DATE=6/12/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-40671
TITLE=SAF / TRUTH / CHEMICAL WEAPONS
BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA
DATELINE=JOHANNESBURG
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THIS PAST WEEK IN SOUTH AFRICA, THE "TRUTH AND
RECONCILIATION" COMMISSION PROBING APARTHEID-ERA HUMAN RIGHTS
ABUSES HEARD SOME OF ITS MOST BIZARRE AND HORRIFYING TESTIMONY TO
DATE. V-O-A JOHANNESBURG CORRESPONDENT ALEX BELIDA REPORTS THE
TESTIMONY DEALT WITH THE FORMER WHITE-MINORITY GOVERNMENT'S
SECRET CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS PROGRAM.
TEXT: AT TIMES, THE TESTIMONY SEEMED LUDICROUS -- LIKE THE TALK
OF USING HALLUCINOGENIC DRUGS IN GAS FORM FOR RIOT CONTROL.
THERE ALSO WAS TESTIMONY THAT SEEMED TO COME STRAIGHT OUT OF THE
SCRIPT FOR A JAMES BOND MOVIE -- LIKE THE DISCLOSURE OF THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A SCREWDRIVER WITH A TOXIC TIP.
BUT AT OTHER TIMES, THE TESTIMONY WAS DEADLY SERIOUS -- LIKE THE
REVELATIONS ABOUT THE ACTUAL OR CONTEMPLATED USE OF POISON
AGAINST BLACK LIBERATION STRUGGLE LEADERS -- EVEN NELSON MANDELA.
AND THERE WAS TESTIMONY THAT WAS FRIGHTENINGLY REMINISCENT OF
NAZI GERMANY -- TALK ABOUT RESEARCH ON BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS THAT
WOULD BE EFFECTIVE ONLY ON BLACK PEOPLE.
ANALYSTS WHO FOLLOWED THIS PAST WEEK'S HEARINGS OF THE TRUTH AND
RECONCILIATION COMMISSION ON THE APARTHEID GOVERNMENT'S COVERT
CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS PROGRAM SAID THEY OFTEN DID NOT
KNOW WHETHER TO LAUGH OR CRY.
BUT ONE THING THEY AGREED ON WAS THAT THOSE INVOLVED IN SUCH
PROJECTS APPEARED TO PURSUE THEM WITH A GENUINE ZEAL --
ESPECIALLY WOUTER BASSON, THE ONE-TIME PERSONAL PHYSICIAN TO
PRESIDENT P-W BOTHA AND THE SECRET PROGRAM'S CHIEF DIRECTOR.
ONE WITNESS, SCIENTIST DAAN GOOSEN (WHO-SEN), RELATED HOW DR.
BASSON EXPLAINED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EFFORT, LINKING IT TO WHAT
HE WOULD TELL HIS DAUGHTER ONE DAY IN THE FUTURE WHEN SHE ASKED
ABOUT HIS ROLE IN DEFENDING WHITE-MINORITY RULE.
/// GOOSEN ACTUALITY ///
HE (BASSON) SAID, I'VE GOT ONE DAUGHTER -- AND HE SAID
TO ME DON'T HAVE ANY DOUBT THAT THE BLACK PEOPLE WILL
TAKE OVER THE COUNTRY, BUT ONE DAY WHEN THE BLACK PEOPLE
TAKE OVER THE COUNTRY AND MY DAUGHTER ASKS ME DADDY WHAT
DID YOU DO TO PREVENT THIS, MY CONSCIENCE WILL BE CLEAN.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
DR. GOOSEN ALSO DESCRIBED ATTENDING BRIEFINGS FOR SENIOR MILITARY
AND POLITICAL FIGURES IN THE FORMER GOVERNMENT AT WHICH VARIOUS
PROJECTS WERE DISCUSSED, INCLUDING A PROPOSED BLACK
ANTI-FERTILITY DRUG. HE SAYS THE MILITARY'S THEN SURGEON-GENERAL
STRESSED ITS IMPORTANCE.
/// GOOSEN ACTUALITY ///
WE HAD PROJECT MEETINGS, IN FACT, EXPLAINING TO THEM
THIS ANTI-FERTILITY PROJECT AND THE PROGRESS AND THE
POSSIBILITIES ETC. AND WHEN THEY WALKED OUT, HE
(SURGEON-GENERAL) SAID...THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
PROJECT FOR THE COUNTRY.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
DR. GOOSEN AND OTHER WITNESSES SAY THEY NOW REGRET THEIR
INVOLVEMENT IN A SCHEME THEY ACKNOWLEDGE WAS MISGUIDED.
BUT DR. GOOSEN, WHO HAS SUFFERED NERVOUS BREAKDOWNS, ALSO VOICED
ANGER AT THE GENERALS AND POLITICAL LEADERS WHO HE CHARGED ARE
NOW TRYING TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY FOR GIVING THE ORDERS TO
PURSUE SUCH BIZARRE AND HORRIFIC IDEAS.
IT IS A CHARGE THAT HAS BEEN HEARD BEFORE IN OTHER TRUTH PANEL
HEARINGS FROM THE MEN REGARDED AS APARTHEID'S FOOT-SOLDIERS.
(SIGNED)
NEB/BEL/JWH
12-Jun-98 12:23 PM EDT (1623 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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