38

The

Greenpeace

Affair

On July 10, 1985 two bombs ex• the wake of the murderous assault in Mururoa in the French Pacific ploded under the hull of the Rain• the Auckland harbour, therefore, it region of Polynesia to test and bow Warrior anchored in the har• was not immediately evident which perfect its nuclear weapons. Until bour of Auckland, , hand was behind the explosions. The 1975 continued to conduct killing a photographer of Portugese U.S., certainly, was a likely culprit atmospheric testing. Since that time origin, . as was Great Britain, which is scores of underground tests have The was the 's official homebase, taken place, each one weakening flagship of a "fleet" belonging to and where it is considered an em- further the volcanic bedrock of the the international organisation barassment by the Thatcher govern• island and threatening to send the Greenpeace—a group of pacifists ment. Even the Soviet Union, whole island and the accumulated and ecologists based mainly in the despite its efforts to use some of pollution drifting off into the imperialist countries who for fifteen Greenpeace's campaigns for pro• Pacific. years have been protesting, often at paganda purposes, has had some For these reasons Greenpeace has considerable danger, the testing and serious conflicts with the organisa• continually struggled against the deployment of nuclear weapons as tion in the past: in 1982 a flotilla had French nuclear testing at Mururoa, well as taking up other causes of a sailed into a Soviet testing zone in provoking brutal reaction by more specifically environmental the Kamchatka area—near the same French authorities. In one incident nature, such as the fight to save the area where the Soviets shot down the in the early 1970s, French sailors whale population from extinction. Korean 007 airplane. boarded a Greenpeace vessel and Because of these activities, But it was particularly France viciously beat its unarmed crew, in• Greenpeace had earned the which was suspect. Ever since 1965, cluding the current head of animosity of the nuclear powers. In France has been using the island of Greenpeace, David McTaggart, who 39 lost an eye during that confronta• tion. At the time of the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior, Greenpeace was preparing another campaign against French nuclear testing at Mururoa. Officials in were particularly concerned about thwarting this cam• paign and, at the same time, loudly proclaiming and trumpeting the French presence in the Pacific, which had come under increasing at• tack from the independence move• ment in New Caledonia as well as from imperialist Australia and New Zealand. It is not surprising that suspicion centred on France, and all the more so when, two days after the explo• sion, New Zealand police arrested a ' 'couple'' with false Swiss passports who'were soon revealed to be agents of the French secret services 40

(D.G.S.E.). Quickly, the govern- at the height of its power French im- well typify the reality of French im- ment of New Zealand itself, headed perialism was able to extend its in- perialism and its ambitions as the ex- by the social-democratic blowhard fluence and contend with its rivals plosion of nuclear weapons in their , was to accuse France, throughout the globe. Even today faroff Pacific atoll. Far beyond the Yet, in spite of all this, and even as remnants of the French colonial em- immediate military benefits of these evidence mounted daily, the French pire still exist where old-fashioned, tests (and it has been asked, not government continued to issue open colonialism is still the order of without reason, that if they are as denial after denial of any official the day. This is particularly true in harmless as the French say, why role in the attack on the Rainbow a number of "island colonies" couldn't they be conducted in the Warrior and to piously promise to which France maintains scattered metropole) is the clear political state- cooperate in the investigation of the about the oceans of the world: La ment involved. As government of- crime along with the eventual Reunion in the Indian Ocean, ficials openly proclaim, French "punishment" of any unknown Guadaloupe and Martinique in the "dissuasion" requires the adversary Frenchmen who might just happen Caribbean, and, above all, New to be convinced that France will use to be involved (as individuals, of Caledonia and in its nuclear weapons if necessary and course!). the Pacific. thus a cornerstone of French policy It was the beginning of a scandale French possessions in the South in all its aspects is to constantly on a scale not before seen during the Pacific total 22,700 square perfect, test and prepare to use its Mitterrand regime in France. In kilometres distributed over 130 nuclear weapons. The brutal many ways it was comparable to the islands. The largest of these posses- destruction of a pacifist ship is itself "Watergate" affair in the United sions, New Caledonia, has a popula- a clear message of French im- States and had many of the same tion of 140,000 while 170,000 others perialism's intention to go to features: criminal acts committed by are inhabitants of French Polynesia, whatever lengths necessary to pro- the government itself; clumsy lying One factor which makes these tect and expand its empire as well as by officials on all levels trying to possessions particularly valuable is a reflection of the intensification of cover-up the affair; "leaks" to the the current international agreement the contradictions pushing France