Comments on: The Olympic branding game http://www.redpepper.org.uk/reclaiming-the-olympics/ Red Pepper Wed, 18 Sep 2013 17:39:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1 By: Len Aldis http://www.redpepper.org.uk/reclaiming-the-olympics/#comment-59523 Len Aldis Sun, 17 Jun 2012 09:56:48 +0000 http://www.redpepper.org.uk/?p=6945#comment-59523 While not taking anything away from the tragic industrial accident at Bhopal, I would like to mention that Dow Chemical was one of the American companies that made Agent Orange and Napalm used extensiveley during the American War on Vietnam. Indeed 80 million litres of the herbicide Agent Orange was sprayed for ten-years over areas of Southern Vietnam from August 1961, resulting in the deaths of many thousands of unborn babies.

Those that survived were born with various deformities, including minus limbs, eyes etc. Today in Vietnam there are 4.8 million suffering from the effects of Agent Orange and even more tragic is that it has now travelled into the fourth generation.

Despite all this Dow and the others refuse to accept responsibility or make any payment of compensation.

While in Hanoi in May this year I discussed with the Vietnam Womens Union – 17 million membership – and on my return they sent me a letter asking the IOC to reconsider Dow as a sponsor of the Olympic Games, I also met with the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, they also sent me a letter to the IOC asking for Dow to be suspended as a sponsor of the Games. I took both letters to the office of Lord Coe, Chairman LOCOG.

Len Aldis. Secretary
Britain-Vietnam Friendship Society

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