Newspapers in Austria , Germany , and Switzerland have recently run articles and photos on Vietnamese Agent Orange /Dioxin victims as a run up to their oral argument to force a court case against 37 US chemical companies concluded on June 18.

Germany ’s “Stern” newspaper on June 20 said that millions of Vietnamese people have suffered from the after-effects of the spraying of noxious herbicides by US troops that have caused amongst others, deformities, skin diseases and cancer.

However, the paper reported that the US side is still denying that a connection exists between AO/Dioxins and damage to human health despite results of studies on the toxic defoliants proving otherwise. While US, Australian, New Zealand , Canadian and Republic of Korean troops who were exposed to the herbicides during the war have received compensation, Vietnamese victims and their relations to date have not.

Germany ’s “NZ” Online and European News also carried articles on the appeal filed by Vietnamese AO/Dioxin victims in their lawsuit against the 37 US producers and suppliers of toxic chemicals. The papers said that the war ended more than 30 years ago, however, the herbicides sprayed by the US troops during the war in Vietnam had left serious consequences and long-lasting after-effects on millions of Vietnamese people.

Austria’s “Standard” newspaper and Switzerland’s “The Age” newspaper have also touched upon the lawsuit filed by Vietnamese AO/Dioxin victims and stressed the danger of dioxins contained in herbicides which are believed to have caused cancer and malformations on millions of Vietnamese people. (VNA)