the Minister of Foreign Affairs on such aspects of disarmament and arms control matters as it thinks fit." Offences against the act are punishable by imprisonment, "for a term not exceeding 10 years".
We are really serious about this, eh.
We now ban all association with nuclear weapons.
Our hands are clean.
The ANZUS Treaty
The ANZUS (Australia New Zealand United States) Treaty which was our only direct treaty with the US did not survive our nuclear free policies and our new laws. Given that the United States Navy refused to confirm or deny the presence of nuclear weapons aboard ships, these laws in effect refused access to New Zealand ports for all ships of the United States Navy.
And incidentally:
In September 2006 the agent who placed the bomb was named as Gerard Royal by his brother, Antoine. Their sister, Marie-Ségolène Royal, was a leading candidate for the 2007 French presidential elections but was defeated by Nicolas Sarkozy in May 2007.
No person has ever stood trial for laying the bomb on the Rainbow Warrior and killing Fernando Pereira.
 | wrenomatic wrote on Oct 27, '07, edited on Oct 27, '07 This is a bery interesting story. I had no idea theae kinds of things have gone on in Australia and New Zealand. We hear very little, if no news from there. Nor do I know any history except for the French having tested nuclear weapons. So then, there was success but no retribution. Such a world that people are protected and even rewarded for indiscretions i.e.: murder. I went back and read the last portion of your 'novel'. I like your writing style. It pulled at my heart strings. |
 | It was very much a New Zealand thing. Along with Britain and the US, Australia also "sat on their hands" while France worked to block New Zealand exports and all 3 countries failed to condemn the act of terrorism by France.
Thank you for your comments. Its always nice to have such positive feedback. |
 | Very well written Iri. I was actually working for Greenpeace at the time, I can't believe it was so long ago, I can recall the events at the time like it just happened yesterday. RIP Fernando Pereira. |
| Wow Vin, good for you. It was a terrible thing to happen here, may it never happen again. |
 | I rememebr the attack on the Rainbow Warrior and the subsequent trial. Also the Anzus treaty pratically imploding because the US refused to admit or deny as you said what it had on its ships. Both incidents disgusted me, even back then as a teenager. I did not realise the 2 DGSE agents had been released early and it makes me sick to find out that they were regarded as heroe's in their own country. What kind of people could condone such an act? To me it was an act of terrorism and they should have been punished to the full extent of the law. In fact they should never have left NZ. I have always said that the United Nations is a complete waste of time. The American invasion of Iraq being the perfect example. I think I better stop now, I could go on forever about that illegal war lol |
| Apparently one of the agents was pregnant. They should not have left NZ before completing their sentences I quite agree. Our government at the time faced a lot of pressure not just from France but from Britain and the United States too I believe. The whole thing stiffened our determination to become and remain Nuclear Free. |
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