HUBBUB
I'm in the city that used to be called Saigon,
renamed Ho Chi Minh City,
after the country's leader during the Vietnam War.
It's more than 40 years since the conflict ended,
but its affects are still felt everywhere.
This is Tu Du maternity hospital in Ho Chi Minh City.
Now, Dr Phuong is based here, and she's a tireless campaigner
when it comes to making people all over the world aware
of the connection between Agent Orange
and children born with deformities.
I'm here to visit something called a Peace Village,
one of 13 she has set up.
She believes many of the children in them
have been affected by Agent Orange,
a defoliant dropped by US forces.
Everybody wants to speak to you. Yeah.
This is the Peace Village. Yeah.
Would you mind showing me some of the children?
'Dr Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong
'is internationally respected for her work.
'Though she's 77, she feels she can't fully retire.
'She takes me first to meet a little girl called Tram.'
So, this is a child whose parents were affected by Agent Orange?
And these are all signs of children
who have been affected by Agent Orange?
Yeah.
'Dr Phuong told me that a research study she conducted
'showed that birth defects in Agent Orange sprayed areas
'were three or more times higher than other places.'
But the war was years ago. Why is it still affecting children now?
This is third and fourth generation.
'The Agent Orange used during the war contained
'a dangerous chemical called dioxin.
'Dr Phuong and many scientists believe
'it can lead to genetic mutations.
'Studies where mice were given dioxin showed this.
'It's hard to prove in humans, but Dr Phuong herself is convinced
'that generations of Vietnamese children are being affected.
'Some children here were abandoned at birth.
'For some, it's a lifelong home, like Ly.'
Can you show me where you live?
OK, welcome. Yeah, thank you, thank you.
Hello.
I love babies.
Hello! Time to get up.
LY WHISTLES
Ooo-ooo-ooo! What's her name?
Ky. Ky? And this baby?
LY WHISTLES
Her name is Cham. Cham. Chaman.
Ah! Ah!
LY WHISTLES
Very happy. You're like the big brother.
Yes. We are a big family.
Wahey-wahey-wahey.
Is this your place? Yes. Come.
'Because Ly was born in an area affected by Agent Orange,
'one of the senior doctors told me they think
'there's a good chance his disability is dioxin-related.'
So, you sleep in this room? Tell me about when you were a baby.
Do you remember much about when you were a baby?
Would you rather be living at home with your family?
This Peace Village ward is amazing.
And the work that's being done here is incredible,
but, I mean, the harsh reality is,
if what Dr Phuong is saying about the connection between Agent Orange
and the deformities that these kids are suffering is true,
she says 60% of them are connected to Agent Orange,
then the harsh reality is they are war victims.
War victims.
They're paying for a war that happened over half a century ago.
And the sad thing is, most of us have forgotten about it.
'Agent Orange was essentially a weedkiller, but much, much stronger.
'It was used by the American forces
'to destroy the jungle their enemy used for cover.
'The production process caused contamination
'with the most toxic form of dioxin, known as TCDD.
'The levels in Agent Orange make it
'one of the most dangerous chemicals ever manufactured.'
Between 1961 and 1971, in that 10-year period,
the US Army dropped millions of gallons of Agent Orange
over jungle like this to strip it of all of its foliage.
'Mr Son is a decorated Vietnam War veteran.
'He tells us he's the only one in his platoon that survived the war.'
Were you directly affected by Agent Orange? Did it hit you?
'Son's daughter, Thuy, who is 41, is severely disabled
'and is classified by the government as an Agent Orange victim
'because of her father's exposure during the war.'
'Based on the limited studies that have been done,
'the Vietnam Red Cross estimate
'those affected by Agent Orange at around three million.
'Of whom, 150,000 are children with birth defects.
'The government provides a monthly payment to over 200,000 families.'
MUSIC PLAYS
'Their son, Tung, is 38
'and a celebrated monochord musician and composer.
'He's gradually gone blind.'
You and your sister and your parents are known as Agent Orange victims.
How does that make you feel?
Do you ever feel angry or frustrated at what has happened to you?
What lovely people.
And you know what, I'm guessing that when Son left the army,
he was probably hoping to leave behind the war
and all the memories of the atrocities,
but the birth of his kids and the fact that they're both disabled
mean that his family can never forget.
'Vietnamese doctors are concerned parents affected by Agent Orange
'are passing on genetic defects to their children,
'but they are also worried about the fact there are still areas
'heavily contaminated with dioxin.'
One of them is Da Nang Air Base, which is right behind me.
And it's been quoted of having dioxin levels
that are 350 times higher than the international safety standards.
Now, we've been told there are US specialists in there at the moment
carrying out a clean-up operation.
But what I think is absolutely nuts
is that the only thing that's separating the Vietnamese population
from one of the most contaminated places on the planet
is a wire fence.
Da Nang was the main US airbase during the war,
where huge stockpiles of Agent Orange were stored.
The chemical residue remained,
seeping into Da Nang's water supply and getting into the food chain.
The US government has donated millions in aid
to clean up Da Nang and other hotspots,
working with the Vietnamese government.
