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The
Association of Agent Orange Victims announced Thursday that the appeal
would be filed in the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. The case was earlier
dismissed at a US Federal Court in March this year, citing lack of legal
basis.
The
association represents more than four million Vietnamese affected by the
toxic herbicide Agent Orange which the US army used during the Vietnam
War.
The
defendants named in the lawsuit are 36 US chemical firms who made and
supplied the chemical.
The
defendants would submit their replies in January next year, and the
plaintiffs would give their feedback on March 1, the association said
quoting its lawyers.
The
appeal hearing would possibly be held in late April, a source told Thanh Nien.
A
group of US lawyers arrived in Vietnam this month to collect
more evidence for the lawsuit.
On
the occasion, many groups of youths in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi launched a
campaign to write to the US Court of Appeals in support of the Agent Orange
victims.
The
France-Vietnam Friendship Association (FVFA), together with the Peace
Movement and the Association for Economic Development and Progress, are
expected to organize marches in six French cities to support the lawsuit.
The
web page supporting the lawsuit, at http://www.petitiononline.com/AOVN/petition.html,
has so far collected more than 691,000 signatures.
(Reported by Xuan Danh – Translated by The
Vinh)
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