By Gar Smith, I-Berkeley Daily Planet, Mashi 10, i-2021
Iningi labantu baseMelika licabanga nge-Agent Orange njengento evela endulo futhi engavumelani — njengosuku lwamaveni ama-hippie nezikibha ezidayiwe. Kepha iqiniso ukuthi i-Agent Orange isenathi. Futhi kuzoba ngamashumi eminyaka ezayo.
EVietnam, i-Pentagon yokufafaza ngamakhemikhali amakhemikhali e-dioxin-laced herbicides anobuthi kushiye izizukulwane ezinhlanu (kanye nokubala) zithwele ifa elinyantisayo lezingane ezizalwe zishonile, izingane ezikhubazekile, kanye nabantu abadala abakhubazekile befihlwe futhi bagwetshelwe izimpilo zomzabalazo nokufa kusenesikhathi. Ingozi ezizukulwaneni ezizayo isekhona.
I-US ithuthukise i-Agent Orange njengesikhali sokubhubhisa abantu abaningi. Ngesikhathi "I-Operation Ranch Hand" (1962-1971), i-US yalahla amalitha ayizigidi ezingu-20 e-herbicide ngaphezu kwamahektare ayizigidi ezingu-5,5 zamahlathi nezilimo eVietnam naseLaos. Cishe abantu baseVietnam abayizigidi ezingu-4.9 badalulwa kwathi abangu-400,000 bafa ngenxa yomdlavuza, ukukhubazeka kokuzalwa, izifo ezizimele, ukuphazamiseka kwesikhumba kanye nezinkinga zezinzwa. Namuhla, abantu baseVietnam abayisigidi bahlushwa imiphumela kashevu ezuzwe njengefa—abangu-100,000 XNUMX babo bayizingane.
E-US, izizukulwane zezingane ezizalwa ngamasosha ayekhonza eVietnam ziyaqhubeka nokuthwala umthwalo wesiqalekiso esinobuthi samakhemikhali-impilo yazo isengozini ngenxa yezifo ezingaphezu kweshumi nambili ezihlanganisa nesifo sikaLou Gehrig, i-Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Chronic B-Cell leukemia, ukukhubazeka kofuzo, kanye nezinhlobonhlobo zomdlavuza. Ingasaphathwa eyokuguqulwa komzimba okuyinqaba (izitho zomzimba ezingekho kanye nezandla ezikhubazekile) ezifana nezinhlupheko ezibonwa emawadini asesibhedlela saseVietnam.
Kodwa, njengoba idokhumentari entsha emangalisayo yembula, kuba kubi kakhulu. Kuvele ukuthi, ngemuva kokuphela kwempi, i-Agent Orange yagunyazwa buthule ukuthi isetshenziswe ngaphakathi e-US.
Ifilimu ka-Alan Adelson ecwaningwe ngokucophelela, I-People Versus Agency Orange, uhambela amazwekazi amathathu futhi uphenya iminyaka engu-50 yenkohlakalo nokufihla ukuze embule ukuthi lesi sikhali esibhubhisayo sokubhujiswa okukhulu sabuyiselwa kanjani buthule e-US ukuze sibhale isahluko esisha emlandweni omude wosizi lwabantu.
Lapho impi iphela (ngokunqotshwa nokuhlehla kwebutho lezempi lase-US), iMonsanto neDow Chemical baqala ukufuna izimakethe ezintsha ze-defoliant yayo enamandla. Ngaphansi kwengcindezi evela kulezi zinkampani zamakhemikhali ezinamandla, izitokwe ze-Pentagon ze-Agent Orange zaqondiswa kabusha ukuze zisetshenziswe ngaphakathi e-US. Ngaphansi kokuqondisa kwe-US Forest Service—futhi ngemvume yokulandelana kokuphatha kwe-Republican kanye ne-Democrat—I-Agent Orange yaqala ukuwela phezu kwamahlathi aseMelika.
Thola amathikithi okuhlolwa okukhethekile okubonakalayo lapha. Uma uvakashela ikhasi lamathikithi, ungakhetha noma iyiphi yamasinema angama-38 ongathanda ukuyisekela. Izindawo ze-Bay Area okubukiswa kuzo le filimu kubalwa i-Marin Country's Smith Rafael Film Center (NgoLwesihlanu, Mashi 5 kuya NgeSonto, ngoMashi 7: 4:00 PM) kanye I-Balboa Theatre yaseSan Francisco (Amathikithi angu-$12; asakaza izinsuku eziyishumi) kanye ne-Vogue Theatre.