press by various functionaries each which grants each state exclusive and the other imperialist powers to out to save their own careers at the economic rights over the ocean floor prepare ever more energetically for expense of their colleagues; efforts within 200 kilometres of its shores, world war. by rival factions of the ruling class 200 kilometres around every All of this is reflected in the inter- ^ to utilise Vaffaire Greenpeace to French island in the Pacific amounts nal politics of France as well, and Jg carry out their political interests; an to an economic zone fourteen times especially the role of the President of |X accelerating cycle of charges and the surface of France. France who is, above all, the guar- ^ counter-charges and lies and counter It is not only immediate economic dian and ultimate trigger of France's 5; lies that flew out of control; the in- interest that encourages France to nuclear force, the third largest in the * creasing exposure of.the hallowed fight so bitterly to maintain its world. This role was carved out by j3 government officials as narrow, self- foothold in the Pacific. The French DeGaulle, for whom the force de Q seeking liars and criminals. imperialists are also very aware, and frappe was the vital element in What made Greenpeace different concerned, about long-term, restoring France's "rightful" par- Q from Watergate was above all its strategic interests in the region as ticipation in the world. This policy ^ origin (which, as we will see, is the well. One leading political figure in has continued under every successive ^ one thing that all "responsible" par- France stated that the Pacific will French president including Francois ties in France, right and left, try to play the same role in the 21st century Mitterrand, the great defender of obliterate). Whereas the Watergate that the Mediterranean played in an- human rights and socialist! In fact scandal in the U.S. began as simply tiquity and the Atlantic has played the basic requirement the a case of inner bourgeois foul play in the past three hundred years. And bourgeoisie had made of the (sending agents to break into the of- the spokesmen for all political was that it abandon fices of the rival Democratic; Party tendencies in France have made its anti-nuclear rhetoric that, as headquarters) the Greenpeace affair very, very clear that France intends empty as it was, had marked an was set off by the murder of a man to be at the table, if not at the head earlier period, and rally around the during a terrorist attack against a of it, when the Pacific spoils are to force de frappe. The reversal of the pacifist organisation—conducted in be divided up. Socialist Party's official position on the interests of still greater crimes: All this is quite linked to France's nuclear weapons was thus a key ele- the strengthening of the grip of nuclear policy. After all, protecting ment in the election of Mitterrand as French imperialism on a major por- and expanding an imperialist empire president. tion of the Pacific and the prepara- in today's world is above all a ques- Since assuming office Mitterrand tion for nuclear warfare. tion of nuclear weapons. And the has in no way betrayed this pledge. French bourgeoisie, as well as its In fact, while his policies have, Frauce in the Pacific various political parties, open and across the board, been marked by Although the "traditional sphere of disguised, understands this only too one right wing turn after another, influence" of French imperialism is well. there is no arena where his real• located in Africa and the Mid-East, So what other single gest could so tionary, imperialist nature is so clear 47

as in relation to nuclear affairs. He proached British intelligence, who French agent, Captain Christine has ardently fought for the deploy• seem to have been more or less Cabon, had infiltrated the ment of the U.S. missiles in Europe, aware of the movements of the Greenpeace organisation in vigorously stepped up France's "Turenges" and may have informed Auckland in April and May of 1985 research on the neutron bomb, and the New Zealand authorities in ad• as well as showing an inordinate in• updated the nuclear submarine fleet. vance of the attack. The British terest in finding out where certain Mitterrand has gone so far as to refused. The Swiss let it be known types of scuba diving equipment was state, in arrogance or unwitting buf• they would not go along with any ef• available in New Zealand. The foonery, "la dissuasion, c'estmoi" forts to provide a Swiss "cover" for agent, under the alias of Frederique (a reference to the famous statement the arrested agents. Bonlieu, was able to manufacture of Louis XIV who said I'etat, c'est Meanwhile, French espionage her entry into Greenpeace circles as moi or "I am the state.") circles were busy floating all sorts of the result of several "chance en• As stated before, imperialism is "disinformation"—false leads to counters" among ocean lovers and not a partisan affair. That is to say journalists aimed at spreading con• then acted out a "conversion" from that in France the basic strategic fusion about the origin of the affair. luke-warm supporter of French orientation of the country is not sub• It was for example, reported to be a nuclear policy to ardent pacifist jected to the bickering of bourgeois diabolical plot by "anglo-saxons" to which made her seem all the more political parties; on the contrary, the commit an attack and then blame it convincing. general outlines of French im• on the French. This self-serving To top it all off the Ouvea, a very perialist policy enjoy a very broad hypothesis was faithfully repeated expensive yacht, disappeared from "consensus." Even the revisionist by more than one "respectable" the face of the earth. What hap• French Communist Party (PCF) has journal (of both the right and the pened to the Ouvea is still not clear dropped its opposition to the force left) and continued to surface in one but press reports indicate that it was de frappe. form or another in the months to scuttled at sea and its crew picked up Thus it is against this backdrop come. Efforts were made to imply by a French submarine.