The Political Situation Decisions on the local level are made by the council of family heads and other males. The council is headed by , Magistrate Juda, who is also the senior male of the Bikini group according to the traditional system. the local chiefs (1roij), of Bikini. He is the heir of The Bikini people were - also traditionally subjects of a paramount chief (iroij lablab), whose ancestor had conquered Bikini over a century ago. The paramount chiefs of Bikini had never lived on the atoll but only visited it from time to time to collect tribute from tnreir subjects. A percentage of the cash proceeds from copra procuc- tion was collected during the Japanese period. 7 The Bikini people, in effect, Geclared their independence from the paramount chief shortly after their move from Bikini. They rejected him completely and declared that the U.S. Government was their paramount chief, and not the absentee title holder, whom they complained had never done anything to help them, but only exploited them. for the past twenty years. This has been the theme On my last trip to the Harshalls I found that this attitude has not changed. They want nothi:g to do with Iroij Lejol8A Kabua who holds the paramount chief's rights to Bikini according to the traditional Marshallese custom. The attitude of rejection and refusal to accept him as their leader and spokesman has hardened, if anything, after more than twenty. years of independence. As I understand it, Lejol88 continues to maintain his claim to his hereditary rights A, ceniixe I 35 wes 4D46 | Blox[Poa | -