TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

An OPEN LETTER

FROM THE VIETNAM ASSOCIATION FOR VICTIMS OF AGENT ORANGE/DIOXIN

Hanoi, 6 Aug, 2004

Dear American friends,

With sincere and friendly sentiments, from a far-away land of the West Pacific Ocean, we would like to send this letter to all of you. It is written on the pending day of August 10th, when the US aircrafts, in 1961, began the spraying of herbicides in Vietnam with the northern areas of Kontum as their first target. The most recent investigative study conducted by American scientists  reported in Nature, April 2003, has discovered that  US forces, from 1961 to 1971 deployed about 80 million liters of toxic chemicals, more than half of which was agent orange containing nearly 400 kg of dioxin, an extremely  dangerous substance, to destroy our environment and human health.

This horrible outcome was right from that time in 1960s, confirmed, warned and opposed by many prestigious American and world researchers such as Professor Arthur Galston, a biologist together with the US Physiobotanist Association and about five thousands (5,000) other US scientists, including seventeen (17) Nobel laureates and one hundred and twenty nine (129) members of the US National Academy of Sciences.

We were deeply moved by pictures appearing on screens depicting hundreds of thousands of American people pouring into the streets against the war of aggression in Vietnam, especially pictures that showed American veterans throwing away their medals and awards after realizing the deception that had brought them to Vietnam to fight against a people who have aspired so much for independence and freedom.

Dear friends,

From the Bertrand Russell Tribunal of Conscience held during the time of the Vietnam War to the Stockholm Conference convened in July 2002, and to now, the support offered by the progressive people all over the world has greatly inspired the Vietnamese people to overcome uncountable difficulties and sufferings in the course of their fight for their national reunification and reconstruction.

The war is over. The country has made her marvelous rebirth. Millions of people have nevertheless been subject to deadly incurable diseases due to dioxin exposure. Thousands of them have consequently died in agony with deep indignation towards the perpetrators of crimes. Many women have suffered reproductive complication and even the total loss of the right to be a mother. Among other things, the most painful fact may be that their descendants who have nothing to do with the war were, are and will be, as victims of dioxin, born with inherited diseases, and, of course, without smallest hope of enjoying even a minute of happiness of living like an ordinary being. The victims of Agent Orange/dioxin are the most miserable and tragic people. Many of them, with lots of deformed off-spring, have almost survived in poverty.

We, the Vietnamese people, ceaselessly thirsty for peace and friendship, have exerted great patience in demonstrating our preparedness for cooperation with the US in solving the cruel war consequences, especially those severe evils resulting from horrible chemical warfare. However, this has met no positive response.

In face of this situation, the Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange feel it necessary to file a lawsuit against the US chemical corporations, the suppliers of this toxic substance used in the Vietnam War and who gained enormous profits from the sufferings of millions of people.

The legal action taken by the Vietnamese victims is also designed in the lawful interests of all other victims, including those in the United States, Australia, the Republic of South Korea, Thailand, New Zealand and the Republic of Philippines.

Inevitably, this legal action is structured for the sake of many forthcoming generations. It is nevertheless undertaken for the solemn right-to-life of every human being.

Dear friends,

We hereby would like again to affirm before you that the Vietnamese have never harbored any sense of hatred for the American people who have written several important pages of history of hard struggle for independence and freedom. We are earnestly hoping to enjoy your further understanding and more profound sympathy for the extreme sufferings imposed on the Vietnamese victims. However, we ask you to know that the use of toxic chemicals is totally in brazen violation of international laws and thus being a war crime and an act of betrayal against the spirit of the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson.

For the sake of justice and noble conscience, please raise your voice and demand the US Court of Law to conduct serious litigation proceedings, and that the US chemical corporations to fulfill their compensation liability for the victims of Vietnam, of the United States and of other countries.

The present struggle is directly aimed at the peaceful and happy life of our future generations on this planet.

41/11 Linhlang Street, Congvi, Badinh

Hanoi, Vietnam,

Tel. 84-04-7628577, 84-04-7629452

Fax: 84-04-7629452

Email: hnncddcvn@vnn.vn