^ that the Greenpeace scandal that even if, perhaps, some French All of the above would be erupted. Bit by bit the extremely citizens were involved in the attack evidence enough to make any ironic situation developed in which it must be the work of right wing government blush, and by early a genuine crisis of the Mitterrand fanatics and certainly not of the August the Paris daily regime took shape alongside bitter faithful followers of government was saying, more or less openly, that infighting within the ranks of the orders. And on and on. it was time to cut losses by firing and ^ ruling circles, while all the principals Meanwhile, the rumour mill was putting the blame on Defence ^ concerned were 100 percent united started up to discredit Greenpeace. Minister Charles Hernu. Laurent O on the really essential: that France Since the organisation enjoyed a Fabius, Mitterrand's Prime 5 maintain its nuclear forces; that tests high prestige in France as in many Minister, was apparently of the ^ be carried out at Mururoa; that other countries it was necessary to same opinion. Q| France remain a "Pacific power;" spread all sorts of unsubstantiated Nevertheless, Mitterrand chose to ^ and that anyone be viciously sup• lies about it. The Rainbow Warrior try to ride out the storm. He had one S pressed who dared lay a finger on was equipped, it was claimed, with piece of evidence still working for ^ France's sovereignty (read, its ability espionage equipment and its real him: it seems that neither the 53 to maintain its nukes and use them aim was to monitor the French tests "Turenges" nor the crew of .the ^ as it sees fit). for the benefit of the Soviets. Efforts Ouvea could have personally placed ^ were made to portray the murdered the bombs that sunk the Rainbow The Scandal Unfolds photographer as some sort of a Warrior. Thus Mitterrand adopted Immediately after the arrest of the super spy. a dual policy of increasing arrogance D.G.S.E. couple — the These efforts continued even as while hiring a long time Gaullist, "Turenges "—Mr. Turenge (ac• new evidence pointed ever more Bernard Tricot, to write a report tually Alain Mafart) telephoned clearly to the involvement of the whitewashing the government. (from jail!) a special number belong• French secret services. The true iden• ing to the D.G.S.E. to alert Paris tity of the "Turenges" came out The Tricot Report that the couple's getaway had been quickly, as did the mysterious ex• The Tricot report was truly a world- fouled up. Thus from the earliest istence of a yacht called the Ouvea, class example of hypocrisy, lies and hours, top officials were aware that home port Noumea in New cynicism. His investigation ap• French agents had been arrested in Caledonia, which just happened to parently consisted of interviewing New Zealand and were under in• be in New Zealand right before the various key government officials vestigation for the attack against the attack. It turns out that the crew of and asking them "did you sink the Rainbow Warrior. The cover-up the Ouvea was made up mostly of Rainbow WarriorV and then tak• began right there. naval combat frogmen based in Cor• ing their denials as evidence of At first, the French secret services sica who work directly under the French innocence. The Ouvea's mis• tried to find another foreign power authority of the French secret ser• sion for example, was simply to to take the fall for the Rainbow vices.... "practice navigation in the South Warrior. Apparently they ap• It was also revealed that a certain Pacific (!)" and, secondarily of 42 course, to consider the possibility of structive" than earlier French ambassadors, military commanders, joining a Greenpeace flotilla at a statements. and territorrial administrators to later date. The "Turenges" were A careful reading of the Tricot join him in Mururoa for a meeting there only on an innocent recon• report does, however, help to make of what he dubbed the "Committee naissance mission against forces clear why Mitterrand himself chose of the Pacific." When Prime who threatened French interests. to adopt a position of "stonewall• Minister Lange felt compelled by the Tricot even waxes eloquent in his ing," as Richard Nixon had put it strong anti-nuclear sentiment in report about the sailing ability of the during the Watergate crisis. It seems New Zealand to issue more of his crew of the Ouvea and how this won that the entire operation against the empty protests, Mitterrand them the respect of New Zealanders. Rainbow Warrior was of such a responded with a polite but firm He never asked how the yacht disap• magnitude (3 million French francs) kick in the teeth, "it would seem cor• peared, nor did he interview the that it required special budget rect that the injuries and accusations crew. Most interesting of all, he allotments. Thus even if one would of which France is the object be never explained why it was necessary care to argue that the operation had avoided." One can only wonder to have combat frogmen on hand never been cleared in advance with how Mitterrand would have reacted for a purely reconnaissance mission. the highest state authorities it could to a foreign power sinking a boat in He concludes his report on August not be executed without the direct the Seine! 