Join hands to ease the pain of Agent Orange

Nghe An Newspaper reporter had an interview with Mr. Hoang Dang Hoe - Vice President of Nghe An Province Association of Agent Orange Victims.

PV:Can you tell us more about the historical significance of Agent Orange Victims Day (August 10, 1961 - August 10, 2022)?

Mr. Hoang Dang Hoe:The chemical warfare conducted by the US in Vietnam was the most disastrous war in human history. On August 10, 1961, for the first time, the US sprayed a highly toxic substance, disguised as “herbicide and defoliant” over Kon Tum province. From 1961 to 1971, the US conducted 19,905 missions, spraying about 80 million liters of toxic chemicals, 61% of which was Agent Orange containing 366 kg of dioxin, over nearly 26,000 villages and hamlets, with an area of ​​over 3.06 million hectares, of which 86% of the area was sprayed more than twice, 11% of the area was sprayed more than 10 times…

UC-123 aircraft sprayed Agent Orange in Vietnam. Photo: Archive

The use of Agent Orange not only destroys the environment and ecosystems but also leaves painful consequences on the health of Vietnamese people over the past 61 years. Countless victims have died from the poison, hundreds of thousands of people are struggling with serious illnesses. Agent Orange can cause diverse and complex damage to the human body; cause genetic and chromosomal mutations, thereby causing birth defects and reproductive complications. Common diseases in children and grandchildren who are victims of Agent Orange are often complete or partial paralysis, blindness, muteness, deafness... According to statistics, in Vietnam, there are 4.8 million people infected with toxic chemicals, including those who participated in the resistance war and people living in areas where toxic chemicals were sprayed.

Agent Orange/dioxin that the US sprayed on South Vietnam destroyed the environment and crops there, leaving consequences that continue to this day. Photo source: VNA

On June 25, 2004, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and 32/32 member organizations held a Conference for Vietnamese Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims. The conference agreed to take August 10 every year as the Day for Vietnamese Agent Orange Victims. This day is considered a meeting point for noble acts of righteousness, so that all Vietnamese people can join hands to ease the pain of unfortunate fates, fates that have been and are being tormented by Agent Orange left over from the war.

PV:During the war against the American imperialists, generations of Nghe An people went to fight the enemy. When peace was restored, many people returned with the lingering pain of Agent Orange. Could you tell us about the living conditions of those Agent Orange victims?

Mr. Hoang Dang Hoe:Nghe An is a province with a rich revolutionary tradition. During the resistance war against the US to save the country, 596,000 of our people joined the army; 45,000 joined the youth volunteers and over 150,000 joined the frontline laborers to fight and serve on the battlefields. Many people died during this resistance war and many returned but were contaminated with Agent Orange.

Mr. Hoang Dang Hoe shared that the lives of Agent Orange victims and their descendants are currently very difficult. Photo: Duc Anh

According to a survey in 1999, the whole province had more than 30,000 people exposed to toxic chemicals due to the war. The State has conducted assessments and resolved benefits for 18,973 people. And now, after 23 years, many people exposed to Agent Orange have died (mainly due to cancer), many others have moved to another place of residence, the whole province currently has 14,056 people receiving benefits.

Peace has been restored, with the qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers, Agent Orange victims are always aware of their own and their families' circumstances and then try harder to overcome adversity. Throughout the province, there have been a number of good economic models of Agent Orange victims such as Mr. Thai Doan Oa (Thanh Chuong), Mr. Tran Quang Hung (Dien Chau), Mr. Bui Van An (Quynh Luu), Mr. Hoang Duc Thuong (Cua Lo Town)...

Nghe An Province Association of Agent Orange Victims presents gifts to victims in the province. Photo: Hoang Dang Hoe

However, the vast majority of Agent Orange victims are in extremely pitiful circumstances. Those who directly participated in the fighting and served in the fighting are now old, weak, suffering from many diseases, losing their ability to work, and their lives are extremely difficult. Although they have policies and regimes, they are not enough to live on, to treat their diseases... More importantly, many of them are children and grandchildren of Agent Orange victims who are deformed, disabled, mute, and deaf since birth, and many cannot live on their own and must be taken care of by others.

PV:On May 14, 2015, the Central Party Secretariat issued Directive No. 43-CT/TW on strengthening the Party's leadership in dealing with the consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US during the war in Vietnam. How is this Directive being implemented in Nghe An?

