The fight for justice for the victims of Agent Orange has endured a long journey and has never stopped. Despite being rejected many times by US courts, the fight of Agent Orange victims and world peace-lovers for justice can’t be curbed.
* Confrontation with the \"chemical giants\"
According to timeline, on January 31, 2004, a task force for Protecting the interests of Agent Orange/dioxin victims established by the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (VAVA) officially sued 37 American chemical companies, demanding that they must be responsible for causing this catastrophic result. However, the lawsuits of Vietnamese Agent Orange victims were rejected by the US courts, as the courts hold that there is not enough proof of the relationship between Agent Orange and the diseases and disabilities that Vietnamese AO victims are suffering.
Although the US courts refused to accept the lawsuit, they can’t quell the struggle for justice of millions of AO victims in Vietnam and around the world. Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Rinh, VAVA President, said: “Although not achieving their goals, the lawsuits have helped people around the world better understand the disaster Agent Orange cause to the environment and human health\".
Rinh added, currently, the struggle for justice of Vietnamese Agent Orange victims has triggered a very strong international movement of support not only for 4.8 million Vietnamese people, but also for many millions of victims of countries that involved in the Vietnam War with the US, and countries where US Agent Orange storage or transit stations were based.
And recently, a Vietnamese French woman has filed a lawsuit to the International Court of Conscience (in Paris, France) against US chemical corporations, demanding that these companies be responsible for the victims. That person is Ms. Tran To Nga (79 years old), an AO victim, who is currently living in France. Nga was a former reporter of the Liberation News Agency, operating in the southern battlefield and was infected with Agent Orange/dioxin. Medical examination in France showed that the concentration of dioxin in her blood was many times higher than standard.
It is unthinkable that a small woman confronts with very powerful American chemical giants, such as Monsanto and Dow Chemical who are ready to use all means to suppress the lawsuit. After 6 years and 19 procedural sessions, the trial was officially started on January 25, 2021 in Paris.
The lawsuit is undergoing hearings, and is expected to last for many months. This case shocked the world and is considered a victory, when for the first time, it forced Monsanto and chemical companies to appear in court according to the lawsuit of a person.
The fighting for justice is arduous, requiring the perseverance and persistence of Nga and international public opinion. Nga told the press: “Over the past 10 years, many people have advised me to stop this seemingly hopeless struggle, because people liken this case to an unequal battle between David and the giant Goliath. But I do hope this will be a victory of justice for me, for the victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam and the world.”
The Master Project to treat dioxins as well as restore the environment for the airport and surrounding areas of Bien Hoa airport will be implemented in 2021. The project is expected to cost USD 390 million, and last 10 years, of which the US Government\'s non-refundable aid is USD 183 million.
* Overcoming the consequences of Agent Orange is conscience and responsibility
While the lawsuit for justice for victims of Agent Orange continues, over time, with the cooperative efforts of the Vietnamese Government, the US Government and a number of US humanitarian agencies and organizations have made initial moves in overcoming the consequences of war through survey, research as well as treatment and decontamination of chemicals/dioxins at airports which are \"hot spots\" of dioxins in Vietnam, as well as support victims affected by Agent Orange.
In early 2021, in Dong Nai, the National Steering Committee 701 (National Steering Committee to overcome the consequences of landmines and toxic chemicals after the war in Vietnam) and the United States Agency for International Development held The ceremony to announce the results of dioxin treatment at Gate 2 Lake of Bien Hoa Airport, and at the same time to launch the Project to Support Vietnamese People with Disabilities in provinces with many victims of Agent Orange.
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Deputy Minister of Defense, Head of the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee 701 said that over the past time, the two governments have also made initial efforts in overcoming the consequences of war. Accordingly, the project to treat dioxin pollution in Bien Hoa Airport area, which was started in December 2019, has excavated nearly 1.2 thousand m3 of dioxin-contaminated sediments exceeding the allowable standard, and put into storage and processing area for the next stage. In particular, it has liberated and restored the entire surface area of Gate 2 Lake which is more than 5.3 thousand m2, meeting Vietnam\'s dioxin threshold standards, ensuring safety for people, the environment and constructions.
Following the achieved results of the project, recently the Air Defense - Air Force continued to hand over the dioxin contaminated areas inside Bien Hoa Airport, with a total area of about 7.5 ha to USAID to conduct treatment, rehabilitation and construction of the project in 2021.
In particular, the Project on Supporting People with Disabilities in Vietnam in the provinces sprayed with toxic chemicals has also been started. Accordingly, a series of support activities will be implemented with the budget from 65 million USD of non-refundable ODA of the US Government, and 75 billion VND from the counterpart capital of the Vietnamese budget to carry out a series of activities supporting for victims and their families.
Previously, in December 2019, also in Dong Nai, the United States Agency for International Development and the National Action Center for Remedial of Toxic Chemical and Environment signed a grant agreement on supporting people with disabilities in Vietnam in the provinces sprayed with Agent Orange. Accordingly, 100,000 people with disabilities due to the impact of Agent Orange and their relatives in 8 provinces, namely: Dong Nai, Quang Nam, Binh Dinh, Thua Thien - Hue, Tay Ninh, Quang Tri, Kon Tum, Binh Phuoc... will receive support in healthcare and life. Dong Nai alone has about 15,000 victims and their relatives being supported by this project.
The war has ended more than 45 years. However, the consequences of toxic chemicals on human health and the ecological environment of Vietnam are still very severe. In the face of irrefutable evidence, the US Government as well as chemical corporations should hold accountability for post war consequences they caused to the Vietnamese people. Because that is justice and conscience of human kind.
_thumb_720.jpg)
.jpg)
Comment