RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ON THE "YELLOW RAIN" ISSUE

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05251594
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: September 26, 2017
• Case Number: F-2012-01432
• Publication Date: June 30, 1983

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30 June 1983
Recent Developments on the "Yellow Rain" Issue
In spite of the overwhelming weight of intelligence evidence that has
been officially released concerning CW/Toxin Use in Southeast Asia and
Afghanistan, the public debate on the issue continues, much of it revolving
around the question of the conclusiveness of the scientific findings on the
"what" and "how" of Yellow Rain.
The most significant new development this year is what appears to be a.
striking reduction in the incidence of chemical attacks since the beginning
of 1983. Reports of such attacks--including lethal events--continue to be
received, but, for the most part these relate to events of an earlier
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period, principally mid-to-late 1982. Moreover, the few instances of
chemical attacks reportedly occurring in 1983--less than a half dozen--
refer to the use of riot control agents and incapacitants rather than
lethal agents. In spite of a high level of combat activity in all three
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theaters--Laos. Kampuchea, and Afghanistan-
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riot a single lethal chemical attack has been confirmed
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as having occurred so far this year. Also, in this same period, the
classic symptomology of mycotoxicosis is entirely absent, as is any
positive finding of mycotoxin presence in environmental and biological
samples collected from chemical events occurring this year.
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While an hiatus of five months is insufficient to permit strong
conclusions (seasonal lulls of two or three months have been noted in
earlier years and there are often substantial time lags between occurrence
of a chemical event and its detection), the fact that the current break is
unprecedentedly long and is taking place during a period of relatively
intense combat activity suggests the possibility that a Soviet policy
decision to suspend the use of lethal chemical/toxin agents may have been
taken.
The attached draft SWDR article discusses the specific evidence for
these findings.
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