Honorable Richard M. Nixor Page 2 May 4, 1973 Thus on February 10, 1946, the Military Governor of the Marshall Islands came to Bikini in an amphibious airplane to tell the Bikinians about the decisions made in Washington, 5,000 miles away. The Governor explained that the United States had a new and powerful weapon to be tested, and that it would be tested at Bikini. The people of Bikini, understanding little, and, faced by awesome power of the United States, and having no other recourse, relented. Their iroij (chief) Juda told the Governor that the United States could use Bikini if it would result in kindness and benefit to all mankind. The @ifficult problem of what to do with the "few" was lef unanswered for the time being. By February 23 the United States had decided to move the Bikini people to Rongerik Atoll, an uninhabited atoll also in the Northern Marshall Islands. Time proved tne choice to ke extremely unfortunate. Rongerik Atoll lies abomt 100 miles to the East of Bikini Atoll. Bikini. In all measurements, Bikini has it is a great deal smaller than 23 islands on the atoll; Rongerik, 10; the total land area of Bikini is 2.32 sq. miles; Rongerik consists of only .63 sq. miles. Bikini's lagoon consists of 243 sq. miles [waeae Rongerik's lagoon is only 55 sq. miles. Events soon made evident that fact that the Pentagon never considered whether an atol: with one-fourth the lagoon size of Bikini and one-third tia land area of Bikini could support 200 Bikini people. On March 7 and 8, 1946 -- less than a month after being -nld that they were to be moved, -- the Navy moved all 199 Bikini people to Rongerik atoll. The trouble began. The Bikinians had long con- Sidered Ruagerik to be associated with Libokra, an evil female spirit who dealt in poisons. Many of the fish on Rongerik were yin fact poison, and many people became sick from eating them. Furthermore, the food resources of Rongerik were not sufficient to support the Bikinians. A report by a medical officer in July, 1947 reported that the veople were suffering from malnutrition. A disasterous fire had destroyed 36% of the food trees a month earlier. The United States investigated the situation, and discussions were had about moving the poople elsewhere. Nevertheless, notching was done. Finally, in Nove.rber, 1947, the United States and the Bikini people decided that the atoll of Ujclany would be @ bebter piace for them. With the help of ten Bikini men, con- Struction was boyen on a village at Ujelang. On Decvmber cha United States decreed that the Nnewetak atoll was alsa to be uscd fox acoule testing, anc that the inhabitants of that atoll woutd have to reloceote. The Enessohal poopie would he mowed to and. Not for the First tin:, and certainly not Bikint people had the rug pulled from under them. wcemained or Rongorik. Cit They tase, a oo