Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnamese Party, State and people have always given sympathy and paid special attention to Agent Orange/dioxin victims, affirmed Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan.
Speaking at the 2 nd National Congress of the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) in Hanoi on December 3, Deputy PM Nhan highly valued activities undertaken by VAVA over the past five years to help ease AO victims’ pains and called upon the association to continue its publicity campaigns to attract more domestic and international support for the victims, in their lives as well as in their fight for justice.
“The Party, State and agencies have done and will try their utmost to help AO victims improve their life and health,” Nhan said.
At the congress, VAVA Vice President and General Secretary Tran Xuan Thu said that over the past five years, with 86 billion VND donated by domestic and foreign organisations and individuals, VAVA has helped to build and repair houses for hundreds of thousands of AO victims as well as provided them with production assistance and healthcare services.
Regarding the Vietnamese AO victims’ lawsuit against 37 US chemical companies, Thu said the case that involves millions of AO victims is unprecedented in the history of the US judiciary sector.
Despite facing a number of difficulties, VAVA will continue pursuing to the last the Vietnamese AO victims’ lawsuit, he said, adding that the case has now been submitted to the US supreme court.
Many international delegates from the UK , French and US non-governmental organisations voiced their support for the Vietnamese AO victims’ lawsuit.
The day-long congress elected Senior Lieutenant-General Nguyen Van Rinh, former Defence Deputy Minister, as VAVA’s President for the new term.
According to VAVA, between 1961 and 1971, US troops sprayed more than 80 million litres of toxic chemicals over southern Vietnam , including 336 kg of dioxin, an extremely toxic chemical that causes long-term damage to the natural environment and human health.
Vietnam is home to 4.8 million people who have been exposed to Agent Orange, with some 3 million of them suffering health problems related to the exposure.-Enditem
|
|