The Vietnamese declare war on Agent Orange
This April marked the 30th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. Yet the war is not over for an estimated two million Vietnamese whose exposure to Agent Orange (the nickname of a dioxin-laced herbicide) has been scientifically linked to a series of di
A public campaign was sparked with the setting up of VAVA – the Vietnamese Victims of Agent Orange Association – in January 2004. A class action lawsuit against 37 US manufacturers of Agent Orange was subsequently filed in US Courts. By mid-September 2004, meetings and forums convulsed the whole country, alarming some Communist Party officials. Such extensive protest does not normally happen in Vietnam without official sanction from the Party. Yet by March 2005 VAVA reported that 11.5 million signatures had been collected.
The decision on 10 March 2005 by US Judge Allen Weinstein to dismiss the Vietnamese Agent Orange lawsuit on procedural grounds (a decision that will be appealed) has further fuelled discontent. While most public anger is directed at Washington’s 30-year denial of responsibility for the tragic consequences of their chemical defoliation campaign, many Vietnamese activists are increasingly questioning their own Government’s response. Vietnam’s leadership appears split over the level of support that should be given to the campaign and whether to risk a major confrontation in US-Vietnam relations at a time when the country is seeking entry into the WTO.
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- Poetry Slam in Zimbabwe
- The House of Hunger poetry slam held in Zimbabwe in 2006, and organised by the Pamberi Trust, showcased young artists performing inspirational work on issues from corporate power to child soldiers. The video features four of the poets.
Published by Pambazuka News.
- Iranian women speak out
- 3 March 2007, London. Women's rights activists marched through the English capital last week to celebrate International Women's Day with a protest against the misogyny of the Islamic regime in Iran and the threat of invasion by the US. Hear the voices of Iranian feminists Azar and Leila Parnian and the sounds of the demonstration as it passed through the heart of the city. Click here to learn more about the campaign.
Produced by Heidi Bachram.
- Raised Voices audio:
- Benny from West Papua on Corporate Power
- Vinayan from India on agriculture
