Agent Orange findings are bitter-sweet for sufferers

By ELIZABETH BINNING


When John Jennings first heard stories that the Agent Orange he was sprayed with in Vietnam was causing veterans and their children health problems he was sceptical.

But after investigating further and noticing similarities between what he was reading and the conditions his daughter Marakech was suffering, the veteran knew the reports were true.

This week a parliamentary inquiry has finally acknowledged what Mr Jennings, his family and other veterans have known for more than 20 years - veterans were exposed to Agent Orange and it has caused health problems.

"It's put the historical record straight, which is excellent," said Mr Jennings.

But the release of yesterday's long-awaited findings and recommendations to the Government were bitter-sweet.

The list of associated health conditions do not include the rare congenital heart condition, the lung problem, the chronic endometriosis or the strokes which are just some of the problems afflicting Marakech Jennings-Lowry, 30.

"The actual findings - the end result for the children - doesn't make any difference to Marakech because the conditions that they have accepted are still the ones that were originally accepted."

Mr Jennings, who served in Phuoc Tuy and Bien Hoa provinces, clearly recalls being sprayed in the late 1960s. "The plane flew over in the afternoon and we said, yeah ok. We could smell [the chemical] and the vegetation was affected and we operated in that area for seven days without washing facilities."

Not long after the spraying Mr Jennings broke out in an itchy rash that still troubles him today.

After the war he developed a condition, linked to dioxins in Agent Orange, which robbed him of sight in one eye.

Although the 60-year-old receives a war pension for his eye problem, his daughter gets nothing for the wide-ranging health problems that have cost her thousands of dollars and left her unable to have children.

"At least [the inquiry] puts us on a sound basis for taking legal action, because unless they acknowledge the basic historical facts that we were sprayed then we don't have a leg to stand on," said Mr Jennings.

Mrs Jennings-Lowry was pleased that the inquiry acknowledged the spraying occurred - unlike two previous reports - but was disappointed that the issue of compensation was not adequately addressed.

"Where are our Government's heads at when they can pay hundreds of thousands of dollars out to criminals but they can't compensate a few good people who went and served our country and protected our democracy?"

Veteran John Booth, who is now battling terminal cancer, said he was pleased a long fight for acknowledgment of the spraying had been won. Unfortunately it was not in time for many men who had since died from conditions such as cancer.

Mr Booth said he would like to see the Government prepare a compensation package dealing with affected families case by case.

Agent Orange inquiry and transcript of evidence