ACSA
To the Chiefs and All People in Utirik Atoll
Your letter to Mr. Roger Ray, dated July 1976, has been received
by this office.
We wish to thank you for sending this letter and bringing
your views to our attention.
We have carefully considered your views,
as presented in your letter, and we appreciate the opportunity to answer
your thoughtful questions.
Even today, there are many facts about radiation that are not known,
despite the large number of scientists that have studied this subject for
the past-20--o7 more than 30 years.
Even less was known about radia-
tion in 1954 at the time of the exposure of the people on Rongelap and
Utirik.
Based on all available knowledge on radiation at that time, and
using the their best judgment, the American doctors determined estimated
that the people of Utirik were exposed enly to only a small amount of
radiation.
Hence, there was general agreement among the doctors that
the Utirik people would not, in the future,
caused by radiation.
show any diseases ill effects
Also, since they had-shown- little er-ne effects-oef
theix-expesuxe, the relatively low levels of radiation soon disappeared
from Utirik, the Utirik people were returned to this-island their island
before some of the other populations.
Rongelap, however, was more
heavily contaminated with radioactivity so the people of this island had to
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