Nexus - 0502 - New Times Magazine-pages

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food was routinely given to Asian women as part of one experi- Between 1952 and 1958, 12 atmospheric tests were conducted in ment. Australia, most of them at Maralinga, but the fallout plumes trav- Speaking in the documentary, Ms Pritam Kaur says she was elled over many parts of the country. The British also conducted given chapattis after complaining of migraine. Records reveal 700 "minor trials", scattered over Maralinga lands. that the chapattis were treated with radioactive substances. She At least 15,000 Australians were involved in the work at the was taken for tests to what she thought was a hospital. In fact, it three British test sites. Many personnel in the Australian Defence was Harwell, the heart of Britain's nuclear research program, Forces were used as experimental guinea pigs during the blasts. where she was checked for radiation absorption. Holed up in trenches with only tarpaulins to protect them, the 'vol- In its 1996 report, "Human Radiation Experiments in Britain unteers' were exposed to dangerous levels of radiation. Many sur- from 1957 to the Current Day", the Campaign for Nuclear viving veterans still suffer severe adverse health effects, and some Disarmament (CND) notes: "Americans—who were called in to have passed on genetic defects to their children. help monitor British subjects who had taken part in experi- Casualties of British nuclear testing in Australia also included ments—did not believe they needed to involve humans, and were the Aborigines. As the Royal Commission into British Nuclear concerned about the legal and health aspects Testing in Australia acknowledged in July of British experiments. One US memo 1985, "Aboriginal people lived in the prohib- warned, 'There is no justification for using ited test zone at Maralinga throughout the human volunteers in the British program’, entire test period and were thus exposed to while anthey asked. What ise wort | Experiments included danse rom the tests and wal nd from of being a subject? Death'.". The CND injecting radioactive WON | duced"."3 An Aboriginal sacred site, repr nts that senators vex | into sheep Which were | Marlngais nana wi 25 bloga trade unions at Britain's nuclear installa- later killed and fed to kilograms of highly toxic beryllium. tions, as well as from the general public.” ‘volunteers’; injecting five A Code of Practice governing British BIOWARFARE AGAINST CITIZENS human radiation experiments was eventually pregnant women with Biological weapons are called "the poor introduced in the 1960s but it did not set i i indi man's nuke" because they are cheap and easy dose limits; instead, it left dosage to the dis- radioactive iodine to to produce. According to Kathleen C. study cardiac output; and administering radioactive material to volunteer senior medical students and resident medical officers. cretion of investigators. According to the CND report, the Code of Practice authorises the flouting of international - ly agreed safety guidelines for medical research and treatment involving the use of radioactive isotopes. The British Medical Research Council has defended the radiation experiments. In the Deadly Experiments documentary, a BMRC spokesperson suggested that the Council has better things to do with its funds than hold an inquiry. Bailey, former Assistant Director of the US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency: "A major biological arsenal could be built with $10,000 worth of equipment in a room 15 feet by 15. After all, one can cultivate trillions of bacteria at relatively little risk to one's self with gear no more sophisticated than a beer fermenter, a protein-based culture, a gas mask and a plastic over- garment.""* Biological weapons have been used for hundreds of years in warfare, with devastating effects. The British used Australian Radiation Experiments smallpox as a weapon in colonial Hundreds of Australians were involved in post-war radiation America during the French and Indian War. In 1763, Captain experiments that continued into the 1960s. A Federal government — Ecuyer of the Royal Americans met with two Indian chiefs under report, released in 1994 by the Australian Radiation Laboratory, the pretence of friendship and gave them blankets taken from a detailed the use of Australian citizens as fodder for radiation smallpox hospital. During the following months, smallpox deci- experiments. mated Indian tribes of the Ohio region. Experiments included injecting radioactive iron into sheep Following its use of germ warfare against China, Japan tried to which were later killed and fed to 'volunteers'; injecting five preg- produce a long-lasting plague bacterium strain during World War nant women with radioactive iodine to study cardiac output; and —_—‘II. While never officially admitted to by the Japanese authorities, administering radioactive material to volunteer senior medical according to reports the Japanese Imperial Army's Manchuria- students and resident medical officers. The report concluded that based Unit 731 used thousands of Chinese and other Asian civil- most of the research would have provided no benefit to the test ians as well as wartime prisoners as human guinea pigs in devel- subjects and that there were probably "a number of studies that oping killer diseases. The prisoners, many of whom were mur- had not been reported to the appropriate authorities". dered in the name of research, were used in hideous vivisection and other medical experiments including trials to determine the Britain Blasts the Australian Bush effect of frostbite on the human body. In Japan, not one person Britain actively used Australian soil to conduct its nuclear test- responsible was ever brought to justice. In a secret deal, they ing program during the 1950s and 1960s. Three areas—the were given immunity by the post-war American administration in Monte Bello Islands in northwestern Western Australia (just off return for details of their experiments. the mainland), Emu Field and the infamous Maralinga in western Since the late 1940s, the American, British and Canadian gov- South Australia—were used as sites for atomic weapons testing. ernments, in joint exercises, have used their citizens as experi- study cardiac output; and administering radioactive material to Britain Blasts the Australian Bush Britain actively used Australian soil to conduct its nuclear test- ing program during the 1950s and 1960s. Three areas—the Monte Bello Islands in northwestern Western Australia (just off the mainland), Emu Field and the infamous Maralinga in western South Australia—were used as sites for atomic weapons testing. NEXUS - 37 food was routinely given to Asian women as part of one experi- mant students and resident medical officers. FEBRUARY - MARCH 1998