Orange disaster, the enduring pain

War has ended for nearly half a century in our country, the old lands and villages, once plowed by bombs and shells and destroyed by toxic chemicals, now have become rich and exciting hubs thanks to the hands and minds of people. Only those exposed to chemical toxins are still suffering from evil diseases with lingering pain throughout their life.

To Tra Co Commune, Tan Phu District, Dong Nai Province, we will meet many victims of toxic chemicals, who are suffering from diseases and illnesses that are following them till their death. Ms. Nguyen Thi Cuc, among others, is such the case. Born in 1968 into a revolutionary family, her two brothers are martyrs who died in the resistance war against the US, her mother suffered from peripheral neuropathy. Due to the influence of chemical toxins, her hands, legs, head and neck convulsed round the clock, and she just died in 2019. Ms. Cuc was born with a birth defect, with two atrophied legs that make her unable to walk normally but dragging on the floor all day long. Now, at the age of 52, she is almost unconscious. Now that her mother has passed away, she has no one to depend on, just a little allowance she gets every month.

Implementing the policies of the Party and the State towards people with meritorious services to the revolution, the locality has built a house of gratitude for her, but she still faces many difficulties. Most of her relatives are poor and near-poor households in the commune, so she can’t expect much support from them. Recently, the Dong Nai Provincial Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin has called the Dong Nai Union of Friendship Organisations to provide a wheelchair for her to move around the house. She is very happy and grateful for this. The Party Committee, People\'s Committee, Fatherland Front and mass organisations in coordination with the Association usually conduct visits and supply her with money and rice but their supports are limited. Currently, she is badly in need of the support and help of philanthropists and donators so that her life can be improved.

The country is changing every day, from rural to urban. We are enjoying the fruits of the Doi Moi cause and continuing on the path of industrialisation and modernization. However, the Agent Orange is still lingering with time./.

Nguyen Van Sua

Tra Co Commune, Tan Phu District, Dong Nai Province