Environmental Disaster in Vietnam

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Environmental disaster in Vietnam

" it is probably the biggest environmental disaster in Vietnam since Agent Orange "
In Vietnam occurred the biggest environmental disaster since the
deployment of Agent Orange by the Americans during the Vietnam
War. It happened almost unnoticed by the world while Europe was
busy with the refugee crisis and America with the forthcoming
presidential elections of the USA. The perpetrators of the
environmental disaster come from abroad and are supported by the
Vietnamese politicians, similar as it was happen at the Vietnam War.
Beginning in early April 2016 a massive fish deaths on the coast of
Vietnam was perceived. The disaster began in Ha Tinh province, in
central Vietnam and then spreads to more than 200 km of coastline,
into the provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue and
Da Nang. Since then a few hundred thousands (well much more
than 115 tons) of dead fish were purged on the beaches of the
region. Thousands of Vietnamese are threatened in your existence.
" Do you want fish or steel? "
The 5 by the environmental disaster most affected

provinces and coastal regions in central Vietnam.
in search of those who are responsible for the environmental disaster in Vietnam
Formosa Plastics Group

The Taiwanese Formosa Plastics Group is with an
annual turnover of 78 billion USD and more than
106-thousand employees one of the largest chemical
concerns in the world. The Group operates numerous
subsidiaries in Taiwan, China, Vietnam as well in the
United States and other countries.
The owners and the management of the Formosa
Plastics Group were in 2009 denounced, by the
ethecon - Foundation for Ethics & Economics with
the Black Planet Award as they belonging to the
persons who are responsible for the largest pollution
at the earth.
The Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Company not

contaminated the sea but also polluted the air.
only
A steel plant of the Taiwanese company Formosa Plastics Group

(FPG) in Vietnamese Ha Tinh province has been begins the
operation in early April 2016. The mass fish mortality started at
the same time. Fishermen of the region discovered some
pipelines of the Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Company (FHS), which
initiated the company's wastewater directly into the sea. The
fishermen were sure that they had found the cause of the
environmental disaster.
This assumption of the fishermens was then confirmed in a first
unofficial statement of Formosa. Mr. Chou Chun Fan, a senior
manager of the company apologized for the disaster. But he
made it clear that one must lose something if ones are planning
to win something. He underscored his opinion with the
statement: "Do you want fish or do you want a steelworks? You
need to decide!". This led to a wave of protests as well to
indignation among the Vietnamese population. The allegations
were vehemently disclaimed by official side of Formosa Ha Tinh
Steel Company (FHS). Mr. Chou Chun Fan was dismissed on the
grounds that he does not represent the opinion of the company.
The Vietnamese government in Hanoi practiced restraint.
However, it was emphasized that they wanted to solve the case
rest. The Vietnamese Deputy Minister for Resources and
Environment, Mr. Vo Tuan Nhan spoke the Formosa Ha Tinh
Steel Company (FHS) free from any responsibility on the
environmental disaster during a press conference on 27.04.2016.
Cause of the fish deaths was probably rather an algal bloom and
the initiation of toxic chemicals by the residents of the region.
Questions were not permitted by Vietnamese government during
the press conference. Vietnamese civil rights activists assume
that corrupt government officials were bribed by the Formosa to
cover up the incident.
ITI-HOLIDAY Germany
Klingerstrasse 41F
09117 Chemnitz
Germany
Tel.: 0049 371 2832201

Fax: 0049 371 2336835
" a nation rebelled "

Since April 2016 until the present day, it comes almost daily in whole Vietnam to spontaneous and organized protests
against the Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Company (FHS).
protests against Formosa from Hanoi up to Ho Chi Minh City
Also oversea Vietnamese who have found a new home in other countries of the world are gathered together again and
again for protest against the current situations in Vietnam. Here in the United States and Australia.
At protest rallies of Vietnamese people in Germany it is demanded to stop the payment of development aid to the
communist regime in Vietnam but no one is listening.
ITI-HOLIDAY Germany
Klingerstrasse 41F
09117 Chemnitz
Germany
Tel.: 0049 371 2832201

