Hold greedy Formosa Plastics accountable for its environmental damage.

Formosa Plastics is a serial environmental and human rights offender: releasing toxic chemicals into the sea, polluting communities, contaminating waterways.

If we let one disaster slide, what’s to stop Formosa Plastics from getting away with even more? Maybe in a community near you…

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Dear President Biden,

I am writing to draw your attention to a critical matter concerning the aftermath of the environmental disaster caused by the "Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation" a Taiwanese subsidiary of Formosa Plastics, in Vietnam.

The company has acknowledged its responsibility for releasing toxic chemicals into the Vietnamese coastline, leading to the most severe environmental disaster in Vietnam's history. To address their role, Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation has committed to paying 500 million USD in compensation. However, rather than directly compensating the victims, the payment was made to the Vietnamese government.

Tragically, over the past seven years, numerous Vietnamese fishermen affected by this catastrophe have not received adequate compensation. This has resulted in heightened rates of unemployment, increased poverty, and a dire human rights crisis in the region.

Efforts to demand an independent investigation, oversight, and transparency have been met with significant suppression, marked by intimidation and imprisonment. Despite these challenges, with the support of overseas Vietnamese and organizations such as the Justice for Formosa’s Victims Association in the United States, 7,874 victims filed a lawsuit against the Formosa Plastic Group in a Taiwanese Court in June 2019.

Regrettably, the Vietnamese government continues to retaliate against both victims and advocates who have bravely raised their voices to protect them. Harassment, arrests, and imprisonment, with sentences of up to 20 years, have been unjustly imposed, framing these individuals as criminals plotting to overthrow the government. Presently, 24 of these prisoners remain incarcerated, with recent arrests, including that of Hoang Van Luan in August 2023.

We urgently appeal to you, President Biden, to exert diplomatic pressure on the Vietnamese Government, urging them to cease the retaliation against victims seeking justice through legal channels. By doing so, these individuals can freely complete the necessary documentation for the Taiwanese and U.S. courts. Additionally, we implore your intervention in securing the release of all prisoners who were detained solely for advocating on behalf of the victims.

Your commitment to justice and human rights is widely recognized, and we believe your intervention in this matter can bring about positive change for the affected individuals and their communities. We appreciate your attention to this pressing issue and look forward to witnessing swift and decisive action to address the ongoing crisis.

Sincerely,

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