The military used Agent Orange to clear the surrounding areas of the American and allied military bases in South Vietnam and the foliage by the roadsides. Later it was used to destroy forests to expose the Vietnamese forces opposed to the Americans and their allies. It was also used to destroy the crops that the U.S. felt would be useful to the forces opposing them.
The BVFS since its foundation in 1992 has, and will continue with its work and projects in raising awareness and funds for the Vietnamese people, especially those suffering from the effects of Agent Orange.
A Word from the Founder of BVFS Len Aldis and his award from VAVA
BVFS Secretary made Honorary Citizen of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC)
Letter to First Lady Michelle Obama
US Supreme Court Rejects Appeal.
Monsanto dumps Chemical Waste in Wales.
Len Aldis talks about Agent Orange.
Correspondence with Monsanto’s director
The American War on Vietnam was the most devastating war yet known. Although it ended in 1975 it left a terrible legacy which has travelled down the years to the present day for the people, its forests and its land.
Despite this the country has made remarkable progress in many fields since and despite the international embargo that ended in 1994. However, it will take many more years of support, and international aid to overcome the legacy of Agent Orange one of the chemicals used in that war.
Our campaigns seeking justice for the victims of Agent Orange has led to Len Aldis being invited to speak at a number of universities in the UK and in Vietnam. He has also spoken on the issue at public meetings in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France and Vietnam.
In addition, we have shown international award winning documentary films on Agent Orange such as “Battle’s Poison Cloud”, produced by Tambuti Films of London. “Path to Justice”, Vietnam Film Centre and in which Len appeared. Another film “Agent Orange” a personal requiem” by Masako Sakata has recently been released as has “The Last Ghost of War” by an American company, Janet Gardner Group.
To make a donation to BVFS please go to contacts for postal address.
This morning (Saturday 4th December 2010) I read that PayPal had cut access for donations to Wikileaks. As a result, and in full support of the actions of Wikileaks, I have today withdrawn the payments from the BVFS account in PayPal and closed the account.
I wish to thank you for your support, and hope that you will understand my decision..
Best regards.
Len Aldis.
Len Aldis Video about the US Supreme Court Ruling.
Len Aldis VTV Television Interview
An Open Letter to British Athletes and the 2012 Olympics.
Friends,
Next year in East London the two Olympics will be held when sportsmen and women from many countries will compete against each other in many fields of sport. This will be an opportunity to meet your competitors and to establish friendships.
Unfortunately, the Stadium, in which the opening and closing ceremonies will take place and field events held, will be stained in blood. This is due to Dow Chemical being given a contract by the London Olympic Committee to surround the stadium with 336 huge panels’ for advertisements. Stained by the blood of innocent people, Dow Chemical was and remains responsible for the manufacture of Agent Orange and Napalm, used extensively on Southern Vietnam from 1961 until 1971, resulting in the deaths of many thousands of Vietnamese and causing many thousands more to suffer from various illnesses and deformities.
Eighty million litres of Agent Orange/Dioxin was sprayed by US forces that destroyed thousands of acres of Forests and the animal life within, poisoned the lakes and streams and in turn the fishes.
In my yearly visit to Vietnam from 1989, I have seen the jars at the Tu Du Hospital that contain the foetus of abnormal births. Have also met with children born with missing limbs, eyes etc, with twisted bodies due to Spina Bifida, and Dow refuses to accept responsibility or make any compensation to these tragic victims.
This is the same company that bought United Carbide responsible for the horrific toxic gas leak causing the deaths of over 15,000 people of Bhopal in India. Today in Bhopal there are 100,000 still suffering from the effects of that explosion, and as with the Vietnamese of which there are four million still suffering, Dow refuses to accept responsibility or make any compensation.
Friends, it is into that Stadium that you will march and compete during the period of the two Olympic Games, in a stadium surrounded by a curtain of shame made by Dow Chemical. Ask the athletes from the US, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Vietnam about Agent Orange whose relatives may have served in the Vietnam War, and became affected by Agent Orange?
You might also consider this, in a letter to Lord Coe asking for the contract to be cancelled there were signatures of twenty-three MPs and twenty-one Indian athletes who took part in previous Olympics. There are reports that some Indian athletes if not all will boycott the Olympics if the Dow contract goes ahead.
Yours sincerely
Len Aldis. Secretary
