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50th Anniversary of Agent Orange Disaster: There Have Remained War Crimes

50 years ago, August 10, 1961, the U.S. Army used a helicopter H34, starting its first mission of spraying chemicals called “Trail-Dust” along National Highway 14 to the north of Kon Tum town.

After that, on August 11, 15, and 19, the U.S. Army continued spraying chemicals onto ​​Kon Tum province, the western part of Ham Thuan district, Binh Thuan province, Chon Thanh, and along National Highway 13 from Thu Dau Mot to Hon Quan.

October 8, 1961, the U.S. Army continued spraying chemicals onto paddy fields around Bien Hoa Airport in Dong Nai, along Provincial Highway 24 to Tri An, Ma Da, and Hieu Liem.

So far, there have remained terrible consequences caused by  the U.S Army’s spraying chemicals towards innocent civilians.

Dong Nai has approximately 13 Agent Orange victims

The test sessions from August 10, 1961 to October 8, 1961 were evaluated successfully.

On November 13, 1961 President Kennedy President approved of plans to spray herbicides in the Southern Vietnam according to the U.S Defense Minister.

The U.S. chemical war in Indochina and in the Southern Vietnam were prepared for and tested for over 20 years.

In 1962, toxic chemicals became a weapon going together with wars against the people of Southern Vietnam with three targets: clearance to attack and destroy the enemies’ forces, to protect logistic bases and transport roads, to destroy crops, ecological environment, food resources, and to damage human health.

According to the figures of scientists from home and abroad, including those of American scientists, from August 10, 1961 to October 31, 1972 (10 years and 2 months) the U.S. Army used 30 planes C123 and helicopters H34 to conduct 19,905 sessions of spraying 95,000 tons of herbicides over the Southern Vietnam, including 63 thousand tons of high-content Agent Orange chemicals (approximately 366 to 650 kilos).

This spraying destroyed 3.8 million hectares of natural forests, 250,000 hectares of rice and crops growing areas, 30,000 hectares of rubber trees, and 25,585 villages, where southern region people are settling.

The spraying infected 4.8 million people including 3 million victims during the U.S Chemical War.

The most poisonous area in Bien Hoa Airport (illustrative photo)

Dong Nai was a province located in the Region 3 of the U.S. Army including Bien Hoa Airport

Long Binh bomb depot was a huge warehouse of bombs and other bombs of chemicals that were used in the region, in highland provinces and in the Mekong river delta.

Dong Nai was also a province that was heavily sprayed with nearly 10 million liters of herbicides, including more than 50 percent of Agent Orange sprayed by the U.S. Army over 56 percent of forests and farmland.

Many places were spread over and over, especially in Tri An, Ma Da, Hieu Liem, Trang Tao, May Tau Mountain, National Highway 51, Ray River Ray and so on.

This spraying infected more than 13,000 people including 8,000 victims and 3,000 defect children.

The U.S Army’s chemicals caused hundreds of deaths and caused cancers and other untreatable diseases for thousands of people.

Who are those AO victims? They are officers, troops, guerrilla, militias, young volunteers, front line workers, and laborers in liberated regions and in revolutionary bases.

Wars ended nearly 40 years ago, but there have remained bad consequences towards the people of Vietnam and the people of Dong Nai.

Currently, Agent Orange victims are carrying serious diseases that might take them away at any time. Among are the victims who are living an extremely unhappy life caused by illness, poverty, and homelessness.

Many families have 4 to 5 children who are AO victims. And their lives become unhappier than ever.

Agent Orange / Dioxin Victims Association is born as a bridge to connect the community with victims

For pains and losses caused by wars, especially the pains that thousands of AO victims in Dong Nai are suffering, Agent Orange/ Dioxin Association was born on March 29, 2007.

The Association is like a bridge between victims and the community and responsible for gathering victims, uniting and calling for warm-hearted organizations and individuals to care for their materialistic and spiritual lives.

Standing Vice Chairperson of Dong Nai Agent Orange/ Dioxin Association Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hanh said: “Seeing AO victims moaning with daily pains, I find that I need to make more efforts to bring comfort to these unhappy lives and that AO victims are now the same as our blood and flesh children in need of care”.

We would like the community to join hands in relieving pains caused by wars, added Hanh.

Reported by Dieu Linh, Translated by Duy Minh

Author: phongvien

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