Mr. Hoang Dang Hoe:Implementing Directive 43-CT/TW, on August 7, 2015, Nghe An Provincial Party Committee issued Official Dispatch No. 4534/CV-TU on strengthening the Party's leadership in dealing with the consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US during the Vietnam War. From this direction, Party committees at all levels, authorities, Fatherland Front Committees, and organizations have carried out many effective activities such as propaganda, education, raising awareness in dealing with the consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US during the Vietnam War, and caring for and helping victims.

Nghe An Province Association of Agent Orange Victims provides production capital support to victims in the province. Photo: Hoang Dang Hoe

Since the implementation of Directive 43-CT/TW, many people have actively supported both materially and spiritually to help victims of Agent Orange; many meaningful gifts from Party committees, authorities and philanthropists have been given on holidays and Tet, encouraging victims and their families to feel secure, excited, and strive to improve, contributing to stabilizing the social situation in the province... The work of caring for and helping victims of Agent Orange has gradually been socialized with many rich contents and forms of mobilization.

In 2018, the Central Inspection Team on the implementation of Directive 43-CT/TW led by the Central Committee for Mass Mobilization conducted a survey in Thanh Chuong District (a locality with over 1,700 victims) and worked with the Provincial Party Committee. Through the inspection, the team highly appreciated Nghe An for strengthening the Party's leadership in dealing with the consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US during the war in Vietnam.

Representatives of the Board of Directors of Military Hospital 4 and the Provincial Association of Agent Orange Victims visited and encouraged the Agent Orange victims. Photo: Thu Huong

Besides the achievements, there are still more than 1,000 subjects who have not enjoyed the regime.Agent Orange Victims. These subjects actually participated in combat and served in combat but for some reason lost their records and papers were not secured. To support and help them, the Nghe An Association of Agent Orange Victims reported to the Provincial People's Committee and the Central Association to request that the Central ministries and branches study and find a way to solve the problem for them. It must be reiterated that these subjects do not have much time left and they are very disadvantaged.

PV:How has Nghe An organized the movement “Joining hands to ease the pain of Agent Orange” in the past? In the coming time, with its role, how will the association promote this movement?

Mr. Hoang Dang Hoe:Over the years, with the attention of the Party, State, authorities, organizations at all levels and the people, Agent Orange victims in the whole province have received many meaningful gifts both materially and spiritually. However, it must be said that such support has never been enough.

Agent Orange victims in Nghe An receive free medical examinations, treatment, and medicine. Photo: Thu Huong

To help them more practically, the whole province has promoted the movement "Join hands to ease the pain of Agent Orange". In May 2021,Nghe An Association of Victims of Agent Orangeasked for the opinion of the Provincial Standing Committee for the policy of mobilizing the establishment of the Agent Orange Victims Fund to mobilize and call for help for the victims. After receiving the province's policy, the Association issued an Open Letter to mobilize support to help Agent Orange victims. From July 12, 2021 to present, the Agent Orange Victims Fund of the province and localities has collected 3,593 billion VND. From this fund, support for victims is better implemented... The movement "Joining hands to ease the pain of Agent Orange" has been and is being implemented quite well. In the past 2 years, the whole province has supported and helped victims build houses, repair houses, provide capital for production, give scholarships, sick leave allowances, visit and give gifts to 15,665 people, with a total value of 5,221 billion VND.

In the coming time, Nghe An will continue to promote the movement "Joining hands to ease the pain of Agent Orange". Support activities will focus on visiting, giving gifts, building houses, donating wheelchairs, and capital for production and business.

PV:As someone of the same generation and witnessing a lot of Agent Orange pain, what are your concerns and wishes?

The Agent Orange victims in Nghe An are now old, weak, suffering from many diseases, losing their ability to work, and living in extremely difficult conditions. Photo: Thu Huong

Mr. Hoang Dang Hoe:Agent Orange victims are people who have contributed to the revolution, recognized by the Party, the State and the people. But their future is very difficult. Many families have 3-4 people who are victims of Agent Orange. It is even sadder when the 3rd and 4th generations of victims continue to be affected by Agent Orange. In Nghe An, there are currently more than 500 children in the 3rd and 5th generations, children in the 4th generation affected by Agent Orange. These children do not have any policies related to Agent Orange but only receive social protection. It is hoped that in the future, there will be more policies and regimes for the next generation of Agent Orange victims; for those who take care of families with 3-4 people who are victims of Agent Orange.

At the central level, there is now a nursing center for Agent Orange victims whose parents have passed away, are disabled, and have no one to care for them. In Nghe An, the construction of the center has been initially carried out, however, it is still not possible to call for investors to support the construction. Hopefully, there will be more investors to help build a nursing center to help the victims and their children to reduce some of the hardships and difficulties.

PV:Thank you!