Representatives of the second and third generations of Agent Orange (AO) victims from Viet Nam and the United States met in Hanoi on July 29. They discussed experiences in raising public awareness of AO/dioxin and calling for more support for victims. Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Victims of AO/Dioxin, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Rinh, said he hoped representatives of the second and third generations in the two countries would become a bridge connecting victims and international organizations. Head of the US delegation, Heather Bowser, said she felt the pain left by this toxic chemicals after visiting affected areas in Viet Nam. She hoped that the two sides would continue linking victims to fight against chemical warfare. The US delegation is visiting Vietnam from July 28-August 7. About 80 million liters of herbicides, mainly Agent Orange containing dioxin, were sprayed over South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Nearly 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to dioxin and about three million suffer from health problems today. (Vietnam News Jul 30)
