a e 948 ADEQTUACT OF FOOD SUPPLIED BY TIPI ADMINISTRATION Mr. Yates. And in the meantime you were bringing them food! Mr. DeBress. Yes. sir. ‘ Mr. Yates. Every month except where you lapsed f Mr. DeBress. Yes, sir. Mr. Yarrs. And there was adequate food for all of them? Mr. DeBreas. Yes. Mr. Yates. You are sure of that! Mr. DeBrvas. To the best of my knowledge sir. Mr. Yates. Isthat true. Mr. Weisgall! MrAWriscu, That is not quite the understanding of the Bikinians. “Ag \ wytocns has esplajne: eo the peanle vines bin: word ent the food erowing on the island cven though they had been DavseG Tat It was yue-Qolagie, SM oboD LerSiu seael pup: dat iieboats were nor coming on as regular basis as was hoped for: and according to Mr. Leviticus. when a family would run out of food it would eat food growing on Bikini. be it coconuts. pandanus. or breadfruit. REQUEST FOR MORE MONITORING OF BIKINI Mr. Yarrs. Let's go back to Mr. Juda‘s statement. Mr. Notz. The second request we convey to you today. Mr. Chair- man. is that your subcommittee closely monitor the upcoming radio- logical anc Juodstufl tests to be conducted at Bikini Atoll. The people living on Bikini Island desperately wish to remain on Bikini Atoll. and they are hopeful that tests on Eneu Island will show it to be safe. They understand-that the recent test results are preliminary. and they hop that resettlement on Eneu will prove to be possible. Mr. Chairman. we cannot describe .he sorrow felt by our people as tha: learne:! sith bitter disappointment, that they must once again Jeav Gikina. Despite the contradictory statements of the U.S. Gov: e wm * over the Jast ten years. the people of Bikini have begun to undersia td the situation they face. They have told us that if the up- coming t+té showthat our people will not be able to live on Bikini or Eneu for t.e next 40 or 50 years. the people living in Bikini are prepared to relovate to Kili and Jaluit. UPGRADING CONDITIONS ON XILI ISLAND A move to Kili, however. and the establishment of Kili as a perma- nent home for the next two generations of Bikinians cannot come with- out help from the U.S. Government to develop Kili as a functionel. livable community. T+ aline- 79 vears we have lived on Kili. thinking each vear that cuime .o Bikini the next vear. As we face the possibility of 5 more years on Kili, it is clear that we must. think and plan in longer terms. As vou know,Kili isan island with no reef and no lagoon, and access to the island is very difficult for most of the year. Faced with these conditions. our people have not processed copra in large quantities because boats visit this island rarely. Months frequently go by without a visit from passing ships, and our only communication with the rest 7 che world ts by radio. DOE ARCHIVES i 9002484