HORNS BLAST
'The Da Nang Association of victims of Agent Orange
'introduced me to one of the families whose children
'might have been affected by dioxin.
'Their dad served in the army after the war,
'but went to areas that had been sprayed.'
He believes he may have passed on the affects to his young son,
who's now in Da Nang hospital, fighting for his life.
I'm going to go and meet them.
'Diep has had heart problems all of his life,
'but was recently rushed to hospital
'when things took a turn for the worse.
'His parents, Ming and Hai,
'have to take it in turns to give him constant care.'
'At the moment, he can't lie down because it's too painful.
'He has to sleep propped up.'
He...he needs a heart transplant?
And how much would it cost?
So, it's about $40,000. And how will you get that money?
What's do you think has caused Diep's problems?
'Diep's heart defect is on the list of conditions
'that the Vietnamese government associate with Agent Orange.
'But his family could also just be unlucky.
'I asked Diep's doctor what he thinks.'
Speaking to his parents,
they believe that his illness could have been caused by
Agent Orange because his father worked in the army
and he walked through contaminated fields.
The problem is, not only have they got to deal with their son,
who is in so much pain, but they don't know the reason.
'There's no test that can prove a genetic illness
'has been caused by Agent Orange.'
What have these last few months been like for you?
'It's not just exposure to Agent Orange in the past
'that worries Diep's father.
'He believes his village is still affected by it.'
Chao!
Ming, I'd really love for you to show me
how this area was impacted by Agent Orange.
Yep. Down here.
So, in this area, can you not grow any more crops?
Do you think the reason for the poor crops is because of Agent Orange?
'We were told by the Da Nang Association
'for Victims of Agent Orange that it was stored near here,
'but that no tests have been done to check dioxin levels.
'So Ming cant know for sure,
'but he's convinced his family have been at risk.'
Hello.
'Even though he's very sick,
'Diep has asked to come home from hospital.'
How are you?
DIEP COUGHS
Why did you want to come back home?
'I meet the rest of the family.'
I know your son, he also has problems, as well.
Do you mind if we see your stomach?
'Because Ming cant prove he was exposed to dioxin,
'the family cant get any compensation.'
You can see how much they really cherish having Diep back home.
And it was Diep who actually requested to be brought back home
because he wanted to be around the people who love him.
But what just keeps sticking with me and keeps hitting me is
that they will never ever know for sure
what has caused their sons' illnesses.
And all they can do is just enjoy these precious moments
that they have left.
'Sadly, just a week after my visit, Diep passed away.
'It could be lack of funds, it could be lack of will,
'or that the science is very hard,
'but I'm shocked at how much still needs to be done
'to understand the affects of Agent Orange.
'I go to see Dr Phuong back at the Peace Village.'
I know you've been working all day today,
so, how do you feel when you see all of these children here
whose parents have been affected by Agent Orange
and they've passed it onto their children?
'In 2008, Dr Phuong was a key witness when Vietnamese groups tried
'to sue the US chemical companies that made Agent Orange.
'They lost because the US courts ruled its use didn't violate
'the rules of war and that the US government and manufacturers
'weren't aware of all the risks to human health.
'Without admitting liability for the affects of Agent Orange,
'the US government has given $21 million
'to help disabled people in Vietnam living in sprayed areas.
'Dr Phuong would like more.'
And how difficult is it for a family
who give birth to a child who's affected by Agent Orange?
So, they get a lot of stigma from the people around
because they have Agent Orange children?
'Before I leave Vietnam, I want to catch up
'with the Peace Village's big brother, Ly.'
Ly, you go to train now? Yes, I now go swimming.
'He's a fellow athlete.
'I've dropped in on a photoshoot his friends are doing
'for Ly's social media profile.'
Ly's a success story from the Peace Village.
He's took us paralympic swimming, represents Vietnam
and now he's having a photoshoot. Look at him, he's a star!
LAUGHTER
Hello! My friend!
With all of this training you're doing, do you want to try
and make it into the team for 2020,
for the Paralympics in Tokyo?
I try my best. To win gold?
Gold medal? Yeah. Oh, no.
I think, um...brown. Brown?!
No, no, no! You have to think gold, not bronze! No, no, no. Gold.
Oh, you've got your medals. Yes, medals.
Oh, wow! Whoo! Look at this!
ASEAN Para Games. Yes.
Myanmar. Yeah, Myanmar.
All very special. I know. I know.
Tell me about your disability, your condition.
Do you know much about the history and the reasons?
You're really confident and smiling all the time. Yes, yes, confident.
But do you think some of the other children here,
do you think they will have more problems
when they go out into society?
It's about who you are as a person, not your disability.
Yes. Thank you.
'I love Ly's attitude. He's a huge inspiration
'and perhaps represents the next generation
'looking forwards in Vietnam.
'No-one is going to accept blame for what happened in the dreadful war,
'but if the US and Vietnam got together to investigate
'the affects of Agent Orange further,
'it might stop more children being born with terrible disabilities.'
Subtitles by Ericsson