Government Called To Suspend Rakon Exports Used In Gaza Genocide

26 May 2024

PSNA has written to the government asking it to suspend military-capable exports from Auckland-based company Rakon pending an independent investigation into their use in Israel’s genocidal attacks on Gaza.

Rakon makes crystal oscillators used in the guidance systems of smart bombs. Their 2005 business plan says the company’s objective was to dominate "the lucrative and expanding guided munitions and military positioning market" within five years.

Rakon sends these “smart bomb” parts to US arms manufacturers which build the bombs which inevitably end up in Israel’s genocidal attacks on Gaza.

Already the United Nations Human Rights Council has passed a resolution calling for a halt to all arms sales to Israel and last Friday the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to end its attacks on Rafah because of Israel’s indiscriminate slaughter of Palestinians.

The New Zealand government has been muddying the water telling us New Zealand does nor export arms to Israel.

“Exporting parts for guided munitions and JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munitions) bombs which end up in the killing fields of Gaza means we are actively supporting Israel’s genocide”, says PSNA National Chair John Minto.

An Amnesty International investigation has highlighted two incidents involving JDAM bombs which appear to be war crimes. It is highly likely the bombs used in these mass killing events (43 civilians killed – 19 children, 14 women and 10 men) have parts manufactured in Rakon’s Mt Wellington factory.

The UN’s Genocide Convention requires New Zealand to take action to prevent genocide.

Suspending and investigating Rakon’s bomb-related exports will be a small but important step in the right direction.

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