25, "All that I have heard and seen approval of Mitterrand's personal gives me the certitude that no deci• staff, in the person of one General The Dam Breaks sion was made on the government Saulnier, head of Mitterrand's On 17 September the Greenpeace level to harm the Rainbow War• military staff at the time, and now crisis reached new intensities. Le rior. '' Chief of Staff of the French Armed Monde, a "semi-official" Tricot's report was greeted with Forces. It would be difficult for newspaper if ever one existed, an• astonishment and laughter by all anyone to believe that the good nounced as fact what everyone had quarters. It is difficult to imagine general put his signature down already known: French agents blew that it was ever meant to be believed. without talking to his boss. From up the Rainbow Warrior. Further• It seems that the Tricot report was this flows Mitterrand's very per• more Le Monde provided the key to aimed at going through the motions sonal interest to try to maintain, at understanding how the attack was of an inquiry, and essentially let it be whatever cost, the myth that the committed: a third team of French known that the whole affair was to French operation against the Rain• agents (that is, neither the be whitewashed under the cover of bow Warrior, combat frogmen, "Turenges" nor the crew of the raison d'etat. yachts and all, was a simple infor• Ouvea) set the bomb and left town ' comments on 29 mation-gathering mission. It turned right away. Two days later I'Ex- August regarding the Tricot report out later that a key member of press, a newsweekly, confirmed the in the midst of the uproar that ac• Fabius' personal staff was also re• story and revealed the identities of companied its publication are par• quired to initial the request for extra the agents involved (both from the ticularly interesting. While Fabius funds. Alas, the French love for same training centre in Corsica for had to admit that "I have my paperwork comes back to haunt combat frogmen). doubts," his main point was to them... Mitterrand, who seems imper• throw down a gauntlet: "As a Despite the universal disbelief in vious to shame, reacted to the latest nuclear power and Pacific power we the Tricot Report the French, turn of events by issuing a public let• have to defend what we consider to government persevered with ter to Fabius asking him to cut off be the interests of France in the boldness. On 18 August Mitterrand some heads and indicating that he region. Yet there are activities that had taken the highly unusual step of only knows what he reads in the are contrary to our interests: no one, publicly ordering the armies to "for• paper, just like anyone else in least of all' those who encourage bid, by force if necessary, all France. This public letter irritated these activities (i.e. New Zealand), unauthorized entry into French ter• Fabius who in turn leaked to the should be surprised that we are ritorial waters and French airspace press that he already asked for per• vigilant in the safeguarding of our of the Polynesian islands of mission to, fire Hernu four times in interests." Mururoa and Fangataufa...I restate the month of August and that it was In this same speech Fabius attacks that the nuclear tests will continue in Mitterrand who was reluctant to let Greenpeace as an organisation "try• the Pacific as long as deemed his old pal and darling of the ing to dictate defence policy to necessary by the French authorities military establishment take the fall. France" and finishes by challenging and these alone." In early In any event, Hernu submitted a New Zealand to demonstrate the September Mitterrand went one bet• resignation which was accepted by a proof that the French agents blew up ter by paying a surprise royal visit tearful Mitterrand ("I must express the boat. In other words, "catch us to...Mururoa for a personal inspec• my pain, my regrets and my if you can." It is especially ironic tion of the nuke-testing site (after gratitude...You continue to com• that after all of his previous hot air, first witnessing a rocket launch• mand my esteem and the esteem of New Zealand Prime Minister Lange ing—alas, a failure-—in the French Frenchmen who recognise the fine found Fabius' speech "much more South American colony of Guyana). servants of the country"). Admiral honourable and much more con• Mitterrand convened all of France's Lacoste was fired with less 43 ceremony. Paul Quilles was ap• claim that the squad in Auckland their bidding and excuse even the pointed the new Defence Minister served the personal interests of most barbaric of crimes. only to discover upon taking office Monsieur Mitterrand." In other The silence of the masses on the that the documents of the words, if Richard Nixon could be Greenpeace affair is probably best Greenpeace Affair were (surprise!) chased from office for using es• explained by the lack of a conscious missing. Shortly thereafter, Fabius pionage tactics in the pursuit of his revolutionary political force, a announced that his investigation had own reelection, Mitterrand must be vanguard proletarian party, capable "revealed" that the decision to sink protected