A television programme in support of Vietnamese Agent Orange victims will be simul-cast live in the US, France and Vietnam in the first half of 2010, according to an official in charge of AO affairs.

At his talks with the Vietnam News Agency on Oct. 6, Secretary General of the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange (VAVA) Tran Xuan Thu said that via this TV show, VAVA wants to help the world public gain a better understanding of the devastating effects on humans and the environment wrought by AO--a toxic chemical sprayed by US troops during the war in Vietnam—in order to gather more support for the Vietnamese AO victims’ fight for justice.

As planned, VAVA will send another delegation of Vietnamese AO victims to the US in April, 2010 to marshal support from the public there.

It will also organise campaigns in Russia , Cuba , Venezuela and Argentina to collect support for AO victims in 2010.

According to Thu, the VAVA has not dropped its lawsuit against US chemical producers and it is in the course of preparing for the possible re-filing of the lawsuit in the US or launching a lawsuit in a third country.

VAVA began the lawsuit against US chemical producers in 2004, however, the US Supreme Court on March, 2009 rejected Vietnamese AO victims’ petition against the companies responsible for the production of AO/dioxin used during the US war in Vietnam and totally denied the on-going consequences of AO/dioxin, which have already been well proven by Vietnamese and foreign scientists.

On October 6, VAVA received 292,000 USD donated by the Greek Embassy in Vietnam, the Vietnamese Association in Russia, and the military-run telecommunications company, Viettel Corporation.

Greek Ambassador Platon Alexis Hadjimichalis said apart from the donation of 6,000 EUR to the VAVA’s fund, his embassy will hand over 6,000 EUR and 50 wheel-chairs to the Ministry of Defence to help people with disabilities.

VAVA President Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Rinh said VAVA has raised 29 billion VND from individuals and organisations in and outside the country since a campaign to raise 60 billion VND for AO victims was launched on August 10.

The campaign is set to build 500 compassionate houses and 55 care centres for AO victims along with providing 1,100 scholarships and generating 1,100 jobs for the children of those who were affected by AO.

VAVA will build the first three centres to care for AO victims this year.

According to VAVA, 4.8 million people in Vietnam have been exposed to AO/dioxin, including 3 million AO victims./.