A man tends two Agent Orange victims in Vietnam (Photo: VNA) New York (VNA) – Merle Ratner, Coordinator of the US-based Vietnam AgentOrange (AO) Reliefand Responsibility Campaign, highlighted certain achievements in thefight for the sake of Vietnamese AO victims during an interview with theVietnam News Agency.
In the interview on the occasionof 25 years since the normalisation of bilateral relations, Ratner, an activistwho have struggled for justice for AO/dioxin victims for many years, said that themost obvious changes in Vietnam-US relations are in the development sector andpeople-to-people ties.
The countries went from warto economic embargo and then normalisation of relations, and their ties nowhave become much better, according to her.
She noted many US warveterans have come to Vietnam, taken part in charitable activities, and helpedseek justice for AO victims.
During the war, a largenumber of US people demanded the Washington administration to stop sprayingAgent Orange in Vietnam, but it was not until 2004 that the Vietnam AO Reliefand Responsibility Campaign was set up in the US.
This campaign, initiated bythe Veterans for Peace organisation, has been supported by many war veteransand anti-war activists, she said.
Recalling some landmarks ofthe campaign in recent years, Ratner highlighted the American Public HealthAssociation’s issuance of a resolution requesting the US administration andchemical companies to compensate AO victims of Vietnam and care for the healthof US war veterans and their relatives. Later, the US parliament had to open ahearing on AO and issued a bill on compensation for AO victims.
An important milestone wasthe two countries’ governments beginning official talks on the AO issue, whichwas a substantial achievement during the fight for the sake of AO victims andalso a great success of Vietnam’s efforts to seek justice for them, she said,adding that the campaign is still receiving much support for organisations andmovements in the US at present.
To have more extensive andcomprehensive cooperation, she suggested agencies and organisations of bothcountries work together to build win-win relations, especially in connectingtheir younger generations./.
VNA
