Giff Johnson, a free-lance writer who has traveled extensively
throughout the Pacific, edits the Micronesia Bulletin
published in Honolulu, Hawaii 96826.
by the early 1970s a few people had
begun moving back.
Many Bikinians tell of Atomic En-
ergy Commission scientists taking
them to Bikini to demonstrate its
safety. When the Bikinians refused
to eat any local foods. fearing radiation exposure, the scientists would
consume conconuts, fish and other
foods in front of the islanders to
convince them.'! In 1972, however,
the Bikinians expressed doubts
about the safety of their atoll and
voted not to return home. But the
government was committed to the
resettlement and offered Marshal-
Pas
mo
Oe
Ye
-
2
2h
.
significant.""'? By 1977, tests showed
an I1-fold increase in the people's
bady burdens of cesium-137. Rather
than remove the population from a
hazardous environment, however,
the Department of Energy suggested
that the Trust Terntory government
institute a complete feeding program. to reduce consumption of
local foods. and thus exposure.
The Department seemed reluctant
to give up what one Lawrence
Livermore Laboratory study called
““possibiy the best available source
of data for evaluating the transfer of
plutonium across the gut wail after
being incorporated into biological
syStems.'''3 The situation detenorated further and by May 1978,
a high percentage of the Marshallese
body levels were above the
Maximum permissible dose allowed
in the Unsted States. The Bikimans
were evacuated again.
26
(2.141 islands)
2
*.
S
lese government employees free
food and housing if they would move
to Bikint.
Dunng an Atomic Energy Commission survey of the more than 100
people iiving on the atoll in 1975, the
‘“*presence of low levels of
plutonium” in their urine was dis. covered. The Commission, and later
the Department of Energy, did not
consider
this
‘‘radiologically
PACIFIC ISLANDS
Dioseel
le % »
e
.
—
Martena, Carotiar and Marshall Islands
Po
;
aeeee
j Marshall istends Detrict-~~
$ Populanioa: 24,248
| Area: 69.84 square mules
Total isnnd popelation: 114,645
Inhabited siolls and separate intnods: 110
Ocean sree: @ 3,000,000 square mniles
Land area: 700 square miles
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