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Việt Nam supports Agent Orange victims' fight for justice
Việt Nam supports Agent Orange victims' fight for justice
Việt Nam supports Agent Orange victims in their fight for justice from chemical companies, Vietnamese spokesperson for the foreign ministry Lê Thị Thu Hằng said on Thursday.
She made the statement during a press briefing in Hà Nội in response to questions regarding litigation brought by 78-year-old Vietnamese-French woman Trần Tố Nga to a French court that opened a trial recently.
Nga is seeking compensation for her own and her children’s health problems and severe environmental destruction from the actions of 14 multinational companies involved in the manufacturing of the toxin.
The French court is expected to rule on the lawsuit on May 10, and if the court decides in her favour, Nga would be the first Vietnamese AO/dioxin victim to be compensated.
“Việt Nam suffered tremendously from the consequences of the war, including lasting and serious impacts of the Agent Orange/dioxin,” Hằng said.
“We support the Agent Orange’s victims in seeking legal accountability from chemical companies that produced and sold Agent Orange to be used by the US in the war in Việt Nam,” she said.
The US army used the highly toxic Agent Orange as a defoliant to clear vast tracts of forestlands in the southern region of Việt Nam to strip the North Vietnamese forces of protective coverage and crops in the 1960-70s.
From 1961-1971, US troops sprayed more than 80 million litres of herbicides – 44 million litres of which were AO, containing nearly 370kg of dioxin - over southern Việt Nam, which resulted in 4.8 million Vietnamese being exposed to the toxin. Many of the offspring of those exposed are still suffering from deformities and illnesses caused by the toxin.
“Việt Nam is of the opinion that these companies should have the responsibility to remedy the ramifications of the Agent Orange/dioxin in Việt Nam,” the Vietnamese diplomat noted./.
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All comments [ 15 ]
millions of children and grandchildren of those who have been exposed to the toxic chemical have been suffering inborn serious genetic illnesses, leaving great consequences to their families as well as society.
Scientifically, dioxin is the most poisonous chemical that man has found so far. Only one picogram of dioxin can cause cancers, accidents in childbirth to the exposed person or pass genetic illnesses to the next generations of the exposed person.
Several dozens of nanogram of dioxin can kill a person immediately!
In Vietnam, 4.8 million have been exposed to Agent Orange and some three millions, including a large number of children and grandchildren of the directly exposed people, have already been the victims of the lethal poison.
Thousands of people have already died and millions of others are now suffering serious illnesses, inborn deformities and disabilities as a result of Agent Orange.
Recent expert statistics show that 70% of the Vietnamese AO victim families are poor. Of the figure, 40% of the families usually lack food and 22% of the families have three or above AO victims. Meanwhile, the health of 30% of the AO victims is deteriorating and 90% have no professional qualifications and jobs.
The Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange / Dioxin aims at protecting the rights of victims of Agent Orange and is the legal representative of the Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange in relations to domestic and international organizations and individuals.
Since its inception, the Association has set up projects to help Agent Orange victims in their lives, and at the same time, collect documents and evidence, initiate lawsuits against American companies producing the poison of Agent Orange for the US Air Force used in Vietnam during the war.
Vietnamese people and international friends have provided strong support and large aid for victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam. Especially, on the Vietnam Agent Orange Day and national anniversaries, Vietnamese leaders often visit and present gifts to families of victims of Agent Orange and centers for victims of Agent Orange.
The pain of Vietnamesevictims of Agent Orange in Vietnam is a common pain of the Vietnamese people and also the pain of people with common sense in the world.
I express my deep sympathy and would like to share with you - victims of Agent Orange and the children of victims of Agent Orange about your losses and pains. I commend and praise the victims who uphold the spirit of self-reliance, and are determined to take exercise, treatment, rehabilitation and integration into the community...
I demanded that the US Government should compensate the victims. Concluding the hearing, this was the beginning for the next steps that should be taken to further support the Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange.
The U.S. Supreme Court has missed the chance to show the fairness of law and refused the love for peace and the respect of human rights of those whose lives are being threatened and badly affected by AO consequences.
Millions of Vietnamese are victims of Agent Orange and dioxin used by the US army during the Vietnam War and should be supported to win the fight for justice.
Vietnam had conducted activities to assist victims while calling on the international community, countries, organizations and inpiduals at home and abroad to join efforts in overcoming the consequences of the toxic chemical sprayed by the US during the war.
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