The international human rights community is condemning the recent US court ruling striking down a Vietnamese class-action lawsuit against major American chemical corporations for their manufacture of the chemical weapon known as Agent Orange/Dioxin. The ruling dismisses further compensation for the tens of thousands of US Vietnam War veterans who continue to suffer from exposure to the war-time herbicide.

Human rights group Global Exchange: “As Americans, we hold our government and corporations responsible for the enormous damage done to more than 3 million Vietnamese, including several hundred thousand children. These young second and third generation victims live tragic lives today with horrible birth defects, cancers and a host of other health problems due to AO's gene-destroying toxin. Those responsible should pay for their care, and for clean-up of contaminated ‘hot spots,’ as demanded in the recently dismissed lawsuit.”