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San Francisco, CA
Vietnam
Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) complete
their 11 cities tour Friday December 9th and Saturday December
10th in the San Francisco Bay Area. The American Friends Service
Committee reports that Nguyen
Muoi, son of an ARVN veteran from Hue, Vietnam
who suffers from spina bifida as a result of his father’s
exposure to dioxin in the 1970s was denied a visa for the tour
by the U.S. government. Today, three million
Vietnamese suffer the effects of chemical defoliants used by the
United States during the Vietnam War. In 1973 the U.S.
promised to contribute $3 billion dollars toward healing the wounds
of war and for post-war reconstruction of Vietnam. Little has
been forthcoming. Today the effects of the Agent Orange/Dioxin
continues to plague both the land and people of Vietnam as well
as Republic of Korea, Australian, New Zealand, and U.S. Vietnam
veterans.
On November 30, The Korea Times
reported that Yeh, a ROK Marine veteran seeking compensation for
his suffering from exposure to Agent Orange, committed suicide
by drinking herbicide after he was prevented from entering the
National Assembly building in Seoul by guards. Yeh had been conducting
a one-man demonstration since October 25th. In New Zealand, which
manufactured and shipped Agent Orange during the war, 800 veterans
filed suit for compensation November 2005. Some U.S. veterans
received an out-of-court compensation package settled in 1984.
Veterans for Peace, American Friends Service Committee, Global
Exchange, VietUnity, the U.S.-Vietnam Friendship Association,
and the Dow Accountability Network are co-sponsoring this effort
of the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign
to educate the U.S. public, secure relief funds for VAVA support
activities (checks to “Veterans
for Peace/Agent Orange Campaign”), and hold
accountable the U.S government and corporations such as Monsanto
and Dow. For more information: www.vn-agentorange.org.
Two survivors of exposure, Dang
Thi Hong Nhut who has suffered multiple miscarriages,
and Ho Sy Hai, army
veteran truck driver suffers from chronic hepatitis among other
afflictions, are joined in the speaking tour by Dr.
Nguyen Trong Nhan, former President of the Vietnam
Red Cross and VAVA official. Pre-arrival interviews available
by telephone through Merle Ratner
(917-733-2100).
When and Where:
December 8 on the Radio: Apex
Express: Asian Pacific Islander radio....catch
it
Thursdays 7:00 – 8:00 pm, KPFA 94.1 FM, KFCF Fresno, www.kpfa.org.
Contact: apex@kpfa.org;
510-848-6767 x464; www.apexexpress.org.
December 9, Friday at 6:30 – 8:30
pm at the Stanford University Old Union Ballroom (520
Lasuen Mall, 2nd Floor of the Clubhouse in the South Wing of the
Old Union – parking at Tresidder Parking Lot on Lagunita Drive)
December 10 Human Rights Day, Saturday
at 2:00 – 4:00 pm at the San Francisco Veterans Building, Room
212, 401 Van Ness Avenue (across from City Hall).
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