“HALF A CENTURY AFTER BEING DROPPED ON THE VIETNAMESE PLANTATIONS AND FORESTS, THE AGENT ORANGE/DIOXIN IS STILL PRESENT, AFFECTING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AND SHOWING THE WORLD ITS LETHAL FORCE"

Dear comrades and friends,

It is with great honor that we return to this beautiful country, where its heroic people make a fruitful constructive work in search of economic prosperity and social development.

Once more, we have the opportunity to share with Vietnamese comrades and international experts opinions on the crucial issue of the consequences of imperialist war, particularly the effects of Orange Agent, criminal weapon of mass destruction used by the aggressors against the Vietnamese people.

On this occasion, we remember also the holocaust of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, where the World Peace Council renewed its solidarity to those who live till nowadays under the

disgrace of the atomic bomb dropped by the United States. Deep signs from that genocidal attack are in there till today, claiming to show us clearly how imperialism is capable of using deadly weapons of mass destruction, to achieve its hegemonic interests.

The genocide in Hiroshima and Nagasaki will never be forgotten by human being, while the Japanese people still suffer and die for their cause. But those who committed crimes were never punished for it. Till this date, the u.s. has never made a commitment to not be the first country to use nuclear weapons.

At this moment, when we are met in Vietnam, we reiterate our condemnation of other great crime against humanity, which is the use by the same u.s. imperialism of chemical weapons, as it did during the war of aggression against Vietnam in the 60\'s and 70\'s of the last century, when US has practiced genocide and massacred the Vietnamese people that was fighting for national liberation and self-determination.

Napalm bombs generated monstrous effect of destruction and death, and half a century after being dropped on the Vietnamese plantations and forests, the Orange Agent dioxin is still present, affecting millions of people and showing the world its lethal force. And once again, the criminals were not punished.

Scientific studies have shown that the Orange Agent contains amounts of dioxin, a carcinogen, causing disease and disability in both civilians and soldiers. Today, two million Vietnamese and tens of thousands of American veterans of the Vietnam War suffer from its effects on the body. During the Vietnam War (1964-1975), Washington and its allies poured 83 million gallons of highly toxic herbicides over hundreds of thousands of hectares of Southeast Asia, mostly in Vietnam.

American planes have destroyed up to 25% of Vietnam\'s forests with Orange Agent

Direct children and grandchildren of the victims of the chemical bombardment are affected by genetic mutations. Besides the damage to humans, Orange Agent devastated the environment of Vietnam. The mangrove has totally vanished. The soil and crops have suffered long-term poisoning.

Vietnam has full right to require the u.s. a repair of war for that damage. Associations of Vietnamese victims and u.s. entered in 2004, a legal process in federal court in New York against 36 companies that provided the chemical product. The petition was denied in the first instance, by Judge Jack Weinstein.

Besides, the Court of Appeals ruled the cause dismissed, claiming that Orange Agent was not used as a weapon of war against the people, but to protect u.s. troops. In March 2009, the Supreme Court has dismissed the victims appeal without uttering comments.

We are convinced that this was a massive violation of human rights of civilians, and of the use of a weapon of mass destruction, which constitutes a crime against humanity and against international law.

Comrades and friends,

Humanity and the Vietnamese people learned from that war. The Vietnamese people awakened the world to make sure that imperialism can be defeated. Guided by the late President Ho Chi Minh City, this heroic people, even preferring the path of peace, was able to resist and fight for decades.

You, my dear friends and comrades, are the survivors of a dirty assault and, therefore, are examples for the entire world, from Asia to the Americas, from Africa to Europe.

But the u.s. and its NATO allies do not get back of their aim to control strategic territories and natural resources, including water, all around the planet and continue to perpetrate aggressions and committing crimes against humanity. The occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan and the current aggression against Libya and other countries of North Africa and the Middle East show that the imperialist powers have not changed their methods of action.

In the Middle East, it is going on the execution of the genocidal policies of Israel against the martyred Palestinian people which is a victim of Zionist aggression of successive governments for more than six decades, with the full support of the United States with the aim of expelling Palestinians from their land through the criminal occupation by weapons, and the creation of the apartheid wall.

The World Peace Council expressed its unconditional solidarity with the Palestinian People and calls on all defender of peace, progressive organizations and individuals to integrate into the campaign by the State of Palestine NOW.

Despite the economic crisis of capitalism, the u.s. military spending is growing year after year, with new weapons, new bases, where thousands of nuclear missiles are pointed at US, wherever we are.

Under false pretenses, especially an alleged campaign against terrorism and drug trafficking, the imperialist forces spread their tentacles throughout the world.

We should emphasize at this point, our concern with the growing presence of u.s. Navy in the Korean peninsula. It is a presence that increases tension in the region, considering also the existence of more than 130 u.s. military bases in Japan and 70 other bases in South Korea, with 28,000 soldiers, which poses a threat to peace and security throughout the region. The same concern should be raised about the South Atlantic, where the u.s. has greatly enhanced its maritime presence, as well as the Indian and the Mediterranean Oceans.

In last April, 2011, the Executive Committee of the World Peace Council met in Havana, Cuba. On occasion, the WPC urged all lovers of peace to have a global front against the military aggression and war, and against imperialist domination and social injustice. The WPC is committed to expend more energy and effort into concrete actions against the imperialist wars, in order to mobilize the masses against the aggressor powers, their militaristic policies and structures.

The WPC demands the immediate dismantling of existing nuclear weapons. Likewise, we are concerned about the terrible arsenal of chemical weapons in the hands of imperialist forces. A possible Third World War would certainly put an end to mankind.

By the growing threat posed by a world of social progress, national sovereignty and justice, we also require the dismantling of NATO and foreign military bases around the world.

Finally, we claim for an even greater effort from progressive sectors of all societies to strengthen a culture of peace throughout the world.

We appreciate the efforts of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, its government and social organizations to build a new society, strengthening their national independence, economic prosperity and social justice. The existence of a developed and strengthened Vietnam and its reinforced sovereignty contributes to peace in the region and worldwide.

We welcome the commitment of Vietnam in strengthening world peace, its foreign policy aimed at strengthening the independence and self-determination and the promotion of friendship and cooperation with all nations and peoples. Vietnam stands out as an example of a country that strengthens international cooperation, law and multilateral organizations.

In particular, we welcome the Vietnamese people for the contribution they give to the strengthening of ties of solidarity with the peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America, with the Non-Aligned Countries Movement and the causes of national independence, development and peace, in contrast to the neo-colonialist, aggressive and militaristic policies of the imperialism.

The World Peace Council reiterates its decision to strengthen solidarity with the Vietnamese people through the implementation of common actions and the development of closer ties of friendship and cooperation with the Council for Peace in Vietnam and other Vietnamese social organizations, like the VAVA Vietnam Victims of Agent Orange & Vets for Peace.

Long live the people of Vietnam!

Thank you very much,

Socorro Gomes,

Socorro Gomes (Brazil)

President of the World Peace Council