~ SUNDAY 50c Copyright © 1978 los Angeles Times er ERRED 10 YEARS AGO ini Siclh clays gain to When the atomic bomb cropped, | thought Bikini would disappear completely. It would have been better, maybe, if it had... . Then we wouldn't haveall these troubles. —Nathan Note, scribe of the Bikini people, 1978 BY JERRY BELCHER Times Stat} Writer BIKINI. Marshall Isiands—When Lose Raciation The Bikinians must Jeave their ancestral home and its beautiful. fishteermng lagoon because the Americans, aS they themseives now admuit, made a regrettable error 10 years azo: Despite what the scientists and the President said—despite an investment of $3.25 million for cleanup and rebuilding—Bikini is not safe after all. Andrew Jakeo and the othersliving on Bikini [sland are being subrectec to unacceptably high doses of radiation left behind by atomic and hydrogen Jakeo was 34 vears old. bomb blasts that seared the atoll durWhen. after using the fragile Paci- ing 12 years of tesung. fic atoll for 23 nuclear test blasts. the Americans in the person of President Some younger Bikinians may live Lyndon B. Jannson assured him. his to.see their homeland again. but Anfellow islanders and the rest of the drew Jakeo wul not. It may be 350 world that Sikini once again was Safe years before Bikini is fit for human for human life, AndrewJlakeo was 56. habitation. _ Now Andrew Jakeo is 66 and. Andrew Jakeo is bitter and angry, above all cise, he wants to live out although like most Marshallese he the days thal remain to him con this veils his emotions from outsiders. tiny curve of coral, sand and coconut “The Americans told us in 1946 palms with his family and friends. that they had come to test a tomb.” he said not long ago. “They told us they did not know how much the Then. when his time comes. he bomb would hurt Bikini. They told us wants to be buried here among his that after they tested the bomb. and ancestors. Bikini is good again, they will bring But the old man will not be permitus back. They did not say howlong it ted to end his days where he wishes. would be.” For one day next month—federal But Andrew—Marshallese address officials say about Aug. 22, although one anotherby first names and expect official plans dealing with this place outsiders to do the same—bejieved, and these people seem to go awrv along with the 165 others the U.S. more often than not—the Americans Navy removed in 1946, that they will remove Andrew Jakeo and the would be back within a year or so. 140 others living on 449-acre Bikint Meantime. he was convinced. the Tsiand, largest of the 26 islets that Americans would provide for him and make up Bikini Atoll. the other people of Bikini. They will be transported to “temAndrew finally cume back about porary’ quarters in Kill, 2 singie Iseifht years azo. He was among the Jand with a fand area one-sixth that first ta return. It was 24 veors after of their 2.2-square-mue home atoll. the Navy hed taxen him away, two Ral, without a lageon, aes nearty 500 Years after Presigent Jomnson’s anmies southeast. [t is an island some nouncement that Bikini was safe. Bikinians habitually refer to as “the the Americans mace him leave Bikini _ for the first me. in 1946. Andrew ie prison.” Please Turn to Pace 3, Col. 1 NOILVINDYID LS39NV1 - 402 O ES “Ava eze'Pco't ‘1SaM JHL + AVONNS $28'2EE'L -—_~ | = eal : 3NO LYVd—-SLuVd N33LNJA . SdIOVd 99P ~ B/6l ‘€% AINE ‘ONINYOW AVONNAS fa