The Guardian 14 December, 2005
The war continues on Agent Orange victims
Pepe Lozano
CHICAGO: Vietnamese survivors of Agent Orange, one of many poisonous chemical
defoliants used by the United States during the Vietnam War, are still seeking justice, 30
years later.
While US veterans have won partial compensation for their exposure to the deadly toxin,
Vietnamese victims have not received a single cent of compensation or humanitarian aid from the
US Government or the chemical companies that produced the defoliant, despite their numerous
requests for aid.
Taking a new tack, Vietnamese citizens decided to sue the chemical companies directly. Although
they received a setback this year when a Federal Judge in New York dismissed their civil lawsuit
against a group of companies, they now intend to sue them individually.
"The Vietnamese have received nothing, zero, nada", said Merle Ratner, national coordinator of the
Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign. "Enough is enough, it's time for justice
and people need to be held accountable."
Ratner was joined by three Vietnamese survivors of Agent Orange at a meeting at Roosevelt
University on November 30.
The event was part of a 30-day national speaking tour sponsored by Ratner's group and supported
by peace and justice groups. Chicago sponsors included Vietnam Veterans Against the War and
the university's Mansfield Institute for Social Justice. "I come here to speak about my story, and
many others who are living miserably", said Dang Thi Hong Nhut, 69, from Ho Chi Minh City. Dang
suffered multiple miscarriages from exposure to Agent Orange during the war.
"As a woman and mother I share the pain to end wars that cause suffering. It is an honour to be
here speaking to you about our experiences and stories, to help us for fairness and
justice."
Today, an estimated three million Vietnamese suffer from the effects of Agent Orange. The use of
the chemical, which contains dioxin, a human carcinogen, has caused birth defects in hundreds of
thousands of children in Vietnam and the US who are second and third generation descendants of
those who were exposed to it decades ago.
Agent Orange has also had deadly consequences for Vietnam's natural environment, with the long-
term poisoning of soil and crops.
Dow, Monsanto, Diamond Shamrock, Hercules, Uniroyal, Thomson Chemicals and other
companies produced the chemicals during the war. They disavow responsibility for the ensuing
problems, arguing that the US and Vietnamese governments should resolve the matter. According
to the Peace Accords signed in Paris in 1973, the administration of Richard Nixon promised to
contribute $3 billion toward healing the wounds of war, and to post-war reconstruction of Vietnam.
However, the US Government has done nothing to make good on this commitment.
Dr Nguyen Throng Nhan, 72, former president of the Vietnam Red Cross and a leader of the
Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, said, "Vietnam is poor, the companies are
rich, and the victims have no choice but to file a lawsuit against the manufacturers. Tens of
thousands have already died."
Although it's been 30 years, he said, "The war continues in the bodies of Vietnamese victimised by
Agent Orange."
People's Weekly World