A meeting took place in Ho Chi Minh City on Aug. 5 to commemorate the 51st year since the day when Agent Orange/dioxin began to be sprayed over Vietnam. Attended by more than 500 AO victims in southern provinces, the meeting aimed to encourage people of all strata, domestic and foreign social organizations to continue sharing losses and pains caused by AO for the Vietnamese nation. The event added to the general voice demanding that the US side take responsibility for the consequences of the AO sprayed by US troops during their invading war in Vietnam. On this occasion, the city’s Association of Victims of AO/dioxin presented scholarships to 112 students with difficulties and AO victims. According to preliminary statistics, HCM City now has 20,000 people who were exposed to AO/dioxin. The city plans to kick off construction of a centre to provide care, treatment, vocational training and rehabilitation for AO/dioxin victims in Xuan Thoi Thuong commune, Hoc Mon district, in the fourth quarter of this year. (vietnamplus.vn Aug 5)
