From Malayan Emergency to Palme’s Call for Accountability: The Dark Legacy of Defoliants as a Weapon of War

The use of defoliants as a weapon of war dates back to the Malayan Emergency in the 1950s, when Britain was the first country to employ these substances. They created a substance similar to Agent Orange, which contained dioxin, resulting in the Seveso disaster in 1976. Alongside Agent Orange, the U.S. also developed a mixture of cacodylic acid and other chemicals to destroy rice plants during the Vietnam War.

Defoliants were used extensively during the Vietnam War by U.S. forces as a means to deprive North Vietnamese forces of cover in forests. However, their use had significant effects on civilians, with over a million people developing major illnesses due to exposure after the war. The most infamous defoliant used during this time was Agent Orange, a mixture of 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D in a 1:1 ratio.

The use of defoliants against civilian populations has been banned since 1980 due to their harmful effects on both human health and the environment. Nick Ut’s famous photo taken in 1972 captured the devastating effects of defoliants on Vietnamese children fleeing from their homes amidst smoke and destruction caused by these substances burning easily and sticking to surfaces for years after application.

At a U.N conference held in June 1972, Olof Palme described defoliants as “ecocide” and advocated for them to be designated an international crime that could be prosecuted under international law.

In central Hanoi on November 23rd, 2017, there was seen flying an orange flag atop State Bank building near Vietcombank and Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam buildings