RESETTLEMENT OF PEOPLE
1965 continued
are relocated from the hazard zone to
Ebeye. A payment of $25 a month is provided for each of the 194 people residing on the islands, although more than
1,000 people have customary land rights
in these islands.
1967 Bikini: United States Government
agencies begin coneidering the possibility of the Bikini people returning
to their home atoll.
Bikini: An AEC study states of Bikini:
"Well water could be used safely by the
natives upon their retum to Bikini..
ost.
ipePY
4
a
‘Ng
1
Ai
e es
h
Ev
ay
Te appears that radioactivity in drink-
ing water may be ignored from a radio-~
wy,
logical safety standpoin:."
Djelang: After twenty years, the pro-
blems of the displaced Enewetak people
on Ujelang have mounted until the situation approaches a crisis.
Field trip
ships continue to be erratic in visits
and materials for keeping sailing canoes operational are tadily needed.
Co-
pra production is low (only 1/3 of the
1952 level), as the trees are old and
BIKINI IN 1946: A SELF-SUFFICIENT
PEOPLE PRIOR TO THEIR RELOCATION
BY THE NAVY IN 1946.
Photo by Leonard Mason
ap
Kwajalein: With increasing military
newly planted trees will not bear for
five years or more.
Althcugh cats have
been brought in, rats are destroying
the copra, and when supplies of rice
and flour are exausted, the people eat
the coconuts instead of making copra to
sell.
Ujelang: Housing built by the Navy in
1947 is severely deteriorated and there
are no materials for repair or maintenance.
While the housing supply is
less, the population has grown to 285.
activity at Kwajalein, emplevment of
The large community council house and
the copra warehouse blew down vears ago
in a typhoon, and the sheet netal
church and community center is rusting
Marshallese increases to 663 peopie.
The population on Ebeye rises to 3,500
people.
away.
1966 Kwajalein: The Ebeye population
grows 1,000 in a year to 4,500 people,
living on che available 66 acres (the
OCTOBER 20 Ujelang: A Trust Territory
supply ship arrives at Ujelang to find
the people with no copra to sell and
no money to buy needed food and supplies. Almost all of the nearly 300
people board the ship, demanding to
leave Ujelang for Majuro to protest to
the government that they have no food
Coast Guard station on the tin of Ebeye
uses 12 acres).
Kwajalein: An addendum to the 1964 MidCorridor Islands lease is negotiated,
increasing subsistence payments to the
194 displaced people on Ebeve from $25
and are starving.
to $40 a month.
JUNE Kwajalein: With the new impact area
for missiles in Kwajalein's lagoon, Lib
Island, 50 miles south, is no longer in
the impact zone.
Its residents are re-
turned home after five years on Ebeye.
17
Ataji Balos, 4
government official on board, after 7
hours of efforts to persuade the people
to give up their plan, agrees to stay
with them on Ujelang, saying "If you
will die, I will die with you.” He
calis for help by radio and promises
(continued on page 19)