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and economic stability of Bikini.
The lack of a protected
harbor and the concomitant inability to load copra abroad
Ship and send merchandise ashore have been extremely serious
obstacles to successful resettlement on Kili.
Probable Pattern of Living on Bikini
If the former Bikini people are returned to the atoll
they will probably follow much the same pattern of living as
they did before the move.
They will undoubtedly want to live
in the same village areas as before.
located on Bikini Island.
center of the atoll.
The main village was
This was the soctal and economic
Settlements were also located on Eneu,
Nam and some of the other smaller islands.
need houses,
the like.
copra warehouses,
The people will
school buildings,
churches, and
The leaders of the community with whom I have
spoken expect that the U.S. Government will provide these
buildings,
just as the Rongelap people and the E11lib people
were provided for.
This is certainly a reasonable expectation
and should be fulfilled.
Some of the existing buildings,
especially those on Eneu,
could be repaired and remodeled.
These could be used to house workers during the initial period
of rehabilitation of the island. They would be of value to
the community in the future as well.
I have indicated the
location of the former village sites and dwelling sites on the
permanently inhabited islands of the atoll in my Bikini Survey
Log.