Chemical and Biological weapons: History

Chemical and Biological Weapons : History 

Biological and Chemical weapons can be the cause of mass destruction, but these have different mechanism of work. 

 

Biological weapons can be a form of organisms- like bacteria or virus while Chemical Weapons can be toxins, gassed or any other hazardous chemicals with poisonous properties.

Nuclear weapons are controlled, but are weapon of mass destruction- similarly Biological and Chemical weapons are weapons of mass destruction.

With advancement of science, and the conflicts between country- how is it possible to prevent the use of Chemical and Biological weapons.

 

Who Posses biological weapons?

 

In the end of 2022, Between the war of Russian – Ukraine, Russia was accused of using the Chemical Weapons in Ukraine.

 

Have Chemical and Biological Weapons ever been used?

Countries have used biological and Chemical weapons in warfare and assassinations. More than 100,000 people have been killed due to these weapons, and millions were injured since world war 1.

 

At Present Biological Weapon Activities, The United States, Iran and Russia Allegedly have biological weapons.

In 2022, Chemical weapon was used in Syria and Russia (Allegedly )

 

How we prevent the use of Chemical and Biological Weapons?

 

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapon (OPCW) 

 

This is an intergovernmental organization and responsible for the implementation of the Chemical Weapon Convention. The convention was signed in 1997 and the seat is at Hauge, Netherlands. OPCW is an independent organization working in close association of United Nations. There are following different working areas of the organization in matters of chemical weapons-    

1.      Demilitarization
2.      Non - Proliferation
3.      Assistance and  protection
4.      International Cooperation
5.      National Implementation

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The UK proposed – to consider empowering the OPWC to identify the organization or government responsible for chemical attacks in addition to its existing power of carrying out the investigation into such cases.

OPCW has granted itself new powers to assign blame for attacks, despite protests by Russia. Until now, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) could only say whether chemical weapons were used – but not who had used them.

India’s Stand on Convention on Chemical Weapon Convention 

 

India supported the convention yet voted against it, India wanted constructive mechanism. India asked for consensus of all the parties. Unity is on goal but there are differences of opinion how to achieve the goals.

- India wanted impartial implementation of the convention

- India claimed that decision violates the chemical weapons conventions finely crafted balance and instead gives unchecked powers to the OPCW DG.