Ceremony remembers AO/dioxin catastrophe in Vietnam

The event was attended by President Tran Dai Quang and former Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh as well as leaders of numerous ministries and branches, representatives of Vietnamese AO/dioxin victims and delegates of international organisations.

At the ceremony, Chairman of the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Rinh noted that on August 10, 1961, the largest and longest chemical warfare began in Vietnam, causing the most catastrophic consequences in human history.

During the 1961-1971 period, the US military forces sprayed more than 80 million litres of herbicides, of which 61% was AO, containing at least 360 kilogrammes of dioxin, over southern Vietnam. Around 4.8 million Vietnamese were exposed to the toxic chemicals, about three million of them are AO victims.

Addressing the meeting, on behalf of the Party and State, President Tran Dai Quang expressed his deepest sympathy to AO/dioxin victims for the pain and difficulties that they have stood. He said that AO/dioxin has caused long-term negative impacts on the environment, ecosystems and the health of many generations.

The State leader emphasised that over the past years, the Party and State have always paid much attention to setting out numerous guidelines and policies to settle consequences of AO/dioxin, spending mover than VND10 trillion to care for victims and support disadvantaged areas that were heavily affected by the toxic chemical.

The Party committees and governments at all levels have actively directed and implemented the national action plan to overcome the consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US during the war in Vietnam, gaining important results, said President Quang.

He added that the 'action for victims of AO/dioxin' campaigned launched by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee has attracted the active response of both Vietnamese people and international friends, contributing to helping victims to overcome difficulties and pain to stabilise their lives and integrate into the community.

The president asked the ministries, branches and localities to enhance the direction and implementation of remedial measures of consequences of AO/dioxin as well as communication and encouragement of people at home and abroad to support victims.

It is necessary to focus on building and upgrading medical facilities , and vocational training for victims, as well as provide counseling services on reproduction and heredity in areas contaminated with toxic chemicals, noted the State leader.

He also urged inspection and supervision from relevant agencies for the implementation of policies related to AO/dioxin victims.

At the ceremony, the State leader called for contributions from international individuals and organisations to the struggle for justice for Vietnamese AO/dioxin victims.

On the occasion, President Tran Dai Quang presented the Labour Order, first class, to the Vietnam Association for AO/dioxin Victims.

Also at the ceremony, the association launched a SMS campaign to support AO victims by texting DACAM to 1409. The campaign, inviting Vietnamese people and foreigners, lasts from August 10 to September 30.

Source: NDO