Lawyer Bertrand Repolt from the Paris-based William “Bourdon &Forestier” law firm which is representing Vietnamese French Tran To Ngain a lawsuit against 26 US chemical companies for producingdioxin-containing Agent Orange sprayed by the US army during the war inVietnam, expressed his belief in the success of the case based on itsconvincing arguments.
Nga’s lawyers are scheduled to have a working session with the court of the French Evry city on June 18 on the lawsuit.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency correspondents in France before thesession, Repolt said the lawyers defending Nga have the necessaryscientific and technical evidence to support their arguments in court.
He noted that the lawyers have certain evidence showing that the UScompanies were aware of the level of danger of their defoliants whenthey supplied the products to the US army, which means they must bearresponsibility for their acts.
Nga’s status as anAO/dioxin victim and French national allows the lawyers to sue USchemical firms through the French court to seek a legal decision notonly for Nga but for millions of Vietnamese AO victims, he said.
The key of the lawsuit is to have the French court recognise theexistence of the cause-effect relationship between the exposure to AOsprayed by the US army and diseases and defects that Vietnamese livingin affected areas have suffered as a result, he added.
He continued to say the lawyers are deeply aware that the lawsuit isseeking justice for millions of Vietnamese people who are suffering fromthe genetic defects through generations.
The lawyers confirmed theirresolve to continue fighting for justice, though the Vietnamese AOvictims’ lawsuits have been repeatedly rejected in the US.
According to Repolt, the reason behind the failure of the lawsuits inthe US has more to do with litigation processes and legal foundationsthan with scientific evidence.
The fact that the US Government hasprovided compensation for US war veterans proves the cause-effectrelationship between the exposure to AO/dioxin and subsequent diseases,he explained.
However, he noted that difficultiesstill remain, since the lawsuit relates to many countries. Furthermore,which country’s law could be applied to the case during the trialprocess is a problem as well, he said.
He added that lawyer William Bourdon and his colleagues will prepare arguments proposing the application of French law.
Repolt affirmed that the case is likely to be lengthy due to itscomplexity and the involvement of many countries. Time is needed toreview the dossiers and thoroughly debate all related issues, he said.
The most important trial, with the participation of all parties involved, would not be taking place before 2016, he said.
Born in 1942, Tran To Nga worked as a war correspondent for theLiberation News Agency, now Vietnam News Agency, during the fiercestperiod of the war. In 1966 and several years later, she lived in areasworst hit by the herbicide spray, including Cu Chi, Binh Long and alongthe Ho Chi Minh Trail. She later gave birth to three children, theeldest of which died of a heart disorder and the second one inheritedAlpha Thalassemie (a blood disease) from her.
Ngaherself suffers from numerous diseases as a consequence of her exposureto AO/dioxin, many of which have been recognised by the US government asassociated with the toxic chemical.-VNA
Nga’s lawyers are scheduled to have a working session with the court of the French Evry city on June 18 on the lawsuit.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency correspondents in France before thesession, Repolt said the lawyers defending Nga have the necessaryscientific and technical evidence to support their arguments in court.
He noted that the lawyers have certain evidence showing that the UScompanies were aware of the level of danger of their defoliants whenthey supplied the products to the US army, which means they must bearresponsibility for their acts.
Nga’s status as anAO/dioxin victim and French national allows the lawyers to sue USchemical firms through the French court to seek a legal decision notonly for Nga but for millions of Vietnamese AO victims, he said.
The key of the lawsuit is to have the French court recognise theexistence of the cause-effect relationship between the exposure to AOsprayed by the US army and diseases and defects that Vietnamese livingin affected areas have suffered as a result, he added.
He continued to say the lawyers are deeply aware that the lawsuit isseeking justice for millions of Vietnamese people who are suffering fromthe genetic defects through generations.
The lawyers confirmed theirresolve to continue fighting for justice, though the Vietnamese AOvictims’ lawsuits have been repeatedly rejected in the US.
According to Repolt, the reason behind the failure of the lawsuits inthe US has more to do with litigation processes and legal foundationsthan with scientific evidence.
The fact that the US Government hasprovided compensation for US war veterans proves the cause-effectrelationship between the exposure to AO/dioxin and subsequent diseases,he explained.
However, he noted that difficultiesstill remain, since the lawsuit relates to many countries. Furthermore,which country’s law could be applied to the case during the trialprocess is a problem as well, he said.
He added that lawyer William Bourdon and his colleagues will prepare arguments proposing the application of French law.
Repolt affirmed that the case is likely to be lengthy due to itscomplexity and the involvement of many countries. Time is needed toreview the dossiers and thoroughly debate all related issues, he said.
The most important trial, with the participation of all parties involved, would not be taking place before 2016, he said.
Born in 1942, Tran To Nga worked as a war correspondent for theLiberation News Agency, now Vietnam News Agency, during the fiercestperiod of the war. In 1966 and several years later, she lived in areasworst hit by the herbicide spray, including Cu Chi, Binh Long and alongthe Ho Chi Minh Trail. She later gave birth to three children, theeldest of which died of a heart disorder and the second one inheritedAlpha Thalassemie (a blood disease) from her.
Ngaherself suffers from numerous diseases as a consequence of her exposureto AO/dioxin, many of which have been recognised by the US government asassociated with the toxic chemical.-VNA
