Honorable Richard M. Page 3 May 4, 1973 Nixon In early 1948 a United States anthropologist visited Rongerik. He reported that the people had been cutting down and eating the heart of young palm trees, because there was nothing else to eat. By early 1948, most of the edible young trees had been eaten. Fishing efforts were reduced because Rongerik's coconuts were of such poor quality that they could not produce the sennit needa! to lash the homemade canoes together and to serve as rigging. On January 31, 1948, the only food on the island was one bag of flour, which was mixed with a little water and doled out to 1657 people. All ripe pandanus and coconut fruits had long since been eaten. In the rext few days some unripe coconuts were eaten, along with the only fish that could be procured, a small, slightly poisonous butterfly fish. In response to emergency messages, a doctor and emergency supplies were flown to Rongerik in February, 1948. The doctor examined the people and pronounced their condition to be that of a starving people. In March, 1948, the United States government confronred the Situation and moved the people of Bikini again. Their stay on fJRongerik had lasted almost two years to the day. This time the people were moved to Kwajaleinatoll, several hundred miles to the south. Kwajalein had been a major Japanese military installation, and the Americans were in the process of transforming it into a Navy base. Many Marshallese workers ‘had been recruited to work at the base on its construction. These workers were housed separately, across the long airfield in a Marshaliese labor camp. The military put up 30 ten by ten tents for the Bikini people in the same general area, and the Bikini people thereafter received their meals in a large messhall with the other Marshallese workers. No subsis- tence or handicraft activities were possible on Kwajalein. There was nothing to do but watch the goings-on at the base and observe of telephones, movie theaters, refrigeration units, streecs, and assorted indicia of military technology. The antnropologists tell us that the social fabric of the Bikini people has not been the same Since their sojourn at Kwajalein. co ny The stay at Kwajalein was never intended to he permanent. The people would stay only Long enough to decide where to move them Bont The military narrowed the choices to Wotho atoll or Kili rd. wether a very short visit to both sites by @ few members OQ Eikisi community, the people decided that they should move EO K3 12 Tslane@. They were moved toa Kili Vsiland -- their Kail: O oma et the work?*ngs syison, as they leter called fe [in November of 1978. Kili is an island in the southern Marshall Tslear souch of Bikini. th conteist to ULK 7 btu he radn. Watec 1S poerhaos its only plentiful resource. It small, comoricing just tess than 200 acres in size or .31 se. or abouk cne-seventcn of th. Of Bikdni. Kili ais 5 miles, en istend, nok