LOS ANGELES TIMES July 23, 1978 4 py § Necs Enrtn U.S. ERRED Bikini (sland: Lost Again fo Radiation The Rikinians must leave their ancestrat home and its beautiful, fish- Aceming lagoon because the Amenicans, as they themselves now admit, made a regrettable error 10 years 220: Despite what the scientists and the President said—despite an invest- ment of $3.25 million for cleanup and When the atomic bomb dropped, I rebuilding — Bikinits not safe afterali. pletely. [tf would have been better, Andrew Jakco and the others living on Bikini{sland are being subjected to unacceptably high doses of radiation of the Bikini people, 1973 bombblasts that scared the atoll during 12 years oftesting. Some younger Bikinians may live to see their homeland again, but An- thought Bikini would disappear com- mayoe, if itt had... . Then we wouldn't have all these troubles. —Nathas Note, scribe « BY JERRY BELCHER Times Sialt writer BIKINI, Marshall Istands—When the Americans made him leave Bikina for the first time. in 1946, Andrew Jakco was 34 years old, When,after using the fragite Pacific atoll for 23 nucleartest blasts, the Americans in the person of Prendent Lyndon B. Johnson assured him, his fellow islanders and the rest of the left behind by atomic and hydrogen drew Jakco will not. It may be 50 years before Bikini is fit for human habitation. Andrew Jakco is bitter and angry. although hike most Marshallese he yeils his emotions from outsiders. “The Amencans told us in 16 for human iife, Andrew Jakeo was 56. that they had come to test a bomb,” he said not long ago. “They told us they did not know how much the bomb would hurt Bikini. They told us above al) else, he wants to live out Bikini is good again, they will bring world that Bikini once again was safe Now Andrew Jakeo is 66 and, the days that remain to him on this tiny curve of coral, sand and coconut palms with his family and friends. Then, when his ume comes, he wants to be buried here among his ancestors. . But the old man will not be permitted to end his days where he wishes. For one day next month—fcderal officials say about Aug. 22, allhough official plans dealing with this place and these people seem to go awry more often than not—the Americans will remove Andrew Jakeo and the 140 others living on 449-acre Bikint Island, Jargest of the 26 islets that make up Bikini Atoll. They will be transported to “temporary” quarters in Kili, a single island with a fand area one-sixth that of their 2.2-square-mile home atol). Kili, without a lagoon, lies nearly 500 miles southeast. It is an island some Bikinians habitually refer to as “the prison.” that afler they tested the bomb, and us back. They did not say how long it would be.” But Andrew—Marshalicse address One anotherbyfirst names and expect outsiders lo do the same~helieved, along with the 165 others the US. Navy removed in 1946, that they would be back within a year or so. Meantime, he was convneed, the Americans would provute for him and the other peuple of Clam. Please Turn to Page 3, Col. 1