WEAPONS TESTING SSR SRS eee 1975 APRIL Rongelap: Nelson Anjain tion. At lower doses, as in the adult of Rongelap Atoll, participates in the group, a greater number of cells would first Conference for a Nuclear Free Pabe spared for malignant transformation." cific held in Suva, Fiji, seeking inter- national support for the Marshallese. The 93 representatives of 22 Pacific and Pacific rim countries at the conference strongly endorse the Rongelap peoples' attempt to gain independent medical aid. DECEMBER Utirik: The people refuse to submit to a quarterly examination by Dr. Knudsen of Brookhaven. The L.A. Times points to a “monumental culture clash" between AEC doctors and the Utirik people as the cause of the peoples‘ refusal of the medical examination. 1976 Rongelap/Utirik: A Brookhaven report shows that to date, 20 out of 29, or 69% of the Rongelap children who were under 10 years old in 1954 have develop- 1977 JUNE Rongelap/Utirik: The U.S. Congress approves more than $1 million ed thyroid tumors. Of the total Rongein compensation for the inhabitants of -ap population of 86 exposed in 1954, Rongelap and Utirik who were exposed to 20, or 25% have developed thyroid tumors; radiation in 1954. A payment of $25,000 at Utirik, 10 oue of 157 or 6% of the will be made to anyone who has had a _ people who were exposed in 1954 have de- thyroid removed or has developed hype> veloped thyroid tumors. Utirik: The people of Utirik, whose original exposure in 1954 of 14 rads was less than one-twelfth of the Rongelap peoples' exposure, suddenly show a nigher rate of thyroid cancer. This thyroid cancer took ‘22 years to develop. JULY Utririk: The people react angrily to this deveiopment because for 22 years thyroidism; to anyone who develops a ra- diation related malignancy such as leu- kemia; and $100,000 to the survivors of any exposed person who dies. $100.000 each is set aside for Rongelap, Utirik, and Bikini for construction of community facilities. The law provides that: "A payment made under the provisions of this section shall be in full settlesent and discharge of all claims against the U.S. government." $1,000 is to be provided to each of the original 157 the 3rookhaven doctors have told the peo- Utirik people exposed to radiation in ple not to expect any adverse effects 1954, from their contamination. In a letter to the Atomic Energy Commission, the Utirik people say they "are very dis- tressed and angry as a result of the 1978 AUGUST Northern Marshalls: A radiation. The people feel that the (AEC) Department of Energy (DOE) report re- program is in need of vast changes." LiZioos Rongelap/Utirik: Brookhaven's 22 year summary of nedical findings points out the reason for a higher amount of thy- roid cancers in the people exposed to low doses, rather than in those exposed to high doses: "...The thyroid doses in the Rongelap children (700-1,400 rads) were high enough to cause many cells to die...and thus reduce the number of -cells at risk for malignant transforma- veals that in addition to Bikini, Enewe- tak, Rongelap and Utivik, ten other atolls or single islands "received inter mediate range fallout from one or more of the megaton range tests," including Ailinginae, Ailuk, Bikar, Jemo, Likiep, Mejit, Rongerik, Taka, Ujelang, and Wotho. This information, that‘at least 1,600 more Marshallese were contaminated with radiation, is not released until — 20 vears after the nuclear testing stopped. (continued on page 28) — AB BS RES eee See eee ee 26 SR RR Re SS SSeS C8om nam eaEm am ns osa OOOS 6 8 OO ODO OU OD ———