French association calls for support for Vietnam’s AO/dioxin victims
The Le Monde newspaper of France has recently posted an article of the Collectif Vietnam-Dioxine association, calling on French politicians and the international community to support victims of Agent Orange (AO) in Vietnam and designate a day in commemoration of the victims.
Paris (VNA) - The Le Monde newspaper of France has recently postedan article of the Collectif Vietnam-Dioxine association, calling on Frenchpoliticians and the international community to support victims of AgentOrange (AO)/dioxin in Vietnam and designate a day in commemoration of the victims.
With the title “We want to break the silence on the consequencesof Agent Orange in Vietnam”, the article affirmed that sixty years after thestart of the spraying of the herbicide by the US army in Vietnam, theconsequences are still present.
According to the article, sixty years ago, on August 10,1961, the US military first sprayed the Agent Orange, a powerful herbicide containingdioxin - the substance responsible for many cases of cancer and birth defects, in the southern part of Vietnam.
In French history and geographybooks, at the secondary and high school levels, the Vietnam War is alsomentioned. However, the content of the teaching is limited at the main featuresof the past war, but does not mention to the catastrophic consequences that stilllinger until today, according to the article.
The country and people of Vietnam are used to seeingdisfigured faces and bodies, and the unfortunate lives are also used to livingin silence, and enduring pain, the article said, stressing that it is necessaryto break this silence.
The Collectif Vietnam-Dioxine association argued that all AOvictims do not deserve to suffer the pain and disadvantages, live in difficultconditions and have almost no access to services.
The association emphasised the need to fight for justice forthem in Vietnam as well as in other countries.
The association proposed the French parliamentarians participate in compensating for the injustices suffered by all AOvictims by acknowledging the crimes committed in Vietnam and in its neighboringcountries such as Cambodia and Laos.
It also called for an official day to commemorate thevictims, as well as the consideration of introducing about the impact of theVietnam War on people and ecosystems at schools.
The association affirmed that it will continue to join efforts to support Vietnam./.
Sixty years have passed since the US army dropped tens of millions of extremely toxic chemicals on various areas across the south of Vietnam, but their devastating impact still lingers, destroying the environment and claiming the lives of many generations of Agent Orange (AO) victims.
Great efforts have been made by the Vietnamese Government as well as organisations and individuals at home and abroad to support victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (AO) with a hope to ease the incomparable pain that they are suffering.
Sixty years have passed since the US army dropped tens of millions of extremely toxic chemicals on various areas across the south of Vietnam, but their devastating impact still lingers. Over the years, special attention has been paid to Vietnamese AO/dioxin victims.
UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam Caitlin Wiesen has written an article on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Vietnam AO/Dioxin disaster day (August 10). The following is the full text of the article.
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An AO/dioxin victim in Vietnam (Photo: VNA) 
