the rollback of south africa's biological warfare program
the rollback of south africa's biological warfare program
the rollback of south africa's biological warfare program
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<strong>of</strong> poisons, for example, to impregnate toxins into blue jeans slated for<br />
guerrillas <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and<br />
Zimbabwe Peoples Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) guerrillas. The Scouts also<br />
experimented with poisoned pens to assassinate guerrilla leaders, and with<br />
bacteriological cultures that <strong>the</strong>y introduced into <strong>the</strong> Ruya River near <strong>the</strong><br />
Mozambique border in 1976. Former top Rhodesian intelligence operative,<br />
Henrik Ellert, claims that a Selous Scout operation poisoned <strong>the</strong> water supply<br />
<strong>of</strong> a town in Tete province, Mozambique in an attempt to kill ZANLA<br />
guerrillas who were reported to be operating in <strong>the</strong> area. O<strong>the</strong>r accounts allege<br />
that Rhodesian military forces experimented with cholera to contaminate rivers<br />
and with <strong>the</strong> seeding <strong>of</strong> anthrax spores in farming areas used by ZANU and<br />
ZAPU in an effort to poison guerrilla food supplies. 19 Finally, Rhodesian<br />
forces poisoned wells and were suspected <strong>of</strong> using chemical and <strong>biological</strong><br />
agents, especially in <strong>the</strong> Rhodesia’s Eastern Highlands and across <strong>the</strong> border in<br />
Mozambique. 20<br />
As <strong>the</strong> 1970s developed, <strong>the</strong> Rhodesian government became increasingly<br />
dependent on South Africa for financial support and military hardware. By <strong>the</strong><br />
end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1970s, SADF military intelligence was a principal source <strong>of</strong> funding<br />
for <strong>the</strong> Rhodesian counter-insurgency <strong>program</strong>, including <strong>the</strong> Selous Scouts.<br />
The Rhodesian defense budget was very small, and <strong>the</strong> regime had one<br />
rudimentary chemical and <strong>biological</strong> <strong>warfare</strong> plant that received outside aid<br />
from South Africa. In assisting Rhodesia, South African researchers continued<br />
to work on CBW and land mine projects. 21<br />
After 1980 and <strong>the</strong> independence <strong>of</strong> Zimbabwe, South African<br />
involvement in <strong>the</strong> Rhodesian guerrilla war provided useful training<br />
opportunities and personnel connections. Many Selous Scouts left Rhodesia<br />
and were quickly integrated into special units <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> SADF and SAP. SADF<br />
Special Forces and SAP <strong>of</strong>ficers stationed in Rhodesia had studied <strong>the</strong><br />
organizational structures and tactics used by <strong>the</strong> Selous Scouts, including <strong>the</strong><br />
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