First of all, thanks to CONCORD and the various organizing committees for arranging for this important Summit and to inviting capsuleers to various discussions and roundtables so that we could voice our viewpoints and concerns. Smuggling on the space lanes could not have been comprehensively discussed without capsuleer input, both live and virtual.
Smuggler activity in our fringes, in Molden Heath especially, has for years been a concern in the Republic. The turf wars between criminal cartels and the illegal and untraditional drug traffic and piracy have caused unnecessary suffering and destabilized the already fragile region. News about cluster-wide co-operation between criminal organizations in smuggling and piracy are a cause of concern and it was good to hear about CONCORD also taking note of this.
That said, I am also concerned about some representatives making comments that seem to be aimed not at criminal cartels as such, but at enforcing on various borders and contested territories the laws of one jurisdiction over the other on what exactly is legal traffic and/or sanctioned warfare.
I understand the limits are difficult to draw where jurisdictions mix, but traditionally (if such a word can be used about a thing that is only a couple of decades old) independent capsuleer traffic has been immune to much control from CONCORD when it comes to trade goods and passengers transported across contested zones, enforcement of local law rather exercised by local authorities. Now several voices wished to use SARO/CONCORD manpower to enforce their local trade and combat regulations. This is a significant step up of force and interference, and a notable risk both for legitimate humanitarian and resistance operations, and for capsuleer traditional independence.
It is a real “baby with the bathwater” situation here, and I for one hope CONCORD proper will look away from such blatant promotion of national interests on the pretext of international space lane safety. CONCORD must stay in its lane and not try and enforce its regulations over all local jurisdiction.
Room must be left for individual capsuleers and organizations to exercise their own judgment in accordance to traditional regulations on capsuleer independence, as well as for loyal forces to decide case by case which actions best serve their tribes and nations.
Elsebeth Rhiannon
CEO, SoERR Roughriders
Head Diplomat, Electus Matari
Capsuleer Consultant to CONCORD subcommittee 13A, Interstellar Anti-Smuggler and Counter-Piracy Conference, Jita 4-4, YC124