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Special Report |
LAST UPDATE April 25, 2006
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| April 11, 2006 |
Onboard Agent Orange Campaign |
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| Participants erect a poster that reads: What is Agent Orange? The Children that Continue Suffer from it Today. |
Government officials withdraw troops and sign peace treaties to end war, but for many the living reality of war is far from over. Wounded physically, mentally and emotionally, veterans and civilian victims continue to feel the rippling effects of conflict for generations to come. There is no place where this is more evident than Viet Nam, where many still suffer from the toxic residue of the chemical herbicide Agent Orange. |
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| Images of children affected by Agent Orange. |
Agent Orange was used in the US-Viet Nam war from 1962 to 1971 as a plant defoliant. Sprayed over the lush jungles and crop fields of Viet Nam, its purpose was to clear densely foliaged areas to protect American troops from of possible Viet Cong ambush. Agent Orange was the most commonly used defoliant of what is now known as the “rainbow herbicides”— each given the name based on the color of the barrel it was shipped in. The ingredients of the chemical compound was originally created during World War II to be used as chemical warfare against the Japanese, but the program was dismantled after the dropping of the Atomic bomb and the surrender of Japan. Over 19 million gallons of herbicide was used in South Viet Nam. |
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| My Doan points out the areas of Viet Nam most affected by Agent Orange |
On board, My Doan Thi Takasaki, a researcher of Agent Orange’s effects, shared with participants graphic images of children suffering from Agent Orange related birth defects. The chemical dioxin, created as a byproduct of poor production, is the strong carcinogenic element in Agent Orange that has caused many deformities that exist today in Viet Nam. "Soft tissue sarcoma", "Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma", "Hodgkin's disease", diabetes, miscarriage, and physical disabilities are just a few of its devastating effects. Second and Third generations continue to feel its wrath as children are born with stunted limbs or mental disabilities. Serious social economic problems have also arisen due to the effects of Agent Orange. Unable to receive proper medical treatment, farmers become too debilitated to work. Consequently, much of Viet Nam lives in extreme poverty. |
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| Participants contributing money to Peace Boat’s Agent Orange Relief Campaign |
When the herbicide was sprayed strategically over crop fields and mangrove forests, toxic chemicals seeped deep into the soil and water, damaging the surrounding ecosystem and poisoning the food chain. Farmers unaware of its poisonous effects consumed the crops and accumulated the carcinogens in their fatty tissues. Today, most of the dioxin levels in the soil have washed away, but it can remain in humans for up to twenty years. According to the National Academy of Sciences, 3118 villages were sprayed, and up to 4.8 million humans affected. There are still 700,000 children suffering from genetic defects in Viet Nam today.
The Vietnamese were not the only people affected by Agent Orange. The US Military, South Koreans, Australians, and Canadians were victimized by its harmful effects as well. In 1985, the US government paid $180 million in compensation for the Viet Nam Veterans affected by Agent Orange. And in January of 2006, Korean victims received compensation from Dow Chemical and Monsanto, the two leading companies that produced the herbicide.
Though awareness surrounding the issue has grown due to these lawsuits, the Vietnamese people, who have most directly been affected, have yet to be compensated. In January of 2004, the Viet Nam Association for Victims of Agent Orange (VAVA) filed a class action suit against the same chemical companies. In March of 2005, Court Judge Jack Weinstein rejected the suit, concluding that there was no legal basis for the plaintiff’s claims. VAVA has appealed the judge’s ruling, and is currently waiting reexamination.
Today, financial support is needed to supply adequate medical treatment and detoxification to those who are suffering. There is also a dire need for affected families to receive education and vocational training. According to My Doan’s research only 26 rehabilitation centers are available for all 64 provinces of Viet Nam. Peace Boat is currently raising funds onboard the 53rd voyage to help erect a center for Agent Orange victims. The center will include rehabilitation machines, saunas, and vitamin and unsaturated oil supplements that have been proven most effective to remove the toxins from the body. Committed to raise half of the monies needed, with the other half coming from the Da Nang Youth group, Peace Boat participants have given with compassion. The campaign will continue beyond Peace Boat’s visit to Viet Nam. |
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