"The ghost" of war (IV): Joining hands to ease the pain of Agent Orange

Representatives of USAID and Vietnam signed the MOU on the allocation of a USD 65-million budget for the disable people (photo: A. Loc)

Realizing these serious consequences, over the years, our Party and State have issued many undertakings and policies to overcome the consequences of toxic chemicals and support and care for Agent Orange victims, coupled with the joint effort to alleviate AO pain from the community with the spirit of "no one is left behind"...

In the past 5 years, Dong Nai Provincial Association for Victims of Agent Orange has mobilized over VND 41 billion to provide healthcare, build and repair houses, provide zero-interest loans, and award scholarships to children of victims' families. In the first quarter of 2021 alone, all levels of the provincial associations mobilized cash and objects with total value of more than 3.5 billion dong. During this time, an amount of 5.8 billion VND from the Agent Orange Victims Care Fund was also used to provide capital support for many victims' families to do household business; offer thousands of scholarships to the children of the victim's family; provide unexpected hardship allowance, as well as pay for funeral expenses when the victims die.

* Many humanistic and timely policies

The victory in the spring of 1975 ended the war which is considered the longest and fiercest war in human history. Even in the early years after the war ended, the country's reconstruction began. Despite many difficulties, our Party and Government were very concerned about the consequences left by the US toxic chemicals.

On October 15, 1980, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (now the Prime Minister) issued Decision No. 288-TTg on the establishment of a National Committee to investigate the consequences of US chemical warfare in Vietnam in order to have a specific and complete investigation of the devastating effects that the toxic chemical inflicted on people and the environment in the areas that the US military sprayed during the war.

In particular, on January 10, 2004, the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (VAVA) was established as a common house for AO victims. This is an important step, showing the deep concern of the Party and State for the task of overcoming the consequences of toxic chemicals, and supporting the spiritual and material life of the AO victims.

Along with that, there have been many regimes, policies and funds for supporting, caring for and treating victims through preferential policies for resistance activists and people infected with toxic chemicals such as: regular and unexpected allowances, support for care at community and at social protection facilities, support for schooling, vocational training, scholarship and job promotion... At the same time, Vietnam has also mobilized a number of countries, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations to participate in helping AO victims in the spirit of "no one is left behind”.

In his business trip to Dong Nai, Major General Tran Ngoc Tho, VAVA’s Vice President, said: “Soon after its establishment in 2004, the Association launched the project of "Helping the AO victims in life". Currently, the Central Association as well as the Associations at all levels are doing their best to mobilize resources to care for and help AO victims, as well as continue to collect documents and evidence to carry out civil lawsuits against US chemical companies to international courts, continuing the fight for justice for the victims of Agent Orange.

Major General Tran Ngoc Tho further shared that most AO victims have very difficult life. They often suffer from pain, illness, and mental disorder. In order to timely encourage and alleviate their pain, in the past time, although many regimes and policies for AO victims have been issued by the State, they should be revised and supplemented to ensure the best policies, provide the best support for AO victims.

According to Tho, currently, the monthly allowances for AO victims are increasing, but still can’t cover for all their living expenses. Therefore, the Central Association regularly proposes to the Party and State to increase the subsidy for them on a yearly basis in order to partially compensate for the difficulties they are facing.

In particular, health care for Agent Orange victims is paid special attention. Particularly in Dong Nai, in 2020, the Central Association, the VNVC Immunization System (under Vietnam Vaccine Joint Stock Company), the Dong Nai General Hospital and Dong Nai Provincial Association for Agent Orange/dioxin Victims has coordinated to conduct comprehensive health check-ups, tests and ultrasound tests for nearly 1,000 AO victims in the whole province.

Doctor Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, VAVA Vice President, said that the comprehensive health examination for victims in Dong Nai helps authorities assess health status of the victims. If the victim is found to have an illness that needs treatment, the Organizing Board will consider a free support. Through the program, as many as 200 victims have been provided with medical treatment.

* Joining with the community…

As a victim of Agent Orange passed from her father who fought in the Central Highlands battlefield, for the past years, the life of Duong Thi Phuong Thuy's family (Phu Thinh commune, Tan Phu district, Dong Nai province) is very difficult as their old house was seriously degraded. In beginning of 2021, with the support of the Provincial and District Associations, the Provincial Lawyers Association, and many other benefactors, a ​​50m2, spacious, clean and beautiful House of Mercy was built and granted to Thuy's family. “For many years, my family has had to live in a dilapidated house. Now, thanks to the kindness of benefactors, I have a beautiful and safe house to live in. I am very grateful for this sharing,” said Thuy emotionally.

Thuy is not a rare case to receive a House of Mercy for AO Victims. Over the years, more than 100 such houses – contributed by the community - have been given to AO victims with extremely difficult housing conditions.

The war has passed for more than 45 years, but its consequences are still very devastating on this small country. Millions of people have been suffering the pain of war, so many have passed away and so many others are still living in pain both physically and mentally. Understanding this pain, many businesses and benefactors have joined hands with the Government to share the pain with the victims.

One of the businesses that has sided with Dong Nai Provincial Association for Victims of Agent Orange for quite a long time and provided a lot of support for the families of the victims is the International Agricultural Nutrition Joint Stock Company (ANCO – Song May Industrial Park, Trang Bom District, Dong Nai Province).

The “ANCO accompanies Agent Orange Victims" Fund was initiated by ANCO leaders since 2007. Many years of accompanying Agent Orange victims, ANCO has raised more than 5.6 billion VND to support Agent Orange victims Dong Nai as well as some AO "hot spot" localities.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hanh, former Standing Vice President of the Dong Nai Provincial Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin, a person who has been involved in the care of Agent Orange victims for many years as well as accompanying ANCO, said: “ANCO has accompanied the Association in many charity programs, such as: giving gifts, building and repairing houses of love, awarding scholarships, donating wheelchairs, etc., mounting from 500 to 700 million VND/year. I really appreciate the sharing of ANCO. They not only give money and gifts, but also help the victims with the "fishing rods", i.e providing piglets and fodder for the victim's families so that they can develop their household economy, and stabilize life. “I have seen joy, smiles and satisfaction in the eyes of many victims when mentioning ANCO” – Hanh said.

Ms. Dao Nguyen, Chairman of Dong Nai Provincial Association for Victims of Agent Orange said that with the task of connecting and taking care of victims affected by Agent Orange, the Association has gathered nearly 2,000 members and the support mobilisation for the victims is still continuing. According to Nguyen, the Association highly appreciates the companion of businesses, units and individuals who have stood side by side with the Association in its trips to visit and support Agent Orange victims. It was during those trips that donors continued to work closely with the Association in assisting the AO victims, even increasing the level of funding and expanding the scope of their humanitarian programs. How precious it is to join the community in sharing the AO pain with the victims.