I-People Versus Agent Orange inikeza imibono ecindezelayo engokomzwelo evela emazweni amathathu: Kusukela eVietnam, lapho izingane eziguqukayo ezinemilenze esontekile nemizimba engakheke kahle zifihlwe ezigcemeni ezivikelekile. Kusuka emphakathini omncane wasehlathini e-Oregon lapho ukufuthwa kwezindiza ezinophephela emhlane zikahulumeni kuxhunyaniswe nokugula, umdlavuza, nokuphuphuma kwezisu. Ovela e-France, lapho u-Tran To Nga, isisulu esikhulile se-Agent Orange (owavezwa ngezinsuku zakhe njengeqhawe eliphikisayo emahlathini aqondiswe eVietnam), uphishekela icala lakhe elingokomthetho ngokumelene nezinkampani zamakhemikhali ezingama-26 zase-US ngethemba lokuwina. isahlulelo kubenzi bobuthi ngaphambi kokuphela kwempilo yakhe.
U-Tran To Nga, intatheli yesiFulentshi-Vietnamese isicelo sakhe esingokomthetho siphambi kwenkantolo I-Tribunal de Grande Instance e-France, wathelwa ngokuphindaphindiwe ne-Agent Orange emahlathini aseVietnam ngenkathi eyilungu lomzabalazo wendawo. Indodakazi yakhe yokuqala yabulawa isifo senhliziyo kuyilapho izingane zayo ezimbili ezisindile nabazukulu bonke behlushwa impilo ebuthaka.
Elinye iqhawe lale ndaba uCarol Van Strum oneminyaka engu-80 ubudala, i-alum yase-UC Berkeley owayekhuthele kuVigil yasePort Chicago neminye imibhikisho emelene nempi ngeminyaka yawo-60s. Ukusuka kwakhe ku-Derby Street, u-Van Strum wasebenza “nojantshi ongaphansi komhlaba” owasiza amasosha ayengathinteki ukuba ahambe e-AWOL ngokuwela umngcele angene eCanada. Waba yintatheli, wabhala izincwadi ezimbalwa, futhi ngesinye isikhathi, waba ngumnikazi wezincwadi zikaCody kuTelegraph Avenue.
Ngo-1974, abakwaVan Strums bathuthela endaweni engamahektare angu-160 esifundeni sase-Five Rivers emaphandleni ase-Oregon. Impilo yayimnandi kwaze kwaba usuku umkhumbi Wenkonzo Yehlathi ufafaza ngawo izingane zakwaVan Strum ngesikhathi zidlala emfudlaneni wendawo.
“Abazange bazibone izingane,” kukhumbula u-Van Strum njengoba ifilimu ibonisa isithombe sezingane zakhe ezine ezimomothekayo esithombeni somndeni. Ngalobo busuku babengamamatheka. “Izingane beziklinywa zonke futhi zihefuzela. Ngalobo busuku babegula ngempela. Babephethwe isifo sohudo. Babenenkinga yokuphefumula,” kukhumbula uVan Strum.
Lapho evakashela ngasemfuleni ngakusasa, wathola izinsalela zamadada nezinhlanzi afile. Phakathi namasonto ambalwa, izakhamuzi zendawo zabona ukuqubuka kwezinyoni ezifile nezikhubazekile ezinoqhwaku olusontekile, izinyawo ezinyakazayo, namaphiko angenamsebenzi.
I-US Forest Service yaqinisekisa abakwaVan Strums ukuthi amakhemikhali “aphephe ngokuphelele.” Abazange bakutshele ukuthi isifutho sasihlanganisa i-2,4-D ne-2,4,5-T, equkethe isakhi esibulalayo se-mutagenic eyaziwa ngokuthi i-dioxin.
I-Forest Service yanikeza izimboni zendawo zezingodo izimvume zokusebenzisa izifutho zamakhemikhali ngemva kwesinqumo esimelene nomkhuba wemboni yokugawula amahlathi okushiya amahektare ezintaba ezicekeleke phansi. Ukufafazwa ngokuphindaphindiwe kwezwe eligayiwe kakade kwakufanelekile ukuze kuqedwe “izitshalo ezingafunwa futhi kusheshiswe ukukhula kwezingodo.” Ngandlela thize le mpikiswano ayizange ihambisane neqiniso lokuthi isifutho samakhemikhali sasidalwe ngokukhethekile ukubhubhisa amahlathi.
