ame a. og LaPgs ~ 405458 AS Tu-sday, Getober 14, 1978 HONOLULU ADVERTISER 3 Bikini exiles ‘tell taleof woe, prepare case By KEN KOBAYASHI Advertiser Staff Writer ‘What would three exiled Bikini residents tell the man who made them leave their home 29 years ago to make way for 23 U.S. nuclear explosions on that Marshall Island atoll? . - If somehow that man was in the ‘very sanie oom, - what would they say? © = «> de % “We would tell him how sorry we. are “for all the avertier phote by:Charles OF difficulties and the hardships the people of Bikini have 3 Pgexiled Bilint”residents, (left to Het HenchiBalos, Lore Kessi encountered,” said Henchi Balos in calm,sure tones. | “and, Nathan Note, look ata studyof radioactivityat Etiwetok Islar “We would tell him aboutthe damages to ‘our’ i -4 eee Soak lands. -. oy ran og a + tle, “THEN, BECAUSE WE' RE}poor; ‘Lecduse we cannot. help ourselves, we would ask for the help of the U.S.” Balos is one of four Bikini residents in Honolulu to testify in behalf of their class action suit filed against several Federal agencies last Thursday. ° « - The-suit,which claims the agencies have violated the - .agreement under which the U.S. administers the Trust Territories, is the first major legal action against the U.S. by the Bikini residents. They left their atoll in 146 after ‘the U. S. picked the islands as the site of nuclear tests which continued , until 1958.-- In the meantime, ‘Bikini7residents were relocated to Rongerik where some of them starved, then Kwajelein where they lived -in tents and finally Kili Island, where most of the Bikini community of $60 lives, : : - i BEST COPY AVAILABLE BALOS, NATHAN NOTE’ AND Lore“Beesiunathree . of the named plaintiffs in the suit in behalf of the Bikinicommunity, gave their views.on their‘exile and the.. court action during an interviewyesterday at the Ala Moana Hotel. The fourth. named Plaintiff, Tomaki Juda, was il] and couldn't attend. The three spoke in Marshallese.“the translator was by Reuben Zackras, a counselor with-the Micronesian legal Aid Corporationon the Marshall Island of Maju- Despite the hardships that resulted with relocation - - over the past 29 years, the three said they would not show the man responsible for their exile scorn,anger or resentment. Asked whether they would request or demand assist ance, Balos said: “We are not bitter toward the US. We-,are. not Fe a re . against the U.S. “BUT I THINK AT THIS|POINTiini time we have the right to ask for assistance.” Kessibuki, the magistrate and leader of the Bikini community, said the residents had no choice but to leave once the atoll was picked for the tests. | . “We couldn't say ‘no,’ ” he said. “It was the end of ‘the war. We were in fear. When the Americans came, they said, ‘I'm superior here in the Pacific. You cannot say no.’ " “The residents, numbering 165 at the time, 'were relo_ cated to Rongerik atoll, about a quarter of the size ot ,. Bikini . “We first realized the US. Governient was ‘hot going to keep its promise of providing for ‘our needs ’ when the big starvation hit,” said Note. . ---, “People had to eat spoiled coconuts which’ drifted in . from other islands. If you found that coconut op shore, ' you would hide it from other people,” he said. : “MY GRANDMOTHER DIED BECAUSE of this starvation.” Although conditions at Kili were better, Note’ explain. ed some of the hardships. ' “There are no small islands where we live,” he said. “We used to go down to the small islands and ‘gather | food. We no longer enjoy that. “We have some seasons when the surf is terrible. It is impossible to land, load and unload things ‘The island doesn't have a lagoon. Our grown up . Kids don't know how to sail, a custom of Marshall Island people.” repository COLLECTION BOX No, DOF /,PASO DotLMV Loe 3 U- BHM > 1S CORRES/ FOLDER GeALLIS YP¢~ 124 PS