But due to their ongoing financial troubles two of their children were forced to drop out of school and work for a living in cities in the south of the country. Hao said many local people have stopped fishing and sought jobs elsewhere. Many can’t afford to return to the sea as their boats have been beached for so long, leaving them in poor condition. Tran Dinh Thai, who used to run a fish sauce factory in Thuan An town, said his business had collapsed due to fears of contaminated fish. “We had to close our factory because consumers refused to buy our products out of for fear that we were using fish from polluted waters,” said the 54-year-old. He said he used to produce 500 liters of fish sauce each month and employed a dozen people.
“We don’t know what to do for a living,” he said, adding that many people in his community have no job and are sinking into debt. “We need fish not money,” said Thai, who was given 22 million dong in compensation due to the waste spill. He urged the government to create jobs for victims of the disaster and encourage consumers to use fish products made by local people. “For the sake of people’s health and livelihood, the government must close any plants that are found to be pumping toxic waste into the sea. If not, future generations will bear the brunt,” he added.
Church marks Formosa disaster
Vinh Diocese, which covers the two worst-hit provinces of Ha Tinh and Quang Binh, has blasted the authorities and representatives of Formosa for not doing more. They have “deliberately not announcing any detailed causes of the disaster and its effects on the sea and on human health,” said two priests in a statement issued on April 2. It was authored by Father Anthony Nguyen Van Dinh, head of the Justice and Peace Committee, and Father Joseph Phan Sy Phuong, who leads the Committee for Supporting Victims in Vinh Diocese. The statement claimed the government has not provided solutions to restore the marine environment or help cure people who have become ill as a result of the toxic waters.
The diocese has called on Catholics to continue their efforts “to bring justice and fairness to victims while marking the second anniversary of the disaster.” Priests have been urged to celebrate Masses and organize Eucharist adoration sessions to pray for greater environmental protection efforts on April 15, the same date that the disaster struck. The diocese also asked local Catholics to pray for those who have been persecuted and imprisoned for fighting for victims’ rights. At least four activists have been given heavy prison sentences and two more have yet to be tried for their environmental campaigns. The priests urged people to offer material and spiritual support to victims and relatives of the jailed activists.
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