Lapho u-Van Strum eqala ukubuza imibuzo komakhelwane bakhe basemaphandleni, wathola ukwanda okukhathazayo kokuphuphuma kwezisu, izimila, ukuhushula izisu okuzenzakalelayo, kanye nokukhubazeka kokuzalwa okwalandela ngemva kokufuthwa.
Abavikeli bemboni yamakhemikhali bahlanganisa uDkt. Cleve Goring we-Dow Chemical Research owakuchitha ngokungananazi ukukhathazeka kwendawo ngokuthi: “Ukuhlasela akukona okwesayensi. Kungokomzwelo kuphela. Umphakathi awuqondi” ukuthi i-2,4,5-T “icishe ibe nobuthi njenge-aspirin.”
Lapho imizamo yokubekela inselele ukufuthwa kwenqatshwa, uVan Strum waqala ukuphikiswa komuntu siqu okwakuhilela ukuqoqa imibhalo yeminyaka engamashumi amane—iningi layo ivikelwe ukugcwaliswa okuqhubekayo kwezicelo zeFreedom of Information Act. Iqoqo—kuhlanganise nemibhalo yebhizinisi eyivelakancane—ekugcineni kwaziwa ngokuthi yi- Amaphepha Obuthi (kubhekiselwa ku-Daniel Ellsberg's Pentagon Papers). Ucwaningo lukaVan Strum lubambe iqhaza elikhulu ecaleni likaTran To Nga eFrance.
Ukuphenduka Okubi Kokusuka Ku-Toxin kuya Kwesabisayo
Maphakathi I-People Versus Agent Orange, indaba ithatha amazwibela ajabulisayo yenye ifilimu, i-biopic, I-Silkwood, esilandisa ngendaba yokufa okungaqondakali komphihlisi wamandla enuzi uKaren Silkwood.
U-Van Strum, manje, wayesesungule inhlangano yendawo elwa nokufuthwa ebizwa ngokuthi i-Community Against Toxic Spray futhi, njengoba i-CATS iqala ukudonsa ukunakwa kwabezindaba, ukusabela kwezithakazelo zamapulangwe/amakhemikhali kwakhuphuka kakhulu.
Imizi yagqekezwa kwaphinde kwebiwa amaqoqo ocwaningo lwezempilo yomphakathi. Zihamba zodwa emigwaqweni yendawo engenalutho, izishoshovu zazithola zilandelwa izimoto ezingajwayelekile ezishayelwa “amadoda agqoke amasudi.” Amafoni ayeshaywa. Omunye udokotela wendawo unqume ukumisa ukusebenza kwakhe neCATS ngemva kokuvakashelwa ngamadoda amabili athi afuna ukukhuluma ngemithi yokubulala ukhula. Lapho sebengaphakathi kwakhe, babuza ngokungagunci: “Ingabe uyazi ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuthi izingane zakho zikuphi?”
Izinkampani zamakhemikhali nezingodo zaqala imikhankaso ye-PR evusa inkanuko eqondiswe kumalungu e-CATS futhi zibaveza njengabantu “abasongela imisebenzi yenu.”
Ukwesabeka kwanda kakhulu ngoJanuwari 1, 1978 lapho uVan Strum ebuya kovakashela umakhelwane futhi ethola umuzi wakhe ungqongqiswe amalangabi. Zone izingane zakhe zazivaleleke ngaphakathi zashona kulo mlilo. Izicishamlilo zendawo zibize lo mlilo ngokusolisa futhi okungenzeka ukuthi uyicala lokushisa kodwa Amaphoyisa Ombuso anquma ukuthi "kwenzeke ngephutha futhi imbangela yangempela ayaziwa." UVan Strum ukholelwa ukuthi umndeni wakhe wawuhlosiwe.
Ngemva kwesikhathi esibuhlungu sokulila, u-Van Strum wahlehla wangena esakhiweni esincane esisesigabeni esifanele wabuyela ekuqoqeni imibhalo eminingi nobufakazi.
