You have experienced the Vietnamese maquis, the horrors of war, the ravages of Agent Orange, and you have been pursuing the guilty for years, despite everything. What strengths motivate you to continue the fight?
It’s the love of my country and the love of my comrades, of my friends, I’ve lost so many… That’s what pushes me to live this life of combat. Not only for me, but also for my mother who was buried alive by the enemy, for my daughter who died because of Agent Orange, for all those who are unhappy, who suffer, I fight. From the age of 8, I became a liaison officer, but I knew nothing about communism, it was my mother who educated me well with her patriotism. So I learned to love my country, my people, from a very young age.
The hearing before the Court of Appeal will be held in a few days. Are you confident?
Completely confident! Many journalists follow us, I am surrounded by young people, members of the support committee, and I feel more and more strong. The longer we prolong the trial, the older I get, of course, but the more the drama of Agent Orange will be known around the world. I’m ready to lose more years of my life for the fight. But I’m very happy because more and more of us are fighting.
The other important deadline is precisely this support rally, Saturday, Place de la République, in Paris. Is this a first victory for you?
First of all, it’s a comfort, it pushes me to move forward. And if you saw how the young people are preparing for this gathering, you would know that I have no right to be discouraged, I have no right to stop for a second. When I started the trial, the words “Agent Orange” were completely unknown in France. Whereas, now, thousands of people are aware, and voices are being raised to support me. Today, I am no longer alone.
What are the consequences of the spreading of American defoliant, fifty years after the Vietnam War?
When I started, there were already 3 million victims of Agent Orange. Now, after twelve years of fighting, the death toll has risen to almost 5 million. Most of them are people who suffer from physical deformities, mental disorders and various disabilities. And it will continue, from generation to generation. My children are not physically handicapped, but the fact remains that I transmitted my illnesses to my daughters, who transmitted them to their children… It’s endless.
How is your fight in Vietnam perceived?
With all these years of procedure, if Vietnam friends did not support me, I would never have had money to pay legal fees, translation costs, etc. And my actions are relayed: this week, seven Vietnamese newspapers published articles. And then there is radio, television. Even the government spokesperson officially spoke about the appeal hearing on May 7 to support our fight. In Vietnam, everyone knows what is happening.
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