Ataj1 Balos of the Congress or Micronesia O© tne of the Pacific Islands, Congressman Balos'! 1rust Lerritory statements concern primarily three points: 1) that the United States "knowingly and consciously" allowed the people of Rongelap and Utirik to be exposed to fallout from the 1954 weapons test detonation; 2) that the Rongelapese have been inadequately compensated monetarily; and 3) that the medical care they have received subsequent to their exposure has been of questionable quality. The assertion that the people were deliberately allowed to be exposed to fallout is categorically unacceptable, The site for the detonation and the conditions under which the detonation was to take place were selected with extreme care so as to prevent any adverse consequences, not only to the personnel involved in the tests but to the inhabitants of any distant islands surrounding the test area, Unfortunately, there was an unpredictable and unexpected shift in winds which carried the ensuing fallout into areas inhabited not only by Marshallese, but by personnel engaged in the test activity. This was not foreseen and in no way can it be considered deliberate, The matter of compensation for the exposed islanders was considered by the 88th Congress of the United States and a bill was passed to provide for the settlement of claims of certain residents of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, This act, Public Law 88-485, authorized payment of $950,000 (less legal fees) by the Secretary of the Interior to the 82 exposed inhabitants of Rongelap or to their survivors, his heirs, received approximately $11,000, Each, or Mr, Balos has stated that the 23 Japancse fishermen also exposed to fallout from the same incident received $2 million dollars, This statement, however, is misleading. The Japanese Government did receive $2 million dollars, and by agree- ment, it was left to the discretion of the Government of Japan as to how the money was to be apportioned among the various claimants + filed by OE i | { US LOL RG + 396 U.S. ATOMIC ENERGY J COMMON CoMection 26-72 Secne tari gt | ne : PolderMAS3Raglia hon v 4 u “