Fax: 0049 371 2336835
Hundred thousands of victims and sympathizers went since April 2016 already to the streets. They demand fish instead of
steel. They are urging the government in Hanoi, to act with full force against the Ha Tinh Formosa Steel Company (FHS).
Whatever, they demand to expel this company out of the country.
children in Vietnam are complaining: Where are our fishes has remained?
However, the hardness of the communist regime in Hanoi is not aimed as hoped against those responsible for the
environmental disaster. This is geared more towards the protesters and civil rights activists who demand clarification.
Even journalists who report about the demonstrations are in the crosshairs of the communist government. Countless of
uniformed and civilian security forces are arrayed against the demonstrators. Beside of the peaceful protests it always
comes again and again to violent attacks by the police against the demonstrators. Ringleaders are arrested and deported
by civilian vehicles. At only one protest rally in Ho Chi Minh City on 15th Mai 2015 are more than 300 demonstrators have
been arrested, according to information from civil rights activists. From detention released prisoners reported about
physical violence and torture by police. Numerous protesters had to be medically treated.
ITI-HOLIDAY Germany
Klingerstrasse 41F
09117 Chemnitz
Germany
Tel.: 0049 371 2832201

Fax: 0049 371 2336835
US-President Obama in Vietnam - but the expected help does not come
US-President Barack Obama went at the end of May 2016 for a multi-day state visit to Vietnam. The expectations of the
Vietnamese population were large even with regard to victim assistance and support in consequence management of
environmental disaster. But for this issue was no place in the bilateral discussions and therefore the disappointment of the
Vietnamese people was great at the departure of US Presidents. All what US-President Obama had in his luggage was
support for the communist regime in Hanoi such as for example, the canceling of the arms embargo against Vietnam. In
the near future it so maybe will be US-American weapons which can be used against civil rights activists in Vietnam.
the victims of police brutality on behalf of the Vietnamese Communism
Formosa admits blame for environmental disaster

The Vietnamese government has made public the results of
investigations on the environmental disaster at a press conference
at the end of June 2016. A commission of more than 100 experts
and scientists from 30 institutions from home and abroad has
identified at the sea a large collection of toxic substances such as
phenol, cyanides and iron hydroxides. These were injected into
the sea by Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Company. This was done by
mistakes and violations of the law during a test operation of the
steel plant in Vung Ang (Ha Tinh province). In consequence it led
to the mass death of fish.
Formosa had in the meantime at the people of Vietnam and the
Vietnamese government officially apologized for causing
environmental disaster. The company promised to pay 500 million
USD to victims to compensate their economic loss. Furthermore,
Formosa stated to be willing for assisting the concerned persons at
the retraining into other professions. Thus Formosa purchased the
waiving of law enforcement from the Vietnamese government.
Formosa will solve the errors in the disposal of waste water and
Formosa will take action in cooperation with the Vietnamese
government to control the situation and further development of
marine pollution in Central Vietnam and to prevent more
contaminations in the future. According to statements of the
Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture in Vietnam, the
water quality of the sea in the affected provinces is currently clean
and therefore harmless as well safely. It is however questionable
to what extent this corresponds to the facts because the analysis
of extracted water samples from April 2016 needed time until June
2016 what means whole 3 months for the evaluation.
Formosa gets rid of toxic effluents in the sea.
Fish deaths in Da Nang - third biggest city in Vietnam.
ITI-HOLIDAY Germany
Klingerstrasse 41F
09117 Chemnitz
Germany
Tel.: 0049 371 2832201

Fax: 0049 371 2336835
The fact is that it takes as minimum years or maybe decade of years until the fish at the coast of the provinces of Quang
Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue and Da Nang in Vietnam returns and they are safe for human consumption.
special forces of the Vietnamese Police are protecting Formosa against furious fishers
on visit at the victims of the environmental disaster in Vietnam

