Another reason for the serious ecological alarm and warning of potential health hazard was the stark realisation that dreaded depleted uranium (DU) weapons used in the Gulf War with such devastating health consequences were being used by NATO against Yugoslavia. Dr. Rosalie Bertell, renowned Canadian humanitarian scientist and expert on low level radiation speaking in Toronto midway through the War explained the consequences of exposure to DU radiation:

"Canada has been an international leader against land mines but this depleted uranium is worse than land mines and ...will stay around for thousands of years after the war is over. It is incorporated into the farm land; it can be picked up by the vegetables; the shrapnel can be handled by children ; it stays around ; it doesn't disappear; and because it's an aerosol it can travel as much as 50 - 60 km from the point of release. This is chemical and radiological warfare - its outrageous - It's a very serious violation of human rights."

Indeed the fact that toxic substances from the bombings of petrochemical plants and the use of DU weapons are the greatest concerns and the ones that have led to the outcry of "Ecological Catastrophe" can be inferred by noting the extensive number of references to both in the "Ecological Catastrophe" compilations. Further confirmation can be found in the words of Michael Gorbachev, President of Green Cross International recorded in a Guardian news release: " I believe that strikes against certain industries and infrastructure, such as ... chemical and petrochemical plants, must be prohibited. ... In my view, weapons containing depleted uranium should be among the first to be banned."

Other Environmental Concerns

Other lesser concerns are the damage of the land from bomb craters, and the fires that spread from the bombing sites destroying habitats and reducing bio-diversity. In addition widespread destruction from bombing within several national heritage sites has been recorded. Further environmental hazards to both human health and the land itself are the landmines throughout Kosovo and Serbia. In a similar manner cluster bombs, also weapons of mass destruction have littered the environment with numerous unexploded mini- bombs released upon detonation from their parent cluster bombs raining down upon a hapless environment and populace. Fishermen in the Adriatic have also had to face the presence of these unexploded mini-bombs in their fishing nets because NATO war planes discharge their unused cluster bombs in various approved locations.

--- from "ECOLOGICAL CATASTROPHE -- NATO BOMBINGS in the BALKANS" dated August 01, 1999, by Dr. Janet M. Eaton

Last week there was an International symposium dedicated to the recent NATO aggression, held in Novi Sad. I managed to go there, but I now wish I couldn't. After all, when you hear so many frightening facts, you start to wonder if there is any future at all or are we already dead but unaware of it.

The participants were independent researchers from Yugoslavia, the rest of Europe and the USA. The subject, the ecological catastrophe which is still hidden by official levels of the Yugoslav government, the European Union and the UN. Without any logical explanation, our government is trying to minimise this catastrophe and to hide the results of investigations or - even worse - not to talk in public about it at all. On the other hand, the independent researchers from our non-profit ecological organisations and from NGOs from other parts of the world gathered at that symposium have mentioned horrible findings. The analyst from USA John Pike and another one (I forgot his name but he is from San Diego), estimate that over 10,000 projectiles filled with the Depleted Uranium (DU) were fired on Kosovo alone and over 150 cruise missiles (Tomahawks,) most likely also with radioactive uranium, were dropped on targets in Belgrade.

The British scientists said that they expect at least 100,000 more people will die in Yugoslavia as victims of aftermath effect of radioactivity. This number does not include the KFOR soldiers In Kosovo, who are also exposed to the debris of DU projectiles....

Read the full commentary in G21 NEWS