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Agent Orange Justice Tour

By P. Stewall

In 1973, the Nixon administration promised $3 billion in reconstruction aid to Vietnam—you know, to make amends for all the previous years of aid we'd been providing. We shouldn't have to be reminded of past promises to Native Americans to be able to make a wild guess at how much aid has been given to Vietnam to date. That's right: none.

Vietnamese citizens who suffer from Agent Orange poisoning are taking their case to the courts and to compassionate Americans. A delegation of four Vietnamese citizens toured the USA last November and December to garner support for their cause, arriving in Chicago on November 30.

Eighty people braved a cold and blustery evening to arrive at Roosevelt University in downtown Chicago. Local folksinger Anna Stange warmed up the crowd with some topical songs of peace and remembrance. The event was sponsored by the Mansfield Institute for Social Justice. Its director, Heather Dalmage, welcomed the group and introduced the evening's master of ceremonies, Bill Davis, a member of Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Davis spoke briefly of his experiences in Vietnam, then introduced the speakers, beginning with the tour's national coordinator, Merle Ratner.

The Vietnamese delegation included Dang Thi Hong Nhut, a woman from Ho Chi Minh City who experienced multiple miscarriages between 1973 and 1980 after exposure to Agent Orange around May 1965; Ho Sy Hai, an army truck driver from Thai Binh who suffers from chronic hepatitis, a gastroduodenal ulcer, enterocolitis, and enlargement of the prostate as a result of his exposure in Atopo and Quang Tri between 1965 and 1973; Dr. Nguyen Trong Nhan, not an Agent Orange victim, but a former president of the Vietnam Red Cross, who led the delegation and represented the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin; and Vu Binh, the delegation's translator, from the Vietnam Union of Friendship Association. (The US government denied a visa to Nguyen Muoi, the son of a veteran of the ARVN.)

Dang told stories of being a member of the long-haired army, Ho reported traveling through recently defoliated areas, and Nguyen explained the effects of dioxin, giving a scientific and well-rounded account of the long-lasting effects of chemical weapons on humans. The depleted uranium now being used by the United States was also mentioned.

All were very well-spoken, friendly, and patient, and they presented their personal stories to a riveted crowd. Some Vietnam veterans shared their experiences, but otherwise it was quite a diverse audience, including college students, activists, and the simply curious.

The next day, the tour members gave their presentation to two separate classes of local high-school students and teachers. US Army veteran Steve Nelson, who served two years in Vietnam, joined the speakers to relate his experiences from "our side" of the conflict. The students were very interested and asked some thoughtful questions in the question-and-answer session following the presentations. Snow began to cover the city during the school presentation, and our Vietnamese guests were excited to see the snow fall—more so than their Chicago hosts.

For more information about the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign, visit www.vn-agentorange.org or email info@vn-agentorange.org.