“Angikwazi ukusindisa umhlaba,” etshela intatheli Umagazini Wethu Wasogwini, “kodwa ngizolwa namazinyo nezinzipho ukuze ngisindise leli khono elincane laso.” Wanezela: “Ukushona kwezingane zethu kwangishiya nalokho ezazikuthanda—leli pulazi, ukungcola, lezi zihlahla, lo mfula, lezi zinyoni, izinhlanzi, amanethi, amadedi, nabadobi—ukuba ngibavikele futhi babambisane. Lezi zaba ihange lami elibheke ngasemoyeni, zingigcina ngingakhukhuleki nayo yonke imimoya evunguzayo.”
Ngo-1983, uVan Strum waqhubeka nokubhala incwadi enamandla, Inkungu Ebabayo: Imithi Yokubulala Ukhula Namalungelo Abantu (yabuyekezwa ngo-2014) futhi, ngoMashi 2018, wahlonishwa ngendondo ye-David Brower Lifetime Achievement Award eNgqungqutheleni Yomthetho Wentshisekelo Yomphakathi eNyuvesi yase-Oregon.
A Planet Ingxoxo noMqondisi u-Alan Adelson
I-GS: Ingabe Isevisi Yehlathi ibe nezinye izaba zokuqhubeka nokufutha i-Agent Orange ezintabeni esezifile kakade? Ngandlela-thile “ukufafaza ukuze kunqande ukuncintisana kwezitshalo ukuze kuqalwe kabusha ukugawulwa kwemithi” akubonakali kuvumela. Sibona izimila ezifile zifuthwa futhi zifafazwe kabusha. Ukugawula imithi kwakungazuza kanjani ngokuqhubeka kufakwa ubuthi ezweni? Phela, isiqubulo se-Operation Ranch Hand sasiwukuthi: “Uwena kuphela ongavimbela amahlathi!”
I-AA: Umbuzo ubalulekile njalo. Esingase singakuboni kulezo “zintaba ezifile” ukhula olusha oluqala ukuhluma. “Ama-nozzlehead” (igama likaCarol Van Strum) angase akholelwe ukuthi ukufafaza okuningi kuyadingeka ukuze kubulawe ukhula ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Iqiniso elibaluleke kakhulu ukuthi isithombo ngasinye se-Douglas fir singasuswa ukhula endaweni yaso ngabasebenzi abanamacansi nezinzipho zokhula. Kwakukhona ingubo ebizwa ngokuthi amaHoedads eyenze lokhu iminyaka e-Oregon. . . .
GS: Ingabe lolu hlobo lokufafaza olusekelwa yimithi luyenzeka kwezinye izifundazwe noma lumane lwenziwa emahlathini asenyakatho-ntshonalanga?
I-AA: Ngiyaqonda ukuthi kuyenzeka e-timberlands e-Oregon, Washington State, Idaho, naseCalifornia. . . . Ngitshelwa ukuthi ukufuthwa emoyeni kwemithi yokubulala ukhula ezitshalweni zezolimo kuyinkinga enkulu kakhulu naseFlorida, lapho izenzo ezingokomthetho zisekelwa yi-Community Environmental Legal Defence Fund namanye amaqembu ukuze kunqandwe.
I-GS: Ngemuva kokuthi ifilimu iqale ngoMashi 5, izotholakala isikhathi esingakanani ukuze isakazwe?
I-AA: Kukhona isixhumanisi ekhasini elithi "screenings" kuwebhusayithi yethu. Kukhona “izindawo ezishisayo” zokuthenga amathikithi kuzo zonke izinkundla zemidlalo yeshashalazi. Abantu bangakhetha noma iyiphi ithiyetha abafuna ukuyisekela. Kunezaphulelo ezinikezwa omakadebona, izishoshovu zezemvelo, abadala, abafundi nanoma ubani ofuna usizo lokubona ifilimu. Lezi zaphulelo zenziwa zenzeke ngeminikelo, okungenzeka futhi nangawo amafomu okuthenga amathikithi. Izaphulelo zizoqhubeka zitholakala kuze kuphele izimali zeminikelo. Izixhumanisi zokuthenga amathikithi, izaphulelo neminikelo zivela ngaphansi kwamatiyetha ahlukahlukene ngokusebenzisa: https://www.thepeoplevsagentorange.com/screenings-1
I-GS: Le filimu ihlanganisa izithombe ezicashile ezithathwe uDarryl Ivy, uchwepheshe wenkonzo yendiza enophephela emhlane efafaza. Ukhala ngokuchayeka kwakhe kumakhemikhali—umphimbo oshisayo, isimila esikhulu olimini lwakhe, nokunye. Isithombe sakhe sokugcina kufilimu yakho sikhombisa ephethe ishidi lombhede elinegazi. Akulona neze uphawu oluhle lolo.
