Giff Johnson, a free-lance writer who has traveled extensively
throughout the Pacific, edits the Micronesia Bulletin
published in Honolulu, Hawa 96826.
by the early 1970s a few people had
begun moving back.
Many Bikinians tell of Atomic Energy Commission scientists taking
them to Bikint to demonstrate its
safety. When the Bikinians refused
to eat any local foods. feanng radiation exposure, the scientists would
consume conconuts, fish and other
foods in front of the islanders to
convince them.'' In 1972, however,
the Bikinians expressed doubts
about the safety of their atoll and
voted not to retum home. But the
government was committed to the
resettlement and offered Marshal-
lese government employees free
food and housing if they would move
to Bikin:.
Dunng an Atomic Energy Commission survey of the more than 100
people iiving on the atoll in 1975, the
‘“‘presence of low levels of
plutonium” in their urine was ditscovered. The Commission, and later
the Department of Energy, did not
consider
this
‘‘radiologically
Significant."''? By 1977, tests showed
an 11-fold increase in the people's
bady burdens of cesitum-137. Rather
than remove the population from a
hazardous environment. however,
the Department of Energy suggested
that the Trust Terntory government
institute a complete feeding pro-
gram. to reduce consumption of
local foods. and thus exposure.
The Department seemed reluctant
to give up what one Lawrence
Livermore Laboratory study called
““possibiv the best available source
of data for evaluating the transfer of
plutonium across the gut wall after
being incorporated into biological
systems."'3 The situation detenorated further and by May 1978,
a high percentage of the Marshallese
body levels were above the
Maximum permissible dose allowed
in the United States. The Bikinians
were evacuated again.
26
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TRUST TERRITORY OF THE
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Land area: 708 square miles
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