Between 1961 and 1971, the United States sprayed Agent Orange-a potent herbicide used as a weapon of war-over a large portion of Vietnam. Millions of people were affected or killed by this agent, while many survivors were left contaminated. *Alternative Libertaire* spoke with Léa LV from the collective *Vietnam Dioxin*.
AL: What is the history of the *Vietnam Dioxin* collective? Why was a collective focused on Agent Orange created?Léa LV: The collective was founded in 2004 by young members of an organization called the Union of Young Vietnamese in France. During a trip to Vietnam, they met victims of Agent Orange and decided to establish an organization to provide support from France and raise awareness about this crime. Since 2005, *Vietnam Dioxin* has carried out advocacy and awareness-raising initiatives, while also collecting donations for aid projects in Vietnam-such as construction work and care centers for victims who require daily assistance.
----------------------
The *Vietnam Dioxin* collective brings together volunteers and organizations fighting for official recognition and reparations for the consequences of the use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.
--------------------
More than 20 years later, the collective continues this struggle, as the crimes have yet to be acknowledged, and justice and reparations have not been secured. Since 2014, the collective has also been supporting Tran To Nga, a French-Vietnamese resistance fighter directly affected by Agent Orange, who has brought a lawsuit against the multinational corporations that manufactured it. The collective is structured around this lawsuit, yet it remains actively engaged in issues concerning memory, justice, and reparations. It also pursues a struggle centered on "decolonial ecology" and continues to support other causes by forging links with various associations in France-notably *Cancer Colère* ("Cancer Anger"), which politicizes the root causes of cancer.
Could you provide a summary of the impact of Agent Orange on human health and the land, and explain how it was deployed by the United States during the Second Indochina War? It is, in essence, a colonial tool manufactured by private corporations.
Agent Orange is a defoliant that was used during the Second Indochina War as a means to exert control over both bodies and the land. The objective was to strip away the vegetation cover that provided protection for resistance fighters hiding in the forests. It is estimated that several million people were directly affected. The consequences for wildlife, plant life, and human beings have been devastating. There are 14 recognized associated diseases (including skin conditions, various cancers, and diabetes). It is a teratogenic substance, as it has caused malformations across three to four generations.
Today, several "hot spots" in Vietnam still exhibit contamination levels comparable to those seen in the 1960s and 1970s. It is impossible to cultivate the land or raise livestock-animals, like the vegetation, have also been affected. The environmental impact is catastrophic. Furthermore, decontamination is an extremely costly process. The colonial dimension is inherent here: these corporations tested their defoliants on a massive scale within a wartime context, all while being fully aware that the products were dangerous. Underlying this is a colonial relationship toward the land and the populations-people deemed expendable for the sake of an imperialist war. Yet, no reparations have been offered to the Vietnamese victims, whereas U.S. veterans were able to receive compensation from the companies that produced Agent Orange-which, to us, is a very clear admission of guilt. When Vietnamese associations attempted to do the same in 2004, their claims were dismissed. The colonial dimension is stark, and the absence of reparations highlights this ongoing continuum. There is an element of environmental racism in the refusal to acknowledge these victims.
-----------
Between 1961 and 1971, the U.S. military reportedly sprayed tens of millions of liters of herbicides containing more than 300 kilograms of dioxin. Yet, international standards set the maximum permissible levels of dioxin in the order of trillionths of a gram.
Nara
-------
Regarding this colonial dimension, are there any parallels to the situation with chlordecone in the French Antilles, or, more broadly, to what is currently unfolding in Palestine and Lebanon involving glyphosate?
Yes, it is important to us because these struggles are interconnected. For instance, we feel a strong affinity with the campaigns seeking recognition for the chlordecone scandal in the French Antilles. We frequently organize demonstrations, conferences, or events together, advocating for access to healthcare and the formal acknowledgment of these crimes. In both instances, highly toxic substances are used on non-white bodies-bodies that are treated as if they have less value. Land and entire generations are being poisoned; the connection between peoples and their means of subsistence is being severed. In mainland France, there are very few decolonial environmental organizations, so it is essential that we stand united. This is not an isolated case; it is a systemic issue-a perpetuation of the "coloniality of power." The same applies to Polynesian organizations fighting for recognition of the consequences of French nuclear testing. Regarding other parts of the world where chemical weapons are deployed, we have established contacts in Western Sahara, where white phosphorus is being used. For us, the link to Palestine is clear, as the very same companies produce these substances. In practical terms, our collective supports all demonstrations for Palestine. We are also part of the "War on War" inter-organizational coalition, working alongside many groups committed to opposing the arms race-most notably "Stop Arming Israel."
