Because living conditions deteriorated further the United States instituted small trust funds. For the Bikinians, the trust fund yielded semi-annuai interest payments of approximately $15 per person. lier showed a marked increase in the amount of radioacuve nuclides in the people's bodies. These tests show that tne Bikinians were ingesting higher than acceptable concentratloms of cancer-causing radiation from the water und from food grown in the island's contaminated soul. The U.S5. government then began importing all food (except local fish. which was declared safe) and dnnk to Bikini. This food program has compounded the Bikini dilemma: while the Bikintans have been told that the island is radioactive and po- tentialis dangerous. the prospect of tree food and housing and a chance to move trom Kili—called the “prison by residents—-has encouraged peuple to returm. In eurty 1978. the Energy Research and Development Association considered moving the peopie to another island in Bikini Atoll— Eneu—nd was growing fruits and vegetaties in an experimental garden to test radioactivity levels there. Re- sults from these experiments. however, werent expected for about a year. According to a careful report in the Los Angeles Times. by February 1978 it was otficial governmentpolicy: Bikini was unfit for people to live on. Nevertheless. in Apnl. Trust Territory officials, testifying at a congressional hearing on funding for re-establishing the Bikinians on Eneu Island, insisted that the people could remain on Bikiniwithour harm until the expemments on Eneu were completed in January 1979—provided that they didn’t eat any coconuts. and that the coming medi- cal tests showed. as was expected, no large increases in internal radiation levels. In the April 1978 medical examinations, however. the Bikinians’ inter- nal radiation levels ranged up to 0.980. or nearly mvice the U.S. maximum satety standard of 0.5 rems. At the same time. the preliminary resuits trom the expertmental garden at Eneu Island showed that radioactivity levels were 5 to 6 times higher than expected. Throughout the rehabilitation of Bikini. the Energy Research and Development Association and the Department ot Energy had conducted countless radiological sur- vevs of the island—-many of which suggest the Bikinians were unwitting subjects for scientific radiation tests. A recent study for the Departmentof Energy concluded that ‘Bikini Atoll may be the only global source of data on humans where intake via ingestion is thought to contribute the major fraction of plutonium body burden. A 1976 Lawrence Livermore Laboratory scientist stated that Bikini “is possibly the best available source of data for evaluating the transter of piutonium across the gut wall atter being incorporated into biological systems.” Government scientists vehemently deny they have used the Marshallese for experimentation. A DOE official explained. “It was done by technical tvpes anxious to know about the transfer of radioactive elements. Intenor Department officials an- nounced in May 1978 that the atoll would be evacuated within 90 days. and the people returned to Kili Island. [n late August. [nterior repre- sentatives went to Bikini to supervise the evacuation, in many ways reminiscent of the i946 removal. “There are some things we didn't feel good about,” said Taro Lokebal. who serves as liaison between the Bikini Council and the United States. ““The (U.S.) High Commissioner made the people rush. ... Some things were behind—pigs. chickens, lumber. had to have our ceremony on ship. [t was supposed to be on shore but we had no time.” Though the Bikinians. like left We the the the Enewetakese. suffered the devastating physical and psychological ef- fects of relocation and, at times. even near starvation, they had never suffered radiation exposure until they returned to their radioactive 1s- land atter 25 years. Nowthe Biki- nians are an exposed population. too. And who knows what the future holds for the Enewetak people— many of whom have now retumed to their home atoll to work with thousands of U.S. armysoldiers in the massive nuclear debris cleanup. Until the scientifie community and independent organizations begin cnt- ically to monitor U.S. government agencies’ treatment of the Marshallese, their situation is not apt to change. From the nuclear bomb tests at Bikini and Enewetak to the medical treatment ofthe irradiated islanders. the 30 years of Amenican trusteeship has brought the Marshallese any- thing but the conditions promised in the U.N. trust agreement. Conard. Robert A.. M.D.. et al. A Tu enn Year Review of Medicaid Findines in a Mar- shatlese Population Accidentally Exposed tu Radivactive Fallout. Brookhaven Nationai Laboratory. Washington. D.C.. Department of Commerce. 1978: available from National Technical Information Service. Congress of VMicronesta Speceal Joint Cummittee Concerning Rongelap and Ctirtk: 1973 Repurt. Kolonia, Ponape 96941: The Congress. Detroit Free Press. Sept. 2. 1978. Gensuikin (Japan) Medical Survey Team. Re- port on the Invesugation of Damage Done by the Biuint Hvdroeen Bomb Test to me Peopie of tre Marshall [ytands. rev. ed., Tokvo. Japan: Gensuikin, 4th f.. Akimoto Bldg.. 2-19 Tsukasa-Che. Kanda. Chivoda-ku. Tokyo. i973. Honolulu Advertiser. Oct. 10, 1978: June 16. 20. 21. and 22, 1977; March 19. 1978. July 30, 1978. International Herald Tribune, April i9. 1978. Kiste. Robert C. The Bikimians: A Study in Forced Migration. Mento Park. Ca.: Cummings Publishing Co.. 1974. Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. Dose Assessment at Bikint Atoll. UCRL-51879 PL. Washington. D.C.: Department ot Commerce. June. 8. 1977: available from Na- tional Technicai Information Service. Los Angeles Times, June 11, 1977. McHenry. Donald F Micronesia. Trust Be- traved. Washington, D.C.. Carnegie Endowment for [nternationa: Peace. i975. Micronesian Independent, Sept. 12. 1975. New York Times, March 23, 1978. Washington Post. March 23 and 2°. LOTR, April 3. 1978. February 1979 The Bulletin 15