ASEM5 People's Forum

STATEMENT OF THE VIETNAM ASSOCIATION FOR VICTIMS OF AGENT ORANGE/DIOXIN - VAVA

Hanoi, Vietnam, 9 September 2004

The Executive Committee of the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin - VAVA, on 25 February 2004, has held a meeting for reviewing its recent activities and designing new direction and plan of action for the forthcoming time.

The VAVA sincerely expresses its great gratitude to the Party and Government for their recent issuance of complementary pension schemes in favor of families, of which many members are unable to manage self-services.

The VAVA respectfully takes note of the sentimental and material support enthusiastically offered by masses nation-wide and by numerous international and national organizations as well as by various progressive personalities from various countries, who have encouraged us to surmount all difficulties met in the course of finalizing our noble goals. This association has sent a representative of victims to the World Social Forum Conference held in Mumbai, India, in order to express our fighting spirit in solidarity and in cooperation with victims of Bhopal, India and to supply the world with additional information on the state of Vietnamese ones.

The VAVA, on 30 Januarv 2004, and three other families consisting of six victims have started a class action suit against chemical corporations which were suppliers of toxic agents used by American troops in Vietnam. Many other victims were and are asking for their parts in this relief demand. Opinion everywhere has been in agreement with this justified action undertaken by the Vietnamese victims after decades of patience in bearing uncountable suffering of enormous losses. The Vietnamese people, faithful to their old tradition of generosity and tolerance, have for many years demonstrated their willingness in cooperation with the Americans in redressing the consequences of this atrocious war. However, this good-will has not been positively responded. The Vietnamese victims, with this lawsuit, are not only for their own lives bot also for the justified benefits of all victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in other countries, including those in the United States of America. This action is not only for one generation but also for many generations, past, present and future, of bearers of long-lasting sufferings. With powerful confidence in the existence of and respect for conscience and justice on our planet, this action is conducted in the name of solemn right to life, the primary right of all human beings.

The VAVA earnestly appeal all compatriots, at home and abroad, to more powerfully demonstrate own sympathy with and support to all activities carried out and the lawsuit filed in the United States by our victims.

The VAVA expects and welcomes stronger sentiment and activities accorded by all progressive organizations and individuals in the service of right to life expected by people all over the world, especially in the United States.

The VAVA is, while being wholeheartedly all for the Declaration approved by the Stockholm Conference held in Sweden, July 2002, urgently asking governments, non-governmental entities and peoples of all other countries to actively support those humanitarian efforts projected to assist the Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin to overcome heavy war consequences left behind in Vietnam.
Let's support victims of agent Orange/Dioxin with a view to contributing to the safeguard of World Peace and Justice

LT.GEN (rtd) DANG VU HIEP PRESIDENT,VAVA