Because dioxin attacks their endocrine, immune and reproductive systems, victims of Agent Orange suffer from multiple health conditions, some of which are quickly lethal and others of which doom people to a life of horrific misery.
Heather Bowser, whose now late father was drafted into the US military, spoke of how her father's exposure to Agent Orange was transmitted to her before birth. “I am missing my right leg below the knee, several of my fingers, the big toe on my left foot, and my remaining toes are webbed”, she said.
Due to their inability to work and the costs of medical treatment, most victims of Agent Orange everywhere are very poor.
Survivors from Canada said that the Canadian military tested Agent Orange on their own troops, beginning in the 1950s, and poisoned the people living nearby. When affected soldiers took their case to the Canadian courts, the Canadian government's successful defence was, “How can you claim your illness was from Agent Orange when the army sprayed you with 26 different chemicals?” The Canadian government spent over $8 million, Monsanto and Dow at least $24 million, to get the case rejected.
A trend emerged throughout the conference: in country after country, time after time, Dow, Monsanto and the US government have used their immense wealth and influence to crush any legal action that would make them accountable for their crimes, in many cases preventing victims' claims from getting to court in the first place.
The Source
No comments:
Post a Comment