Part 2: Vietnam - An endless love
On July 27, 2009, the photo collection "War Scars" including 65 photos by photographer Murayama Yasufumi and teacher Nishimura Yoichi was exhibited at the War Remnants Museum with stories and images. The emotions about the consequences of war were recorded during the two authors' 11-year journey across Vietnam. Each photo is a story, these are mothers carrying the pain of losing their children, tears still flowing for decades; are wounded soldiers returning to their everyday lives in hardship; are children who grew up in peacetime but suffered from the cruel consequences of Agent Orange/dioxin... The author always had to observe a lot and give the characters sincere sympathy. That photo attracted special attention and shocked viewers. Murayama left viewers speechless before the children with distorted smiles, absent-minded eyes or hands and feet that were just tiny pieces of flesh.
A story that left an impression on Murayama's career is the story of girl Do Thuy Duong in Soc Trang. In 2001, by chance, Murayama Yasufumi learned about that girl's situation. The tumor that disfigured the girl's face evoked endless sympathy in the photographer's heart and from then on, she became the driving force for Murayama to carry out many programs and projects to fight for justice. treatment for victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam. Thuy Duong grew up like other normal children until one day, a part of Duong's right face was in sharp pain, her facial skin was sagging and severely deformed according to the size of the tumor, covering her right eye. . Mr. Do Tan Phat - Thuy Duong's father - said that he previously served at the military medical unit of Military Region 9, in charge of North-South delivery and receipt, stationed in a forest in Tay Ninh - a place heavily sprayed. CDDC. Now, that tragedy appears in the form of his daughter. Murayama and Take-Guchi (reporter for the Mainichi Shinbun daily newspaper in Osaka) and a group of Japanese volunteers posted an article (by Take-Guchi) about Do Thuy Duong on the website http://www.geocities.jp /shiensurukai.jp calls for help. Murayama and his friends put up large signs on the street, posting pictures and articles about Do Thuy Duong to "donate" money to passersby. After that, the group went to bars, cafes, universities, subway stations... to continue campaigning. Thanks to the $4,000 raised, in September 2006 Murayama connected with Kyoto University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital to bring Do Thuy Duong to Japan to have surgery to remove the tumor.
“My father was infected with Agent Orange” – Do Thuy Duong, a 17-year-old girl who was infected with Agent Orange/dioxin from her father. She has no right eye, can't hear in her right ear, and has difficulty walking. Only her father understood what she wanted to say (Ho Chi Minh City, February 2006).
Source: Murayama Yasufumi
While Thuy Duong was being treated at Kyoto hospital, the girl Yokogawa Mariko often came to the hospital to take care of Thuy Duong. Here she met and fell in love with Murayama. In August 2008, Murayama and Mariko decided to return to Vietnam - the place where their love originated - to hold their wedding. During the wedding ceremony, Yokogawa Mariko wore a red Vietnamese ao dai, which made Murayama extremely emotional. The two's wedding took place cozy in a small restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City. Murayama Yasufumi invited 20 Japanese friends, the remaining 80 Vietnamese friends were people from high social status to cyclo workers, motorbike taxi workers, ladies at cafes, uncles in restaurant... During the 15 years together, Murayama Yasufumi and his wife have been to Vietnam 8 times (Murayama alone many times). "My love for Vietnam is so great that my wife is jealous... That is simple because I met my wife for only 6 years, but I have known Vietnam for 16 years" Murayama confided.
His endless affection and love for the country and people of Vietnam has now spread to his wife. Ms. Huynh Ngoc Van - Former Director of the War Remnants Museum "identified" Murayama as "a person who owes a debt to Vietnam" - "Murayama strangely loves Vietnam. He devoted all his love to Vietnam, using visual language to tell the world about the fate of war victims in Vietnam. It is a practical, very respectable job." To this day, Murayama still has the desire to bring more and more images of the consequences of war in Vietnam to the world to convey the message. about the value of peace and respect for Vietnam's sovereignty in the present and the future.
Murayama Yasufumi's wedding in Ho Chi Minh City in August 2008.
Source: https://www.vietnam.vn/vo-chong-nhat-nen-duyen-nho-viet-nam-dam-cuoi-moi-bac-xe-om-co-ban-tra-da/