An Open Letter to British Athletes and the 2012 Olympics

Olympic Games set to compete in a stadium surrounded by a curtain of shame made by Dow Chemical.

(LONDON) - Next year in East London the two Olympics will be held when sportsmen and women from many countries will compete against each other in many fields of sport. This will be an opportunity to meet your competitors and to establish friendships.

Unfortunately, the Stadium, in which the opening and closing ceremonies will take place and field events held, will be stained in blood.

This is due to Dow Chemical being given a contract by the London Olympic Committee to surround the stadium with 336 huge panels’ for advertisements. Stained by the blood of innocent people, Dow Chemical was and remains responsible for the manufacture of Agent Orange and Napalm, used extensively on Southern Vietnam from 1961 until 1971, resulting in the deaths of many thousands of Vietnamese and causing many thousands more to suffer from various illnesses and deformities.

Eighty million litres of Agent Orange/Dioxin was sprayed by US forces that destroyed thousands of acres of Forests and the animal life within, poisoned the lakes and streams and in turn the fishes.

In my yearly visit to Vietnam from 1989, I have seen the jars at the Tu Du Hospital that contain the foetus of abnormal births. Have also met with children born with missing limbs, eyes etc, with twisted bodies due to Spina Bifida, and Dow refuses to accept responsibility or make any compensation to these tragic victims.

This is the same company that bought United Carbide responsible for the horrific toxic gas leak causing the deaths of over 15,000 people of Bhopal in India. Today in Bhopal there are 100,000 still suffering from the effects of that explosion, and as with the Vietnamese of which there are four million still suffering, Dow refuses to accept responsibility or make any compensation.

Friends, it is into that Stadium that you will march and compete during the period of the two Olympic Games, in a stadium surrounded by a curtain of shame made by Dow Chemical. Ask the athletes from the US, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Vietnam about Agent Orange whose relatives may have served in the Vietnam War, and became affected by Agent Orange?

You might also consider this, in a letter to Lord Coe asking for the contract to be cancelled there were signatures of twenty-three MPs and twenty-one Indian athletes who took part in previous Olympics. There are reports that some Indian athletes, if not all, will boycott the Olympics if the Dow contract goes ahead.

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Justin Frewen November 29, 2011 2:34 am (Pacific time)

Excellent piece Len. It is an absolute disgrace that Dow Chemicals might be presented with the opportunity to hawk their wares to a global audience at the Olympics. They and their subsidiary Union Carbide have wreaked havoc and ruined the lives of millions of people globally and still refuse to accept responsibility and provide some form of adequate compensation for their actions.

Lem G. November 26, 2011 3:29 pm (Pacific time)

Another stroke of journalistic brilliance. Can't the city of London get a better corporate sponsor ?

Harry Lees/Margaret Petts. retired T November 26, 2011 9:51 am (Pacific time)

American citizens and their Government screamed their indignation and demanded financial compensation following the B P drilling pollution in the Bay of Mexico and they obtained billions of dollars in compensation, plus a land and sea 'clean-up' scheme. this is,quite rightly, seen as fair and just. However this contrasts with the treatment those many thousands of men, women and children who, as Len says, were killed and maimed as they slept in their houses in Bhopal. They received the most unimaginable pittance in 2010 from the American 'Union Carbide' plant owners, but with no comprehensive pollution 'clean-up' scheme. This is an example of American hypocrisy. Additionally, the continuing plight of those very brave Vietnamese victims who died or who are suffering from the most fearful atrocities perpetrated by the American Government and Dow Chemicals ( with no land pollution 'clean-up scheme ) are, just like the Bhopal victims, on the receiving end of American hypocrisy. They can neither be brought back to life or good health, but can, with our combined indignation and protest, eventually receive the justice they have so far been denied. Don't make the UK and the Olympics appear to underwrite these atrocities by linking London and the Games with Dow Chemicals et al.... Our continuing thanks to Len Aldis for his steadfast leadership.

Mark Shapiro November 26, 2011 3:05 am (Pacific time)

Indian reaction to Dow shame! http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/london-olympics-in-crisis-as-india-threatens-boycott-6268207.html

Adam Goldstein November 25, 2011 8:58 am (Pacific time)

I agree with Mr Shapiro, the Agent Orange Action Group's webiste is well worth a visit. I have met victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam and seen how they are struggling with disability and disease in an already poor country. The children and grandchildren of Vietnamese war veterans are being born with horrific deformities as a result of Agent Orange/dioxin's catastrophic effect on human genes. And yet these victims have not received 1 cent in compensation from those responsible. I would not only support the content of Mr Aldis' letter but would urge Dow Chemical to withdraw its name as an Olympic sponsor until it has delivered just compansation and support to its victims in Vietnam and India.

Mark Shapiro November 25, 2011 7:06 am (Pacific time)

Great letter Len! It clearly brings the issues of Agent Orange to a wider international audience and highlights the tragedy as well the insult to both the Olympic visitors and participants. And Thank You to Tim and the team at Salem-News for publishing it! Readers are encouraged to visit the 'Agent Orange Action Group' at www.aoag.org for further information.

P Davis November 25, 2011 6:11 am (Pacific time)

What has Lord Coe got to say?

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