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Vietnam Sustainable Ecotourism development and Appeal for solidarity with the Victims of Agent orange/Dioxin

(Bqp.vn) - The United Nations have set 2010 as the Year of Biodiversity. In October 2010, owing to the Millennium festivities of Thang Long-Hanoi, Vietnam has developed ecotourism, focused on the discovery of ecosystems but also agro-systems and rural tourism.

Since fall 2008 to raise awareness of parks, nature reserves, resorts and areas of urban ecosystems, the country began to plan and help its people becoming aware of the need to preserve the natural and cultural heritage. Indeed, from north to south, ecotourism is one access of national and international tourism that the authorities and People's committees of cities and villages are strengthening to consolidate the sustainable development and solidarity of ecotourism in Vietnam.

Starting in Hanoi, capital of heroism but also declared as capital of Peace, a non-polluting means of transport for use by tourists and Hanoian has emerged since July 2010. The company leader Dong Xuan has produced 12 electric minibus which are circulating between important tourist’s centers and nearby Lake Hoan Kiem, with 13 destinations including the following: 53 Hang Duong, Dong Xuan Market, Hang Chieu 25, 9 Hang Vai, 97 Hang Buom, 80 Ma May, 42 Hang Bac, 6A- Hang Bo, 22 Bat Dan, 47 Hang Quat, 14 Le Thai To, Hanoi Post Office and Bà Kieu Temple. These electric minibuses cover a total of 6 km and 20 minutes of time with self-rechargeable every 4 hours. Their speed is about 15-20 km/h and the cost of the ticket, 15,000 dong (about 0.6 euros). Moreover, in the capital, 24/24 h, tankers traverse the main streets to wash them. A system of garbage collection by women agents is extended operating in all 36 streets. Even in the smallest streets, the sounds of bells from 7 pm  call the Hanoians to get away domestic garbage which are immediately processed by skilled hands sorting out plastic, cans of beer and fruity drinks or newspapers and magazines.

From North, Center and South Vietnam, natural and cultural heritage are shown as forces leading ecotourism through tourist agencies. In the other way, Ecovillages are growing with the support of the population who has absorbed partly rural unemployment. Thus, Sapa and mountain regions are experiencing a new impact in the discovery of green sites, but also excursions through mountains, rivers and valleys. Sapa, located 380 km northwest of Hanoi, near the border of China and Vietnam can be reached by bus or train at night (twice a week, every Monday and Friday departing Hanoi Hang Co station). Formerly known for its sanatoriums, Sapa consists of mountainous regions covered with greenery, rice terraces, vast valleys dotted with villages populated mainly by minority H-Mong. Lao Chai valley, 6 km south-east led to Sapa Muong Hoa River where the water was clear and source of poems and fairy stories for children. Then, climbing to Mount Phan Si Pan, part of Tonkinese Alps at 3143 m altitude, it takes a 5-day trekking to discover the beauty of Tropical forest with a stop at the Silver Waterfall.

However, it is in the center of the country that nature displays its harmony with the natural park of Pu Mat, framed in the Truong Son mountain range, bordering Laos. This park is a gift of nature available to the province of Nghe An. It was declared a nature reserve in 1996, with an area of 93.113 ha and is located between sites Duong Truong and Anh San. During the last two wars, the Vietnamese liberation forces were concentrated in those areas where the forest is dense with astonishing biodiversity and wildlife. Experts have identified 2,494 plant species of which 37 are classified in the Red Book of Vietnam and 20 in the world. Similarly, striped tigers, red-tailed wolves, wild bears, and muntjacs, chamois, Sao La (from deer family recently discovered in Vietnam) circulates freely. 314 species of birds, 52 reptiles, 34 of amphibians, 83 of fishes, 400 of butterflies have been recorded in the registration of this region. Then, a salt deposit in the open air at Khe Khang, a century pagoda at Pu Mat and a dam at Pha Lai with Giang river damming on which lovers sail aboard rowboats, are part of this green discovery. But it is Nhatrang province of Khanh Hoa, that mountains and sea are united to create marvellous natural scenery. Resort at the distance of  448 km from Ho Chi Minh City,  1287 km from Hanoi, 630 km from Hue and 105 km from Phanrang, Nhatrang is  proud of its 7 kms of sandy beach, mountainous islands and a delta shared between rice and tea plantations and coffee fields. The Hon Tre Island is known for its swiftlet bird's nests made of agglomerated seaweed. The City hosts an annual Festival of the Sea owing to decentralized cooperation between France and Vietnam i.e. Morbihan (Finistère). Nhatrang is also known by the scientific world with Pasteur Institutes, including those in Nhatrang, Hanoi and Saigon which have been created by Alexandre Yersin [1]. The scholar was buried on a hill overlooking the plantation of pharmacological products that he had himself registered in medical archives.

While presenting the regions and taking advantage of ecotourism sites in Vietnam, it should also be noted that from the central and southern Vietnam, one quarter of forests, vegetation, fauna and flora was damaged by the spreading of Agent orange/Dioxin, the most toxic chemical product which has been spread by the U.S. Air Force from 1961 to 1971. That ecocide has left not only great damage to the environment (i.e. “hot spots”) but also on human health with multiple diseases, cancers and mental and physical disabilities of more than 3 million victims in Vietnam. These victims continue to demand the United States of America and 37 chemical Companies (the most important as Monsanto and Dow Chemical), payment for damage and responsibility, thus giving them to recover their right to live with decent conditions and with Human dignity.

In fact, on August 10th, 1961, the U.S. armed forces began the first spraying of toxic chemicals in Vietnam, launching “Operation Ranch Hand” a program that lasted almost a decade. On August 10th, 2011 marks the 50th anniversary of the Agent orange/dioxin disaster in Vietnam. Increasingly, victims are the children and grandchildren of those sprayed during the war – the 2nd and 3rd generations, who suffer horrific birth defects which force many to live in a vegetative state. Although the Vietnamese government, mass organizations and individuals in the country and abroad have been actively assisting the Agent orange/dioxin victims, they nevertheless are still the poorest of the poor – the most miserable among the miserable. The Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin (VAVA) asks the U.S. government to act as responsible corporate citizens and acknowledge their wrongdoing! Dow Chemical and Monsanto must quickly answer the question: if you fail to compensate the victims in Vietnam, how can you expect to continue to do business in Vietnam? [2].

If the collective approach of ecological debt is part of sustainable development, solidarity with the Victims of Agent orange /dioxin among peoples in the world should amplify as an assiduous challenge of human rights in the context of globalization.

Attachment:

Nguyen Dac Nhu-Mai (Permanent Representative - VAVA France & UE)

Ministry of National Defence - Socialist Republic of VietNam
Address : No. 7 Nguyen Tri Phuong, Ba Dinh, Ha Noi, Viet Nam
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