US Peace Council slams

US Supreme Court

HA NOI (19-03-2009) — The US Peace Council has slammed as "unbelievable gross injustice" the US Supreme Court’s refusal to review the compo claims of Vietnamese Agent Orange/Dioxin victims.

The council criticised the court for not recognising what has been accepted by the international community and the US Army itself that the spraying on 17 per cent of Viet Nam had exposed 4.8 million men, women and children to this deadly and deforming chemical.

"Dioxin has been prohibited in the United States," the council said in a statement just released. "It is a barbarous weapon."

"The US Army compensates our veterans who have been exposed to Agent Orange/Dioxin, yet the US Courts have maintained that Dioxin is merely a herbicide and there was no intention to harm the Vietnamese people. How cruel."

The statement went on to say: "Scientists, during the Viet Nam war, lobbied and pleaded against the use of Agent Orange/Dioxin, aware of the toxicity of this chemical. Their pleas were ignored. There are millions of deformed children in Viet Nam. The curse we bestowed upon innocent women and children still plagues Viet Nam."

It said it was not enough to apologise and called for care and assistance to the Vietnamese Agent Orange/Dioxin victims.

"We have the moral responsibility to demand that the US Government compensate these victims. It is the least we can do."

http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=02SOC190309