In a courageous legal battle, Tran To Nga, a former reporter from what was once French Indochina, took on 14 agrochemical companies, accusing them of causing severe harm to herself and others by selling Agent Orange to the American military. The herbicide was infamously used during the Vietnam War with devastating consequences.
Nga’s initial case, filed in 2021, was dismissed by a French court, ruling that the companies enjoyed legal immunity as they worked for a sovereign government. The Paris Court of Appeal upheld this decision, citing the companies’ immunity status as a barrier to Nga’s demands.
Undeterred, the 82-year-old veteran journalist, who has lived in France for 30 years, plans to take her fight to France’s highest appeals court. Her health issues, including Type 2 diabetes and a rare insulin allergy, as well as the loss of her daughter to a heart malformation, are all attributed by Nga to her exposure to Agent Orange.
The use of Agent Orange in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia between 1962 and 1971 affected an estimated four million people, according to campaign groups. The 76 million liters (20 million gallons) of the herbicide sprayed by US forces caused severe birth defects in 150,000 children, according to the Vietnamese government.
While military veterans from the United States, Australia, and Korea have received compensation for the after-effects of Agent Orange, Nga’s case highlights the ongoing struggle for justice for civilian victims.
Nga’s lawyers shared her disappointment in the verdict but praised her determination to continue the fight, recognizing the wisdom and resilience she brings to this lengthy and challenging battle.
The Vietnamese government expressed regret over the French court’s ruling, emphasizing the lasting impact of the war on the country and its people. They called for accountability from the companies involved in the production and supply of Agent Orange, urging them to address the consequences of their actions.
Vietnam Dioxine, a French NGO, joined the chorus of criticism, accusing the court of denying justice to the countless victims of Agent Orange.
The case against Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, and the other agrochemical companies involved, highlights the ongoing struggle for recognition and redress for the victims of this toxic chemical’s legacy in Southeast Asia.
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