Saturday, October 14, 2017

CMAC: Experts in biology are needed to evaluate the impact of the US chemical weapons

Tin Sokhavuth



Heng Ratana, Director General of the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), wrote on his Facebook page on Friday that experts in biology and medical experts are needed to evaluate the impact of the US chemical weapons on environment and health of the villagers living in the drop zone in Svay Rieng province.

According to Mr. Ratana, it is a heartbreaking story to see children born with physical deformities in the drop zone. And Cambodian doctors believe that it was the US chemical weapons that made those kids born with such physical disorder.

"We did a medical examination to people in the area, and we found three kids born with physical disorder, such as big head, deformed mouth, and a kid with itchy skin. After the examination, I believe it was the US chemical weapons that made those kids born with such physical disorder," Dr. Bunheng, Minister of Health, told Fresh News on Thursday.

Dr. Bunheng added that besides these three kids, the US chemical weapons could also make other people in the area born with physical abnormalities, because they live with Chemical weapons since 40 years. He and his team would find out by doing medical examination to more people living in the area.

So far, the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) found 15 US chemical weapons in the drop zone. The weapons are confirmed by US experts as Chlorobenzalmalononitrile (CS).

Concerning this issue, an anonymous political analyst said that while the US Air Force had a lot of difficulties to overcome the Russian built surface-to-air missile (SAM) SA-2 in North Vietnam, the US Government, led by President Nixon, with Henry Kissinger as the top advisor, in an attempt to win the war against the guerilla warfare tactic used by the Viet Cong, decided to use chemical weapons in Cambodia and in Vietnam. But the outcome is tragic, because the chemical weapons affected civilians as well as American soldiers who fought the war.

As a result, many American veterans, who are also victims from the US Chemical weapons, sued American companies that had produced chemical weapons. They won the case and got million dollars as compensation.

In the same way, in an interview with Fresh News on Saturday, victims from the US chemical weapons in Korki commune, Svay Rieng province, have asked the US Government to remove all chemical weapons from their land, and also help them to have a better life, because they have suffered for more than 40 years by living with those chemical weapons.


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