Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
attacks are still the subject of debate, one proponent of their having taken
place has said that they “successfully killed a significant percentage of
Mujaheddin pack animals but because of their careless...management
and excess numbers it had zero impact.”
19
Alibek asserts antianimal activities ceased before the collapse of the So-
viet Union. Once again, it has proved difficult to corroborate this claim or
to determine when such activities were abandoned.
Two other state-run programs have come to light from this period—
one in South Africa, and the other in Iraq. There is no indication that ei-
ther had an antianimal component.
Allegations of State Use
In 1979 and 1980, during the civil war that led to independence, Zimba-
bwe (then Rhodesia) suffered from a devastating outbreak of anthrax.
During this period there were over 10,700 human cases (intestinal and
cutaneous), resulting in 182 deaths. A number of unusual features have
led experts to propose that this outbreak had unnatural origins. Dr. Meryl
Nass lists these characteristics:
•
Unusually large numbers of cases
•
Unusual geographic distribution
•
Confinement of the outbreak to former Rhodesia despite the presence of
favorable meteorological conditions throughout the region
•
Confinement of the outbreak to tribal trust lands
•
Occurrence of the outbreak during the final stages of hostilities
20
Potential motivations to carry out such an attack have also been pro-
posed. These include: to reduce the food supply of guerrilla fighters, to in-
crease animosity between these fighters (on whom the outbreak was
blamed) and the local populace, and to impoverish the rural population.
There have also been uncorroborated statements made by individuals
claiming to have been involved in similar operations.
21
Although proponents of a deliberate origin for the outbreak appear to
agree that it was designed to target the animal population, no veterinary
data or epidemiological studies have been produced to support such a
supposition. Given the amount of time that has passed, controversy can
be expected to continue. Nass states, however, that “human cases were
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