RESETTLEMENT OF PEOPLE
1947 continued
OCTOBER Rongerik: Navy officials an|
nounce the 3ikintians will be moved to
Vjelang, the western-most atoll in the
Marshalls.
NOVEMBER 22 Vjelang: Ten Bikini men and
|
|
-0 Navy Seabees go tc Utelang and begin
construction cl a new village.
DECEMBER 2 Enewetak:
The “avy announces
that Enewetak Atoll will te used for
the second series of nuclear tests, and
its inhabitants must be moved immediately.
OECEMBER 2] Enewetak: The 145 people of
THE BIKINIANS ARE MOVED INTO A
TEMPORARY TENT CAMP ON KWAJALEIN
FOR SIX MONTHS DURING 1948, AS
THEY LOOK FOR A NEW HOME.
Enewetak are quickly relocated to un~
zsnhabited Ujelang, and the Zikinians
remain at Rongerik, despite caving
built housing at Ujelang.
Photo by
ia
Ujelang: The atoll has only one-third
the land area of Enewetak's 2.26 square
miles and a muci smaller lagoon: 25
miles compared to Enewetak'’s 390 square
miles.
FEBRUARY Rongerik: During DOr. Mason's
second week on Rongerik, he is joined
by a Trust Territory representative who
immediately notifies the adminiscration
of the critical conditions.
Within 24
hours, a medical officer and food are
flown to Rongerik.
After examining the
Bikinians, the doctor states their condition to be that of a starving people.
1948 JANUARY Rongerik: Universicy of
|
Leonard Mason
Hawaii anthropologist Leonard Mason
arrives on Rongerik to indevendently
assess the situation for the Trust TerTitory High Commissioner.
MARCH 14 Rongerik: The 8ikinians are
evacuated from Rongerik and taken to a
temporary camp at the Navy base on Kwajalein.
The Rongerik resettlement at-
tempt has lasted two years and one week.
APRIL Kwajalein: A search begins for an
alternative resettlement site
for the
Bikinians.
JUNE 1 Kwajalein: After consideration of
several atolls,
the Bikini people vote
in favor of moving to Kili Island, pri-
marily because it is uninhabited and not
controlled by a paramount chief.
SEPTEMBER Kili: An advance party of 24
|
Bikini men and 8 Seabees arrive on Kili
to begin construction of a new village.
Because of rough seas, lumber, roofing
and tools for constructing the village
have to be brought ashore on rafts.
THE BIKINIANS, STARVING ON RONGERIK
ATOLL, ARE EVACUATED A SECOND TIME
5 ors on’ IN 1948.
(continued on page 11)
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