I-AA: Yebo, abantu abaningi bayabuza ngoDarryl. Kwamthatha isikhathi eside ukuthi alulame. Ungumuntu oshiseka ngokweqile manje. Ukujima ejimini izinsuku eziningi ngesonto, kunemisipha kakhulu. Ufuna ukusabalalisa igama lokuthi abantu bangaphila kanjani ngaphandle kokuchayeka emithini yokubulala ukhula futhi ucabangela incwadi ekhuluma ngakho konke.
UCarol Van Strum Ukhumbula Umzabalazo Wakhe
Izingcaphuno ezilandelayo zicashunwe ku-a UMongabay inhlolokhono eyenziwe ngoMashi 14, 2018 kulandela ukwethulwa kwe-2018 David Brower Lifetime Achievement Award.
Kunesayensi eningi kakhulu emahlathini anempilo eshumini leminyaka eledlule kuphela. Ingabe ukuvunwa kwezihlahla ngokukhetha ngaphandle kokubulala ukhula kuseyindlela eqinile?
Uma uhamba noma undiza uzungeza indawo engihlala kuyo, enkabeni ye-Oregon Coast Range, ungakwazi ukusho ngokushesha ukuthi yimiphi imihlaba okungeyabantu/amabhizinisi futhi okungamahlathi kazwelonke.
Amasimu ezinkampani akhunjulwe ngokuphumelelayo, izindawo eziwudedangendlale zenhlabathi engenalutho ezifakwe iziphunzi ezifile lapha nalaphaya, yonke indawo efile igeleza ingene emifudlaneni nasemifuleni, ingagcini nje ngokufaka ubuthi eziphila emanzini kodwa ivala udaka nezindawo zokuzala kwe-coho nezinye izinhlanzi ze-salmon.
Ihlathi lesizwe, ngokuphambene, liluhlaza futhi liyachuma, linompheme ohlukahlukene we-hemlock, umsedari, i-alder, i-maple, et cetera, kanye ne-Douglas fir eyigugu kwezohwebo. . . .
Emuva ngawo-1970, lapho i-USDA yamukela ukusetshenziswa kwezibulala-khula ezingasavunyelwe eVietnam, i-US Army Corps of Engineers yawugxeka ngokumangalisayo lo mbono, ithi amahlathi asenyakatho-ntshonalanga aye avela phakathi nezigidi zeminyaka ukuze asebenzise umhlabathi ngendlela ephumelela kakhulu. isimo sezulu, amanzi, kanye nesayensi yokwakheka komhlaba kule ndawo, futhi kwakuwukuzikhukhumeza ukucabanga ukuthi abantu bangathuthuka kulokho.
Izifundo zomgunyathi nenkohlakalo lapho kusetshenziswa izibulala-zinambuzane nezibulala-zinambuzane - kuseyinkinga namuhla?
Nakanjani! Ukukhwabanisa nenkohlakalo okuchazwe kokuthi “Inkungu Ebabayo” kufihlwe kangcono namuhla, njengoba incwadi yakamuva ka-EG Vallianatos, “Poison Spring,” ikwenza kucace kakhulu.
U-Vallianatos wayengusokhemisi wocwaningo e-US EPA iminyaka engu-25, ngesikhathi ukukhwabanisa kwambulwa okokuqala. Akuvezayo ukuthi yonke inqubo yokubhaliswa kwezibulala-zinambuzane iwumgunyathi, njengoba i-EPA ivele yamukele izifinyezo zokuhlolwa kokuphepha ezilethwe yizinkampani, bese abasebenzi be-EPA besika futhi banamathisele zonke izingxenye zalezo zifinyezo ekugunyazweni kokubhaliswa.
[Ngokwencwadi], i-EPA ngaleyo ndlela igxilisa izitembu zenjoloba kunoma yiziphi izinkampani ezizithumelayo, okwenza kube nzima kakhulu ngomphakathi ukubona izifundo zangempela noma ukuhlola idatha eluhlaza evela ezinkampanini, engatholakali ngaphansi koMthetho Wenkululeko Yolwazi. ngoba azizange zinikezwe i-EPA.
