It is an irony of history that the U.N. Trust Agreement binds
the United States both to ‘protect the health of the inhabitants’ and ‘protect
the inhabitants against the loss of their :and or resources.’
yet this appears to have been a major
contributor to the alarming rate of
problems at Rongelap, Utirik and
other islands. At Bikini it was the
reason for evacuating the people in
1978, and who can guarantee the fu-
ture of the Enewetak people?
Moreover, in October 1980 the
Department of Energystated thatit is
now safe for the Bikinians to return
to a certain island in Bikini Atoll. It
was claimed that the people will not
receive doses abovethe federal radia-
tion standards if they import 50 per-
cent of their food and spend no more
_than 10 percent of their time on
Bikini Island, approximatelysix miies
away.
It is an irony of history that the
United Nations Trust Agreement
binds the United States both to
‘*protect the health of the in-
habitants’* and “protect the in-
habitants against the loss of their
land or resources.’**®
With medical examinations and
environmental surveys by doctors
andscientists independent of the
U.S. government. combined with a
thorough education program on
radiation, at least the diagnosis and
treatment of the Marshallese will
improve. But unless the independent
scientific community in the United
States becomes more involved in the
health problems on these islands, it
is likely that the inhabitants will
serve primanily as a source for U.S.
government research into the effects
of radiation on human populations.
1. Edward Martell to Theodore Mitchell
(Micronesian Legal Service Corporation)
Dec. 9, 1974.
2. Defense Nuclear Agency. “‘Fact
Sheet—Enewetak Operation © (Washington,
D.C.: pva, Apnl [Y¥skO).
3. KHON [TV-2) interview with Paul Udell,
Honolulu, March [¥sd.
4. Floyd Takeuchi, Pacific and Astan Affairs Seminar, Honolulu, June 18, 1980.
§. ‘‘Enewetak Islanders Plan Return,”
Sow avallable
™!
Honolulu Star Bulletin, Sept. 76, 1979.
6. °°Problems Unresolved on Enewetak
The Pavers
of the Worldwatch Institute
7. Rosalie Bertell to U.S. Congressman
Sidney Yates. June 6. 1980.
The Institute is an independent,
non-profit research organization
created to analyze and to facus
attention on worid problems.
8. Glenn H. Alcalay to Congressman Sid-
ney Yates. June 74, 1980.
9. General Accounting Office. ““Enewetak
Atoll—Cleaning Up Nuciear Contamination,"
PSAD 79-54 (May &. 1979).
1 Nuclear Power: The Fifth
Horseman by Denis Hayes. Details
10. Atomic Energy Commission. ~*Repon
of Ad Hoc Committee to Evaluate the
Radiologteal Hazards of Resettlement of Bikint Atoll" (1969).
11. Ralph Waltz to Giff Johnson, Majuro,
tne issues to be faced if we increase
our use of nuclear cower: enviran-
mental impact, availability of uranium,
economics. safety, proliferation and
terrorism. 64 pages.
Marshall Islands, June 1979.
12. Robert A. Conard. “The Radiological
2 Eneray: The case for Con-
Status of the Bikini People: A Summary Report” (Upton. N.Y.: Brookhaven National
Laboratory, Sept. 20. 197).
13. Lawrence Livermore Laboratory,
“Dose Assessment at Bikini Atoll.” UCRL81879 (June 8. 1977) pt. S “Bikini ishanders
Want to Stay There.” Washington Post, April
3, 1980.
14. Conard, “Radiological Status."’
1S. Konrad P. Kotrady. “‘The Brookhaven
Medical Program to Detect Radiation Effects
in Marshallese People: A Comparison of the
People’s vs. the Program's Attitudes’ Wan. 1.
1977), unpublished but available from Micronesia Suppon Committee. 1212 University
Ave., Honolulu, HI 96826.
servation by Danis Hayes. Reports
tnat more than half tne enercy the U.S.
consumes is wasted. Conservation in
certain areas could meet cur energy
neeas tor the next 25 years. 77 pages.
3 Repairs Reuse Recycling—First
sieps Towaru a Sustainacle £ociety oy Denis Hayes. in ight of pastical, energy and environmentai con-
sivaints on our future use at virgin
maleriais. recycling must become a
central organizing principie in industrial Societies. 45 pages.
4 Inflation: The Rising Cost of
Living on a Small Planet by Robert
16. Conard. "Radiological Status.”
Fuller. The author views inflation as a
symptom of a growing imbaitance between soaring human demands and
she physical resources to satisfy then.
He suggests steps Gevernment and individuals can take to deal with the
17. John Anjain, Magistrate of Rongelap
Atoll 1950-65 to Giff Johnson. Ebeye. Marshall Islands, July 1979.
18. Lewis Strauss. taped press conference.
1954 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives,
1954).
19. Robert A. Conard and others. ““Sum-
sources of rising prices. 48 pages.
5 Food or Fuel: New Competition
mary of Thyroid Findings in Marshallese 22
Years after Exposure to Radioactive Fallout.’ No. 21924 (Upton, N.Y. Brookhaven
for the World's Cropland by Lester
Brown. Discusses the tecnnoiogy and
National Luboratory. 1976).
economics of agriculturally based
aicohoi fuel. Init'atives to increase its
20. Kotrady, "Brookhaven Medical Program."
21. Phitadelphia Inquirer, "Who Knows
production and use may drive prices
upward so that the price of oil may
soon determine the price of food.
43 pages.
HowLong They ll Take To Show.”” April 20,
1979,
22. Conard and others, “‘A Twenty Year
Review of Medical Findings tn a Marshallese
Population Accidentally Exposed to Radioactive Fallout’ (Upton. N.Y.: Brookhaven Naonal Laboratory, 1975).
23. U.S. Department of Enerey, “Nartherm Marshall Islands Acnal Radiation Survey,
September to November 1978,"
24, Micrenesian Independent. “The 7° 000
Year Question.” June 6. 1980.
25. Kotrady. “Brookhaven Medical Pro-
eram,"”
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26. United Nations, “Pristeeship: Avreement forthe Proust Terrtory of the Puce [s- xt
Aloo
pt tee
bk FD
tS
Png at
4 OR
ea ans
Unicaga, hiinors oUoS?
fands (New York: U.N. Trusteeship Council,
1947).
December 1980
sos
DIRECT FROIA THE BULLETIN
Atoll." Honolulu Star Bulletin, March 26,
1980.
Ot Aoo. a.
States. Similarly, exposure through
concentration of radiation in the
food chain is not well understood.
re
the Bullean of the Atomic Scientists 29