PEOPLE AFFECTED; AND AFTER HAVING
MET THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ACTUALLY
AFFECTED BY THIS BOMB, I HAVE WORE THAN JUST SIMPLE SYMPATHY FOR
THESE PEOPLE.
I HAVE AN EMOTION WHICH IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO
DESCRIBE, AND THE ONLY WAY ALL OF US CAN APPROXIMATELY UNDERSTAND THIS
EMOTION IS TO IMAGINE FOR A BRIEF, UNBEARABLE MOMENT HOW WE WOULD
FEEL IF OUR SON OR DAUGHTER WERE TO DIE AS THE RESULT OF THE NEGLIGENCE
OF ANOTHER PERSON, OR IF OUR FAMILIES WERE TO BE MADE SICK AND WORRY
ABOUT THEIR FUTURE HEALTII BECAUSE OF THE FAULT OF ANOTHER PERSON.
MR. PRESIDENT, I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT THIS SUBJECT.
I
COULD GO INTO GREAT DETAIL IN DESCRIBING THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE
RONGELAPESE WHO WERE DISFIGURED BY RADIATION BURNS BECAUSE OF THIS
NEGLIGENCE, AND MOST POIGNANTLY I COULD DESCRIBE IN GREAT DETAIL
THE PHOTOGRAPHS WHICH SHOW MR. JOHN ANJAIN AT THE BEDSIDE OF HIS DYING
SON, LEKOJ.
HOWEVER, MR. PRESIDENT, IT IS NOT MY DUTY TO SPEAK OF UNSPEAKABLE
EMOTIONS.
IT IS MY DUTY, AS CHAIRMAN OF THE SPECIAL JOINT COMMITTEE
TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS WRONG WHICH HAS BEEN VISITED UPON OUR
INNOCENT BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO, THE FOURTH CONGRESS OF MICRONESIA’
SAW FIT TO CREATE BY ENACTMENT OF PUBLIC LAW NO. 4C-33, A SPECIAL
JOINT COMMITTEE CONCERNING RONGELAP AND UTIRIK ATOLLS.
THIS
COMMITTEE WAS MANDATED TO STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS IN TWO
GENERAL AREAS:
INJURY AND MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR THE RONGELAPESE
AND UTIRIKESE, AND COMPENSATION FOR THOSE PEOPLE.
WE HAVE FULFILLED
THE FIRST PART OF THE MANDATE BY SUBMISSION OF OUR REPORT A YEAR AGO;
AND WE NOW CONCLUDE THE REMAINING PART OF THAT MANDATE BY SUBMISSION
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