RESETTLEMENT OF PEOPLE
1977 continued

UNE Bikini: A Departmenc of Energy
(DOE) study based on 1975 data states:
"All living patterms involving Bikini
~Siand exceed Federal (radiation)
guidelines for 30 year population
doses."

OCTOBER Bikini: U.S. scientists record
an ll-fold increase in radioactive

cesium 137 in the 130 people living on

Bikini, who are taking in higher than

“acceptable” concentrations of cancer

causing radiation from the water and

food growin in the island's still radio-

active soil.

Sikini: The DOE tells the people living

tertainment provided by bars, TV, films
and other activittes is attractive; 4)
many find work at Kwajalein exciting
and it has the highest rate of pay available in Micronesia.
"...At Kwajalein 7 American
trained and licensed physicians
care for a population of approximately 3,000 residents. At Ebeye
one Trust Territory physician and
one volunteer physician care for
a population estimated to be 7,000
to 8,000."
Xonrad Kotrady,™.D.,

on Bikini Island to eat only one coco-

Subcommittee Hearings, Majureo,

July 14, 1976.

nut per day, rather than tneir normal
5 to 10, and begins sending in all
‘ood for consumption to Bikini.

Sixini: Trust Territoy field tris ship
service to Bikini is erratic.
Food imports arrive late forcing people to eat
tne radioactive foods grown on Bikini.
Kwajalein: Although the Ebeye Field
dospital

is just

three vears old,

its

irom reot is deteriorated and leaking

tadly.

During rainstorms the inside of

tne hospital is flooded with one to two
zaches of water.

JECEMBER Kwajalein: Handel Dribo leads

“0 landowners in an occupation of Omeiek and two other small islands in the

Mid-Corridor, protesting lack of compen-

0221006

Sation for their use by the Army.
Although these islands are in the Mid-Cor-

ridor, they are not covered by the 1970
lease agreement. The Marshallese withdraw after U.S. officials promise a
prompt settlement.

1978 JANUARY Kwajalein: A study by Dr.
william Alexander, ‘Wage Labor, Urbanization and Cultural Change in the Marsnall Islands" cites the reasons people
jive on Ebeye: 1) many families are
supporting their children in high school
cr college with wages earned at Kwaja-

lein; 2) while the hospital care is ‘ap-

callinz’ by U.S. standards, it is better
than on the outer islands; 3) the enSS

U.S.House

Territorial and Insular Affairs

Kwajalein: The Alexander study notes
that while American civilian employees

of the missile range can shop at all
the stores with subsidized low prices
on Kwajalein (average of 35-50% less
than Ebeye prices), similar to a military post exchange, Marshallese KMR
employees cannot.

MARCH 1 Kwajalein: with negotiations at

a standstill, Handel Oribo leads a reoccupation of Omelek. Lack of compensation, only limited access to his islands

for food growing and overcrowding on

Ebeye force Dribo's action.

"Bikini may be the only globel
source of data on humans where
intake via ingestion is thought
to contribute the major fraction
of plutonium body burden...It is
possibly thé best available source
of data for evaluating the transfer
of plutonium across the gut wall
after being incorporated into biological systems.”
Lawrence Livermore Laboratory
Study on Bikini,

1977.

APRIL 7 Kwajalein: The U.S.Ambassador
:o

the Micronesian Status Negotiations,

(continued on page 31)

Select target paragraph3