PACIFIC civil society organisations want regional leaders to reject growing militarisation and have warned that the region must not become a battleground for geopolitical rivalry.
In a joint statement, the Pacific Regional Non-Governmental Organisations (PRNGO) Alliance condemned China’s recent test of a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) across the Pacific Ocean.
It also criticised continued United States Minuteman III missile tests and the expansion of military alliances and exercises across the region.
The alliance said it opposes all forms of militarisation and nuclear threats, regardless of which country is responsible.
“We cannot condemn missile tests, military build-ups and strategic military expansion undertaken by one power while remaining silent when comparable actions are undertaken by another,” the statement said.
The alliance also opposed military partnerships such as AUKUS and exercises including RIMPAC, Valiant Shield and Talisman Sabre. It said these activities are inconsistent with the Pacific’s vision of becoming an Ocean of Peace.
The statement comes as the region marks several major nuclear anniversaries this month, including the 80th anniversary of Operation Crossroads at Bikini Atoll, the 60th anniversary of France’s first nuclear test at Moruroa Atoll, the 41st anniversary of the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior, and the ninth anniversary of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
According to the alliance, these anniversaries are a reminder of the Pacific’s legacy of nuclear colonialism. They also reinforce calls to prevent the region from becoming a testing ground for external powers’ strategic ambitions.
The alliance urged Pacific leaders to condemn all missile tests conducted in or across the Pacific Ocean, regardless of the country involved.
It also called for the strengthening of the Treaty of Rarotonga, support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and an end to further militarisation of the Blue Pacific.
It said any future Ocean of Peace framework must be Pacific-led and centred on human security, environmental protection, Indigenous rights, sovereignty and self-determination.
The alliance added that lasting regional security depends on addressing climate change, ecological degradation, economic inequality, and unresolved nuclear justice issues, rather than expanding military competition.
“The Pacific Ocean is not a theatre for great-power rivalry. It is our home,” the statement said.
It added that if the Blue Pacific is to become a genuine Ocean of Peace, militarisation must give way to justice, cooperation and Pacific-led security founded on sovereignty, self-determination and the wellbeing of Pacific peoples.
Source: PANG