We drive to Vung Ang in Ha Tinh province where we have a appointment on the beach with Mr. Quang Thanh. The city
seems deserted and also the beach looks like orphaned upon our arrival. The numerous fishing boats are covered with
tarpaulins.
Next to one of the boats we find Mr. Quang Thanh who is fisherman in the third generation. His face is weathered by sun,
wind and salty sea water as well as the color of his boat. His dim eyes from which every shine got lost, looks sad and
thoughtful out to the sea.
After a brief welcome and a while of silence, we are asking why we have seen in the city and on the beach a very few
inhabitants only and Mr Quang Thanh begins to explain:
"Since last April and the beginning of large fish mortality is nothing more so as it once was. The youth is drawn away, to
Saigon or Hanoi for finding work and jobs. The elderly remain in their homes. What do they want out there? The air
stinks of rotting fish and the boats of fishermen not anymore drive to the sea in the morning. Therefore no one has to
wait for them and their catches in the afternoon. Only a few large boats venture out of the 200 miles zone of the coast
line to where there still fish is available. But this is dangerous because the fishing boats are there attacked by Chinese
ships. One of these boats with a crew of four did not returned from such a journey. But even when these boats return
with their catch, it is almost impossible to sell the fish. Restaurants in the region do not offer fish anymore and therefore
the catch are usually fed to the chickens or transported to distant regions. Even the fishermen are afraid to eat their own
fish. Dried fish, sea salt and our beloved fish sauce for seasoning of food - all has become a scarce commodity
throughout the country. No one knows when it will go up again or improve."
ITI-HOLIDAY Germany
Klingerstrasse 41F
09117 Chemnitz
Germany
Tel.: 0049 371 2832201

Fax: 0049 371 2336835
the fishermen of Vung Ang are unemployed, sad, desperate and angry
Mr. Quang Thanh replied when asked why he still is staying in Vung Ang:
"My eleven year old daughter is with fever, abdominal pain and rash in bed and it is been so for more than two weeks.
The doctors do not know what her lacks and I lack the money for treatment in the hospital. We go to Pleiku once my
daughter feels better. My brother in law has a small construction company there and I can find work."
When asked what the Vietnamese government is doing to improve the situation in the region is tormenting a tired and
barely perceptible smile on the face of Mr. Quang Thanh:
"Our government wants to make for us rice available so that we

do not starve and that is the official help.
Whether the money with which Formosa has ransomed
themselves, will arrived here ever? I doubt it. Presumably, these
funds will disappear in the pockets of these politicians who have
allowed that Formosa contaminated our oceans and to destroyed
our lives."
We say goodbye to Mr Quang Thanh as well thank you and we
wish him and his family the best of luck. He calls for us: "Please
let the world know what is happening here and how we must
live." We do not feel really good when we leaving the deserted
town, overlooking the fog patches of Formosa Ha Tinh Steel
Company, which rise into the sky on the horizon.
On the hospital wards in Vietnam it comes currently always

to long waiting times.
ITI-HOLIDAY Germany
Klingerstrasse 41F
09117 Chemnitz
Germany
Tel.: 0049 371 2832201

Fax: 0049 371 2336835
first aid supplies arrive Vung Ang

The first aid reached Vung Ang on 20th of August 2016, so
whole 4 months after the start of the environmental disaster
in Central Vietnam. But these do not come from the
Vietnamese government or from Formosa. A nonprofit
organization has provided a supply of rice as well cooking-oil
and other food products from donations. But there are
hardly any residents in Vung Ang which benefit from the aid.
The region is abandoned.
10.09. 2016: Hoang Anh for ITI-HOLIDAY
Children are especially vulnerable for diseases, caused by
with toxins poisoned groundwater.
graphical material kindly supported

by: VIET TAN,
facebook Vit Tn
and: SBTN TV
facebook SBNT

Environmental Disaster in Vietnam

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ITI-HOLIDAY Germany

international Tour Operator

Tel.: 0049 371 2832201