since he acted on behalf of of really penetrating beneath the sur• the Rainbow Warrior came from the most noble of interests, the force face and challenging the terms on Charles Hernu and Admiral de frappe. which the bourgeoisie had placed the Lacoste. Several arrests of military debate. On the one hand everything officers were carried out, not for The Paralysis of the Masses was clear: the government had blowing up the Rainbow Warrior of Throughout the entire affair one blown up the boat and every official course; the only persons jailed by the force was not heard from—the pro• involved, from the combat frogmen French government were imprisoned letariat and revolutionary-minded to Mitterrand himself, was im• for leaking information to the press! and progressive people in France. In plicated in the murder up to their Within days the Elysee officially fact, there was not, to our elbows. Yet the bourgeoisie had suc• declared the case closed and Le knowledge, a single demonstration ceeded in engineering the unfolding Monde obediently followed suit. in France against the crime of blow• of the scandal in such a way that it L 'affaire Greenpeace was relegated ing up the Rainbow Warrior. remained on the ruling classes' to tiny articles on the back pages of There are, of course, various ex• terms: who ordered the attack? did newspapers and public opinion polls planations for this deafening silence. the secret service agents fail on pur• announced that the "public" was A large part of the population con• pose to discredit the regime? what is "tired" of reading about the scan• tinues to support the force de the best way to thwart Greenpeace? dal. frappe: the relative independence of etc., etc. One of the reasons for the very France's nuclear forces from the The Greenpeace scandal created dramatic "loss of interest" was the U.S. has to a large degree spared the an excellent opportunity for genuine almost universal desire to save Mit• French bourgeoisie from the mass revolutionary forces to expose the terrand; between Hernu and the refusal of nuclear weapons that has imperialist nature of France and its President lay only one more poten• swept over other Western European bloody crimes. But in the absence of tial sacrificial lamb (Laurent Fabius) countries in the last few years. In ad• such forces capable and willing to and the latter had made it clear that dition, some of the social forces who undertake such a responsibility the if he went he would pull Mitterrand could be expected to react to such an bourgeoisie was successful in ruling 1 down with him. What was at stake outrage are among those who have the most important political points r- was not Mitterrand the politician, been first deceived, then disarmed "out of order:" that France was an but Mitterrand the President, holder and finally demoralised by the Mit• imperialist power in the world, in• of the key to France's missiles. As a terrand phenomenon. There is cer• cluding the South Pacific; that the notorious right-wing minister of the tainly no question that Mitterrand nuclear force existed to protect and former Giscard regime put it, "the has succeeded in riding through the ultimately expand that imperialism; president, symbol of national unity, storm in a way that an openly' 'right that the self-appointed defenders of must be kept clear of the vicissitudes wing" president could not. The the rights of man would go to any 00 of government, except in the case of comments by the Minister of the En• lengths to crush their opponents, high treason." Saving Mitterrand vironment, Huguette Bourchardeau even relatively harmless ones, if they also is part of preparing what has who, until recently, represented in felt their fundamental interests at come to be known as "cohabita• the Mitterrand government a small stake. On all these questions, unfor• tion," which refers to the likely petit bourgeois party characterised tunately, the bourgeois situation which will exist after spring as "extreme left," the P.S.U. are consensus emerged strengthened in 1986 when new parliamentary elec• one interesting weathervane. She the course of the scandal. Not that tions will probably bring about a declared that Hernu was "very more people have been won to these majority controlled by the Right, courageous to accept the respon• reactionary positions, but that these while Mitterrand will remain presi• sibility for actions which were linked positions have gone unchallenged dent for two more years. Most of the to Defence" and that she was "quite and have, through the working out principal opposition leaders have proud to participate in a government of the Greenpeace scandal, become spoken out in favour of that was so committed to shedding more than ever openly declared as "cohabitating" with Mitterrand. light on a scandal." It is interesting the united will of the nation. As Le Monde was to put it in an to note that her Ministry had given As if to announce the end of Vaf• editorial explaining the "dif• a subsidy of 30,000 francs to faire Greenpeace Laurent Fabius led ferences" between Watergate and Greenpeace only a few months a delegation from various political the Greenpeace affair: "there is no before the attack! The French parties to the island of Mururoa in doubt that the method chosen to bourgeoisie is certainly still carrying late October to attend the stop Greenpeace was both stupid out tactics, and they have plenty of underground testing of a nuclear and criminal. But it is not possible to ex-"leftists" around to faithfully do bomb. •