Early in May 2017, over a year after the notorious catastrophe, the committee for supporting victim of environmental contamination of Vinh diocese has launched a special campaign around Europe to hand over the Petition for taking actions from the disaster caused by Hung Nghiep Co. of Ha Tinh Formosa, Ltd.

This disaster is too horrendous to the residents living and working in Central Vietnam and the whole country of Vietnam in general. Worse yet, one year after (what happened), Formosa has yet to make any effort to restore the environmental condition, and provide adequate compensation for damages its victims had endured. Meanwhile, many efforts made to seek justice for victims by means of petitions, rallies, marches, or lawsuits have been hindered, even violently repressed by the authorities.

In order to support victims of ocean pollution in Vinh Diocese, the Committee therefore initiated this Petition, bringing the matter before the world community. The petition has collected nearly 200,000 signatures, most of which are of direct and indirect victims of the Formosa disaster, also from individuals who work in the field of religion, environmental protection agencies, human rights activists, politicians, local and overseas Vietnamese who signed as advocates and companions for the victims.

To bring the Petition to international organizations and institutions, the delegation from Vinh Diocese are as follow:

Bishop Paul Nguyen Thai Hop, Vinh diocese
Rev. Jos. Phan Sy Phuong, deanery of Cua Lo, pastor of Tan Loc, committee chairman
Rev. Ant. Nguyen Thanh Tinh, pastor of Con Se parish, Quang Binh, secretary
Rev. Petr.Tran Van Thanh, pastor of Tam Toa parish, Quang Binh, member
Rev. Petr. Tran Dinh Lai, pastor of Dong Yen parish, KY Anh, member
Rev. JB Bui Khiem Cuong, pastor of pastor of Dong Son parish, Ky Anh, member

Petition's points of contact:

The United Nations, the European Union, foreign state departments, Catholic Church organizations and civil society organizations whose collaborations are actively supporting the victims.

Destinations where the delegation has reached out to and worked with in recent days:

Norway

- Bishop and Monsignor General Representative of the Diocese of Oslo.

- Council of Ecumenical and International Relations Church of Norway and Caritas).

- Norwegian Christian Aid Organization.

- Member of the Foreign and Defence Committee of the Norwegian Parliament.

- Discussion group at the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights.

- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway - Unit in charge of Human Rights Dialogue between Norway and Vietnam.

Bonn, Germany

- Representatives of the Committee for Justice of Peace of the German Bishops' Conference, Dr. Daniel Legutke and Mr. Ulrich Poner.

Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium

- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belgium - Department of Trade, Development and Cooperation with Asia.

- Representative of the Green Party of the European Union Parliament.

- Office of EU's Foreign Affairs.

- Client Earth - environmental activist -lawyers

- Front Line Defenders.

- Representatives of the EU Trade Commission.

Geneva, Switzerland

- Joint unit UNEP/OCHA

- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

- Universal Rights Group.

- Reception at City Hall of Geneva. Mayor Guillaume Barazzone welcomed the delegation at Geneva's reception room.

Information on the delegation's international campaign will be updated on the following website: https://thamhoaformosa.com.

The Committee for Supporting Victims of Ocean Pollution of Vinh Diocese.

Contacts:

Secretary: Rev. Ant. Nguyen Thanh Tinh
Email: banhotrogpv@gmail.com
https://thamhoaformosa.com/

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