Download  In what is being described as a landmark case, a Taiwanese owned manufacturer has made an out of court settlement with thousands of Vietnamese farmers who claim pollution caused by his firm significantly affected their livelihoods.

Vedan Vietnam, which makes food additives including monosodium glutamate (known as MSG), reportedly discharged waste water in such quantities into the local river that it damaged the ecosystem.

Thousands of fish and shrimp farmers claimed the toxic waters killed their catch and ruined farmland along the river's banks.

Vedan has admitted responsibility and offered compensation worth 11.5 million US dollar to farmers in three provinces.

Bo Hill of Radio Australia has the story.

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Hundreds of public health experts gathered last week in Vietnam to talk about how to link public health and human rights.

The right to health is affirmed in numerous United Nations agreements.

But ideas about public health and human rights often come into conflict, particularly when it comes to activities many governments consider criminal, like drug use.

And as Matt Steinglass reports from Hanoi, some governments are especially sensitive to the issue of human rights.