Vietnamese organisations critical of the US Supreme Court’s AO decision

VNA/VOVNews

March 19, 2009

Several organisations in Vietnam have objected to the US Supreme Court’s decision to reject Vietnamese AO victims’ petition against the companies responsible for the production of AO/dioxin used during the US war in Vietnam.

In its appeal issued on March 17, the Vietnam Fund for Peace and Development (VFPD) described the US Court’s decision as erroneous, unreasonable, unjust and immoral which defied international and US laws.

“This means that US courts refuse to provide justice to millions of Vietnamese who are suffering from the aftermath of AO/dioxin spraying in Vietnam and passing its harmful effects to their children,” the fund said, adding that it is regrettable that the decision came when the US Government and congress have made the first move in dealing with the aftermath left by AO/dioxin in Vietnam and many US political, social and humanitarian organizations have also taken steps in this direction.

It went on to say, “The US Supreme Court may think the decision will put an end to the lawsuit. But they do not understand that the Vietnamese people and those from around the world, for the purposes of justice and human rights, will continue their struggle until justice is done.”
The VFPD applauded organisations and individuals in and outside the country, including those in the US that have raised their voices against the US court’s decision, and pledged all-out support for the sake of victims.

In particular, the US Peace Council has released a statement, protesting the US Supreme Court’s refusal to review the lawsuit of Vietnamese AO/Dioxin victims demanding compensation from the US Government, describing it as “an unbelievable gross injustice to the Vietnamese people.”
The statement blamed the court for not recognising what has been accepted by the international community and the US Army itself that the spraying of the toxic chemical on 17 percent of Vietnam, exposed 4.8 million Vietnamese, many women and children to this deadly and deforming chemical.

On March 18, thousands of members of the Association of AO/Dioxin Victims and people in northern Bac Giang province, held a meeting to protest the US Supreme Court’s decision.