The demonstration was organised by the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign in New York’s Brooklyn district, where the Dow-sponsored Live Earth “Run for Water” event took place.

It was just one in a series of ‘run and walk’ events across the globe, organised by the environmental organisation Live Earth to raise awareness on the scarcity of safe water.

The demonstration’s organisers said Dow is abusing such activities as the “Run for Water” to whitewash its culpability in polluting water sources and destroying eco-systems in Vietnam and other places.

Dow, Monsanto and many other US chemical companies cashed in on billions of USD from producing AO and other toxic substances, which were sprayed across Vietnam by US troops during the 1961-1971 period.

Millions of Vietnamese of different generations have died or suffered from horrible disabilities due to AO/dioxin. Many cities and provinces across Vietnam are still contaminated with this toxic chemical.

Thousands of people died and tens of thousands of people continue to suffer from serious health problems as a consequence of 1984's deadly leak of toxic chemicals from a Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India. Dow became 100 percent owner of the Union Carbide Corporation in 2001.

However, Dow is running from its responsibility for the ongoing damage caused by its products on the people of Vietnam, India and even in the US.

Demonstrators raised their voices against Dow’s contamination of water sources and destruction of the environment, and requested it to clean up AO/dioxin hot spots and provide compensation to victims of the toxins in Vietnam.

Adam Weissman, a member of the organising board, said that it was shameful how Dow has tried to cover up its poisoning of water sources and destruction of the environment by sponsoring events like “Run for Water”.

Dow must bear full responsibility for cleaning up the environment, including water sources polluted by its products in Vietnam, India, the US and other places around the world.

Lawyer Jeannie Mirrer, who has been to Vietnam for several times and represented Vietnamese AO/dioxin victims in the US court, said she saw with her own eyes the tragic plight of the descendants of local soldiers exposed to the toxic chemicals.

Many newborn babies still suffer from birth defects, while many cities and villages in Vietnam remain contaminated. Dow and other US chemical firms have committed a crime in producing AO and other deadly poisons to earn profits of billions of USD, Mirrer said.

It is regretable that the US court refused to hear a lawsuit lodged by Vietnamese AO/dioxin victims, which demanded US chemical companies, including Dow, pay damages, the lawyer said.

However, she added, Dow is clearly aware of the consequences its products might bring about for human beings and the environment and it cannot run away from its responsibility.

In its press release, the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign quoted Larry Abbott, who used to participate in the Vietnam war, as saying many American war veterans have died of cancer as a result of AO produced by Dow.

By sponsoring the “Run for Water” event, Dow is attempting to prove itself to be responsible towards the environment. However, if Dow wants to promote the campaign, the company should also clean up contaminated areas in Vietnam, India, and other places, and take care of AO victims, Abbott said.

Pham The Minh, a second-generation AO victim in Vietnam, said millions of Vietnamese have died, suffered disabilities or been sickened by the impacts of AO/dioxin sprayed by US troops during the war.

The ongoing trip to the US by a delegation of Vietnamese AO victims aims to discuss AO/dioxin-related issues with American war veterans and requests Dow heal the wounds it caused in Vietnam.

Prof. Brian Mooney from New York University said Dow needs to clean up water sources contaminated with its chemicals in many regions instead of funding activities such as “Run for Water”.