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22 years after Bikini nuclear blast

Islanders getting radiation care
BOMB, from Al
said George M. Alen. “They

feel that they've been the

Guinea pigs too long already.”
Someprofessionals within
the Atomic Energy Administration say that the MarSi.ciese are being used primarily as guinea pigs. “The basic
thrust of what the United
States has done for the radiation victims has been research
for our information rather
than their welfare,” one ad-

ministration official said.
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For example, when an energy administration doctor, in

off the face of the earth,” according to a U.S. official, and
the island chain is still “very
hot.”
$270,000. She said they spent
Eniwetok’s former resithe money on sending her dents have asked to return to
children to schools as far their island, and the Defense
away as Hawaii. and “in res- Department, which administaurants.” A Peace Corps vol- ters the island, nas asked for
unteer who lives on Rongelap funds to clear the debris and
now said “None of the people begin “rehabilitation.”
have any moneyleft.”
So iar, however, Congress
Although America’s big- has failed to appropriate the
gest atomic test was conduct- requested money, according
toa US.official
bere.
ed in Bikini, many more tests Painted
statBETS
‘were conducied unul the 1958
Mrs. Boas says that, since
she had five children on the island at the time, she and her
husband received a total of

atomic test ban treaty on Eni-

wetok Atoll, about 300 miles ;

the course of his check-ups, northwest of here. That atoll
discovered widespread cases was purchased from its resiof diabetes, apparently unre- dents who were resettled on
lated to the bomb blast, he Ujalang Atoll about 150 miles
was toid that the Energy Re- away.
search and Development AdOne of the Eniwetok isministration's $450,000 annual lands was “completely blown
Marshall Islands budget could
not be used for treating this

disease,
Those, like Mrs. Boas, who
were exposed to radiation
from the Bikini blast, re.

ceived $10,000 as compensation from the U.S. The former

residents of Bikini recently

were granted $1 million in

compensation for their hard-

| ships.

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