A local court in Evry, France will hear a lawsuit from an
Agent Orange victim on April 16, according to the Viet Nam Association
for Victims of Agent Orange (VAVA).
The victim, Tran To Nga, sued US chemical manufacturers on
June 11, 2014, said Senior Lieutenant-General Nguyen Van Rinh, VAVA
president.
In her complaint, Nga, 73, sued 26 companies for providing
toxic chemical weapons used by US forces in Viet Nam during the American
War.
"At present, 12 US chemical companies have hired lawyers to
defend themselves in court," Rinh said at a press conference yesterday
in Ha Noi. "If the court requires victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin to
testify, we will be there to act as witnesses."
"If the court returns a verdict, the companies will have to
bear legal responsibility. I'm convinced that justice shall prevail.
Whether the victory is won inside the court or through an agreement
outside court, it will provide a basis for future lawsuits."
Nga was a correspondent for Viet Nam News Agency during the
war. She reported in areas densely sprayed with Agent Orange, including
Cu Chi (HCM City), Binh Long District, Binh Phuoc Province and the Ho
Chi Minh Trail.
Nga had three children. Her eldest child died of congenital
heart defects when she was 17 months old, and her second daughter
inherited the blood disorder (alpha thalassemia) from her. The youngest
daughter contracted a skin disease. According to VAVA, Nga pursued the
suits to seek justice for her family and other victims of Agent
Orange/Dioxin. Previously, she provided witness testimony at an
International People's Tribunal of Conscience.
Nga also testified at a public trial in Paris in 2009
against the US chemical companies. In 2014, she and Paris-based law firm
William Bourdon&Forestier acted as a joint plaintiff and filed her
suit. The petition and related files were forwarded to the court in Evry
and the companies.
Also on this occasion, VAVA asked the Evry court to complete
related documents and procedures quickly for the sake of the plaintiff,
Nga. The organization also asked lawyers to speak from the bottom of
their hearts for justice for Agent Orange victims.
"They are the most miserable among the miserable people and the poorest among the poor people," Rinh said.
There are more than 3 million victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, according to the Government.
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