Half a century after the US army sprayed Agent Orange-laced herbicidesover Vietnam, millions of people in the country have been forced todeal with the deadly diseases caused by this toxic chemical.
According to the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (VAVA), between 1961 and 1971, US troops sprayed 80 millionlitres of herbicides over the South Vietnam battlefields, includingnearly 400 kg of dioxin – one of the most highly toxic chemicals. Thiswas considered the largest and longest-running chemical war, with themost terrible consequences in the history of humankind.
Up to 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to AO/dioxin, with 3million now suffering health problems. In some hotspots in Vietnam ,dioxin residues in the environment, animals and humans exceeded thepermitted level of the US Environmental Protection Agency by hundreds oftimes.
Research by Vietnamese and foreign scientistsaffirmed the rate of disease contracting among descendants of exposedpeople, especially cancers and reproductive disorders, and congenitalmalformations is much higher than those who are not exposed to thistoxic chemical.
In past years, the VietnameseGovernment had issued and actively implemented various policies andprogrammes in support of AO victims, including monthly allowances forover 200,000 victims and support for some non-governmentalorganisations, including VAVA and the Fund for AO/dioxin Victims, toprovide health care, vocational training and employment for more than 1million others.
Thousands of AO victims, especiallychildren with congenital malformations, have been cared for, brought upand provided with medical treatment in Hoa Binh and Huu NghiVillages and children’s centres nationwide.
Inaddition, Vietnam has received support from many internationalorganisations, such as the UN Development Programme, UN Children’s Fund,Ford Fund, the Vietnam Veterans of American Foundation (VVAF), theVietnam Agent Orange Relief & Responsibility Campaign (VAORRC) andFrance’s organisation for dioxin children as well as many individualsfrom Japan, Germany, Norway, the UK and the US.
Illogically, the US government has spent billions of USD each yearsupporting war veterans who had fought in Vietnam and are sufferingAO-related diseases, but did not admit responsibility for millions ofVietnamese AO victims.
Therefore, in 2004, VAVAsubmitted petitions to US courts of all levels to proceed against 37chemical companies which had produced and provided chemicals for the UStroops during the war in Vietnam .
Vietnamese AOvictims’ lawsuit for justice, represented by VAVA, won internationalsupport, with struggles taking place in many countries, including theUS.
In May 2009, the International People’s Tribunalof Conscience held by the International Association of DemocraticLawyers issued a verdict requesting the US to compensate Vietnamese AOvictims and detoxify dioxin-contaminated areas in Vietnam.
However, the US only provided Vietnam with 24 million USD in the2007-2010 period and 34 million USD in 2010 for projects to improve theenvironment and support the disabled./.
According to the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (VAVA), between 1961 and 1971, US troops sprayed 80 millionlitres of herbicides over the South Vietnam battlefields, includingnearly 400 kg of dioxin – one of the most highly toxic chemicals. Thiswas considered the largest and longest-running chemical war, with themost terrible consequences in the history of humankind.
Up to 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to AO/dioxin, with 3million now suffering health problems. In some hotspots in Vietnam ,dioxin residues in the environment, animals and humans exceeded thepermitted level of the US Environmental Protection Agency by hundreds oftimes.
Research by Vietnamese and foreign scientistsaffirmed the rate of disease contracting among descendants of exposedpeople, especially cancers and reproductive disorders, and congenitalmalformations is much higher than those who are not exposed to thistoxic chemical.
In past years, the VietnameseGovernment had issued and actively implemented various policies andprogrammes in support of AO victims, including monthly allowances forover 200,000 victims and support for some non-governmentalorganisations, including VAVA and the Fund for AO/dioxin Victims, toprovide health care, vocational training and employment for more than 1million others.
Thousands of AO victims, especiallychildren with congenital malformations, have been cared for, brought upand provided with medical treatment in Hoa Binh and Huu NghiVillages and children’s centres nationwide.
Inaddition, Vietnam has received support from many internationalorganisations, such as the UN Development Programme, UN Children’s Fund,Ford Fund, the Vietnam Veterans of American Foundation (VVAF), theVietnam Agent Orange Relief & Responsibility Campaign (VAORRC) andFrance’s organisation for dioxin children as well as many individualsfrom Japan, Germany, Norway, the UK and the US.
Illogically, the US government has spent billions of USD each yearsupporting war veterans who had fought in Vietnam and are sufferingAO-related diseases, but did not admit responsibility for millions ofVietnamese AO victims.
Therefore, in 2004, VAVAsubmitted petitions to US courts of all levels to proceed against 37chemical companies which had produced and provided chemicals for the UStroops during the war in Vietnam .
Vietnamese AOvictims’ lawsuit for justice, represented by VAVA, won internationalsupport, with struggles taking place in many countries, including theUS.
In May 2009, the International People’s Tribunalof Conscience held by the International Association of DemocraticLawyers issued a verdict requesting the US to compensate Vietnamese AOvictims and detoxify dioxin-contaminated areas in Vietnam.
However, the US only provided Vietnam with 24 million USD in the2007-2010 period and 34 million USD in 2010 for projects to improve theenvironment and support the disabled./.
