Continued from 7th Page
interior subcommittee on appropriations. opened the first of a series of
hearings on the moneybill and the
plight of the Bikinians.
At the April 12 session of the Yates
subcommittee, Trust Territory officials testified that it was their belief
Bikint Island would be off limits for 30
to 50 years but that Eneu, 10 miles
away, Was likely to be a Safe site for
permanent resettlement.
Adrian Winkel, current high commissioner of the Trust Territory, testified that “even knowing of the danger.” those already living on Bikini
Island wanted to stav there and that
tnere was some indication
others
from Kali wanted to join them on the
condemned home island.
The suncommuiitee was told that final determination of whether Eneu
was safe for permanent relocation
could not be made until aout Jan. 1.
1979. when radioactivity levels of
frit and vegetables grown in an experimental garden plot on the island
would be made known by the Departmentof Energy.
But the witnesses agreed that the
Bikinians could remain where they
were without harm until Jan. 1 if they
just stuck to the rules and refrained
from eating the coconuts—unless,
they added in qualification, the medical tests (whole body counts) to be
made on the Bikinians later in April
showed sharp jumpsin internal radiaton dosage. And that was not expected.
McCraw, now chief of special
projects branch of the Energy Department’'s division of environmental!
Safety, said in an interview in early
May, “We can show that Eneuis lowér (in radioactivity) by a factor of 10
than Bikim Island. . . Eneu could be
a residence island without restrictions, which means you can eat the
fish you catch in the lagoon, you can
grow any crop. I'm convinced that
these Eneu (test) crops are going to
show very much lower levels than
the Bikini numbers.”
At the Department of the Interior,
Rutn Van Cieve. chief of territorial
fiairs: John DeYoung. her top assis-
tan' and Hign Commissioner Winkel
he had heard stories of that time <
his life.
He repeated one now to the sut
committee: When the naval office
had told the people they must leas
the island a generation ago, he ha
compared them “to the children ofIs
rael whom the Lord saved from the
enemy and led into the promise
land.”, -
all thought Eneu was the most acceptabl> second choice of the Bikinians.
But now all three were cautious
about the data they were getting
from the Energy Department. “All we
can do at any stage ts listen to what
the experts say—and hope they're
night,” Mrs. Cleve said.
It had not worked out that way.
“The decisions of 1967-68 (that Bi“We are more akin to the childre
kim was safe for resettiement) were of Israel when they left Egypt an
based on available knowledge,” ' wandered through the desert for 4
Winkel said. “And nowweare in viryears,” the dark-skinned. dignifie
tuaily the same position. The dec-' Bikinian said. “We left Bikini an
sions we make now will be oased on have wandered through the ocean {c
available knowledge.”
32 years, and we will never return t
our promised land.”
‘
In fact Tomak: was back on Bikir
But less than two weeks later,
on June 1aténg with High Commis
there was bad newsfor the B:kinians.
sioner Winkel, but only to break th:
The report on the April whole body
news to the people and to discus
counts on the Bikinians showed a with them where they wantedto go.
Startling increase tn internal radiation
Winkel’s recommendations wer
doses.
read into the record at the June I:
The readings ranged up to .98,
meeting of the Yates subcommittee
nearly double the federal safety stanHe noted that those living on Bikin
dard of .5 rems.
Island told him that if they could no
Including the external radiation doremain there, or at least on Eneu
sage of .2, the sameas in the past, the
they preferred to moveto “public dotop reading was 1.18.
main” land in Hawaii or to the mainAt the same time, and justas startland of the United States.
lingly, preliminary results of testing
on coconuts grown on Eneu showed
He said the majority of those living
radioacuvity levels five to six times
on
Kili apparently preferred to rehigher than had been expected.
Testifying at the May 22 session of maim there. But, he added, some
the Yates subcommittee, Mrs. Van wanted to join the Bikini residents
Cleve said the latest results required whereverthey might be relocated.
Further tests on Eneu foodstuffs
a fast overhaulof plans.
First. she said, although there was would be required before the island
no immediate hazard to their health. could be finally ruled out, Winkel
the people must be removed from Bi- said. But he was not optimistic. And,
kim Isiand within 90 days. Second, it without quite spelling it out, he
appeared that Eneu must be ruled out seemed to dismiss the thoughtof reas the alternative site of the per- locating the Bikinians in Hawaii or on
the mainland.
manent resettlement.
“On the basis of all the factors,”
At the same session, at the head of
Winkel summedup, “it is my decision
a small delegation of Bikini leaders.
that the people of BikimIsland should
was Magistrate Tomaki Juda, son of
be relocated to Kuli Island at this
the man who was chief in 1946. Altime.”
though born on Bikim, the 36-yearWinkel’s statement to the subcomold Tomak: was too young to remember detaus of the first removal. But
Please Turn to Page 10, Col. 2
Tote
vom?
BIEN] ISLANDERS FACE REMOVAL