Association of Agent Orange/dioxin victims honoured with Labour Order
The Vietnam Association of Agent Orange/dioxin Victims (VAVA) was honoured with the Labour Order, third class, at a ceremony in Hanoi on December 28, during which the association also marked its 60th founding anniversary.
Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan (R) presents the Labour Order, third class, to VAVA President Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Van Rinh. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Association of Agent Orange/dioxin Victims (VAVA) was honoured with the Labour Order, third class, at a ceremony in Hanoi on December 28, during which the association also marked its 60th founding anniversary.
Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan, who is First Vice President of the Central Council for Emulation and Commendation, on behalf of the Party and State presented the order to the VAVA at the event.
Addressing the ceremony, Vice President Xuan underlined that the dioxin disaster that Vietnamese people have been suffering for the past 60 years is a pain of not only Vietnamese people but also humankind.
She called on international friends, organisations and community to continue to accompany with and support Vietnam to ease the dioxin pain for the victims and at any cost prevent chemical war anywhere in the globe in the future.
At the event (Photo: VNA)
For his part, VAVA President Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Van Rinh noted that between 1961 and 1971, the US army sprayed about 80 million litres of toxic chemicals, 61 percent of which were Agent Orange, containing 366 kg of dioxin, on to nearly a quarter of South Vietnam, causing severe and long-term consequences to the environment, the ecosystem and people’s health. As a result, around 4.8 million Vietnamese were exposed to the toxic chemical, and more than 3 million of them became victims, he said.
As part of efforts to care for, support and gain justice for Agent Orange/dioxin victims in Vietnam, on January 10, 2004, the VAVA was founded, aiming to mobilise resources for the victims and struggle for justice for them.
So far, the association has raised over 3.04 trillion VND (133.1 million USD) in cash and goods to build houses, provide scholarships and capital support for the victims as well as construct detoxification and rehabilitation centres for the victims and care for their families.
The VAVA leader expressed hope that the government, ministries, sectors and Vietnamese people in and outside the countries as well as international friends will continue to join hands to ease the dioxin pain, while accompanying the victims in their journey to reclaim justice./.
A text message campaign to support poor people and Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims has been jointly launched by the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRCS) Central Committee, the National Humanitarian Portal 1400 and the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel).
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Permanent National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairman Tran Thanh Man December 27 called on individuals and organisations at home and abroad to uphold the traditional of mutual support and take more practical actions to help Agent Orange (AO) victims.
The Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (VAVA) on December 27 held an award ceremony to honour 33 outstanding press works on AO/dioxin victims and overcoming consequences of toxic chemicals used in the war in Vietnam.
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In an document issued on August 5, the PM emphasised the need to stablise living conditions for people hit by floods, landslides, and flash floods in late July and early August in northern and north-central provinces, especially Dien Bien, Son La, and Nghe An which suffered some of the worst damage.
Although millions of Vietnamese were affected by AO, only over 626,000 individuals, including war veterans and their children suffering from dioxin-related conditions, are currently receiving state benefits.
Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan (R) presents the Labour Order, third class, to VAVA President Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Van Rinh. (Photo: VNA) 
At the event (Photo: VNA) 
