The devastating legacy of Orange worker is still in force in Vietnam after 50 years

The Vietnam War ended on April 30, 1975When Saigon, the southern capital of Vietnam, fell into the hands of the Communist forces. But millions of people are still fighting daily against their chemical heritage.

Naguin Thanna Hi, 34, It is one of the millions of disabled It relates to the orange factor. Born with serious development problems, It is very difficult to do my homework That the others take a matter of it: the fake of their blue shirt that leads to a private school in Da Nang, or the practice of the alphabet, drawing shapes or forming simple phrases.

Hi in Da NangAs there was an American air base where the forces that left huge quantities of orange agent that remained for decades, Food filter and regions The people of Hi also affect generations of the population.

In all Vietnam, spray American forces 72 million liters of conflict During the war to eliminate the enemy coverage. It was more than half Orange worker, a mixture of herbal pesticides with dioxinChemical associated with health health problems and environmental damage.

currently, Three million peopleIncluding many children, They are still suffering from serious health problems Associated with exposure to this product. Vietnam cleans the legacy of the toxic war, which is partially funded by late American assistance, but work is far from the end.

now, Millions of people in Vietnam fear that the United States Leave the orange customer cleaning while President Donald Trump cuts out external aid.

Contracts of pollution

When the war ended, The United States turned its back on VietnamOpen to convert the page into a painful separation of its history. but Vietnam remained with dozens of dioxin Dmit by 58 out of 63 provinces.

Vietnam states that the health effects of the past generations, the threat of children and grandchildren and even the descendants of the exposed people Chemicals with health complications From cancer to birth defects that affect the spine and nervous system. But science in influencing human health, both for those wishing Orange agent, as for subsequent generations, is still uncertain.

This is part that when the two countries started working together in 2006, they focused on Search for dioxins in the environment and eliminate it“From the enemies to the partners: Vietnam, the United States and the August agent,” said Charles Billy, the joint author of the book. “The flag of causation is still incomplete,” Billy said.

Comprehensive cleaning begins

in After decades at the end of the warThe country, which suffers from a recovery, renewed very polluted places, such as Da Nang Airport, and began helping affected families.

But the United States greatly ignored the growing evidence One of the health repercussions, even in its veteran warrior, until the mid -2000, when it started financing Vietnam cleaning.

In 1991, the US website acknowledged that some diseases could be related to exposure To the orange worker and the creation of the veterans Who suffered from them was entitled to benefits.

Since 1991, he spent more than 155 million dollars (144 million euros) to help Persons with disabilities in affected areas By the orange or implanted agent without exploitation, according to the US State Department.

Emotional worker cleaning is already expensive already dangerous. The very polluted land must be discovered Large ovens are heated at very high temperatures, while the least contaminated land can be buried in safe waste burials. You still have to clean large extensions from the ground in Vietnam.

Anxiety to help discounts

but Trump’s financing discounts From American aid, they paralyzed the main projects in Vietnam, and despite the resumption of many of them, doubts are continuing We are reliable.

propaganda

Vietnam cannot deal with chemicals Ngawin Van, head of the Association of Victims of Orange Undersecretary in Danang, said the poisonous that still continues without assistance. “We have always thought that the United States government He said that the manufacturers of this toxic chemical must bear the responsibility for supporting the victims.

Data failure means experts They cannot say certainty when the danger of human health will end. But the most urgent problem is that if the cleaning work is boycotted, the contaminated soil that is now exposed can reach the river methods and damage more people.

In 2020, a 10 -year project was launched to clean up approximately 500,000 cubic meters of land -contaminate lands, enough to fill 40,000 trucks, from an air base. SHe stopped for a week in March and then resumedAlthough Pelly, the author said that US financing in the United States for cleaning is uncertain.

Chuck Sercy, one of the old warriors in the Vietnam War has been working on humanitarian programs in the country since 1995, He said you are concerned that the built confidence For years you can wear very quickly.

propaganda

He pointed out that those who benefit from the projects funded by the United States to deal with the inheritance of the war are “innocent victims.” “They were victims twice, one for the war and the consequences they suffered from. Now to remove the carpet from under the feet, “Sercy said.