Could the trial serve as a means to secure some form of reparation? How does your collective view this trial, given that it began back in 2014? Most recently, in July, the Court of Cassation remanded the case.
The trial plays a significant role in shaping our collective, as it creates clear milestones-both in terms of legal proceedings and media attention. For us, the trial serves to bring this crime to light, and that in itself is a victory. We hope for an official recognition of the crime-not just for Nga, but for all the victims, which would establish a legal precedent-followed by financial compensation for the immense health-related harm suffered by Nga, her daughters, and her granddaughters. We remain fairly optimistic, even though the trial is dragging on; the other side is deliberately delaying it because Nga is 84 years old and in poor health.
The Court of Cassation ruled that the case was too significant to be heard by a single judge. This underscores the historical importance of the trial, which places the responsibility of corporations-not just states-at the heart of environmental crimes. The protracted legal process can be disheartening, as, for the moment, the proceedings are focused solely on procedural matters. Can a French court rule on the actions of foreign corporations that claim to be protected by jurisdictional immunity, or argue that they lacked agency in these matters? This raises questions about the use of these substances in a wartime context, as well as the issue of corporate accountability. Nga is up against a dozen multinational corporations and an army of highly skilled lawyers. But we have the strength of our collective and our convictions, so we will see this through to the end.
Tran To Nga (born 1942) was a journalist and later a liaison officer for the National Liberation Front during the Vietnam War.
Duc Truong
Vietnam Dioxin
The UCL[Union Communiste Libertaire]will be participating in the "Stop Pesticides" demonstration on October 3rd. Will "Vietnam Dioxin" be there? The goal is to raise awareness and mobilize people regarding the pesticides that are also present in France-highlighting the fact that they are, in effect, used as chemical weapons.
We will be there, guided by an anti-colonial and anti-imperialist perspective. Combating "chemical colonialism"-of which Agent Orange is a prime example-is a crucial issue. What is happening with Syngenta is precisely this. Polluting substances are deployed in countries across the Global South because-once again-the bodies, lands, and ecosystems in those places are deemed less valuable than our own. This is a clear instance of environmental racism-a complete disregard for lives elsewhere. For our collective, international solidarity is of the utmost importance.
"Chemical colonialism" is a significant term, especially when applied to a company like Bayer-Monsanto-a firm that supplies our food, provides medical treatments, and profits from imperialist wars across the globe. Could you elaborate on this term?
Yes, exactly. It is truly staggering how much power this company wields-the ability to bypass every regulation, dictate the terms, poison the earth, our ecosystems, and our very bodies-only to then sell us the cure, as the collective *Cancer Colère* (Cancer Anger) so aptly puts it.
Bayer-Monsanto is facing over 40,000 lawsuits worldwide, yet they remain unconcerned because they have the resources to handle them. The only counterweight is the power of collective action-speaking out, fighting through direct action as well as legal proceedings, raising public awareness, and drawing media attention. The reach of the global food system is staggering, and for our collective, the concept of environmental health is paramount. We are confronting a form of "chemical colonialism," and our struggle encompasses all the issues tied to this phenomenon. We use specific cases as a starting point to address broader, systemic concerns-whether in contexts of war, peace, or food production. We believe everyone in France should mobilize around this; we saw a glimpse of that with the petition against the "Duplomb" law-we must keep that momentum going.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I would like to highlight the work being done by *Génération Lumière* to combat lethal extractivism in the Congo. This, too, is a struggle rooted in decolonial ecology. There is a tangible link to our own cause: during the Vietnam War, the weapons used were manufactured using metals sourced from the Congo. These substances and materials are utilized by destructive, life-threatening corporations and circulate with few restrictions-unlike human beings.
As for upcoming dates, the major milestone is October 3rd. In the meantime, we will be participating in the demonstrations against the "license to kill"[a reference to policies perceived as authorizing environmental destruction]and the environmental mobilization scheduled for September 26th. As for what comes next, we are awaiting a date for the trial. On a more positive note, we have a "back-to-activity" weekend coming up on November 7th and 8th, which will be an opportunity to reflect on core issues-such as healthcare, ableism, and how to provide support to other victims from within France.
Interview conducted by Elsa (UCL Grenoble) and MarceL (UCL Toulouse)
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Lea-LV-Vietnam-dioxine-On-est-face-a-un-veritable-colonialisme-chimique
_________________________________________
Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten