LA. dimes thr3lP Bikini Islanders Lose Again to Radiation Coatizecd from Sth Page High doses of radiauon from these isotopes are known to cause various t of cancer in man, but scientists debate the cancer nsk from relauvely low doses such as those 10 which the Bhiamans have been exposed. Ln general, sentists have found that the lower the dase, the fower the msk that cancer will develop over a period of years. The peopie ving on Bikini were ordered edther to €at, no coconuts or to ration themselves to one a day. But they were toid the coconuts trom Eneu were suil safe. The Trust Terntory government Initiated a feecang program. Except for fish and fowl, the people were to cat nauung but US. Department of Agriculture surplus food. By February of this year,it was official poliey: Bikiné was unfit for peopleto live on. In contrast to 1968, the news was not an- nounced to the world by the Prendent of the United Siates, It was rather quietly passed along to Congress in the form of a money request. Underseeretary of the Interior James A. Joseph, in asking Congress for a $15 million appropriation to te the peopie of Biani, explained the y in tow-key, bureaucratic styler “It became evident that radionuclide inteke In the plant food chain had been significanuy miscalculated in terms of human consumption... The restriction on the use of coconut products produced on Bikini Island for food and export make (it) . . . unrealistic as a permanent place of settlement. Ge wrote that Eneu Island to be the most feasible alternative place to resettle the 500 persons who had earlier incated they eventuaily wanted to live on Bikini Leland, but added that a small number would likely choose tg re~ “ ysis," a these a ayn h he wro tea “peveals that Eneu Island coconuts can be used for food and “May, “We can show that Eneu is lower (in ra- choactivity) by a factor of 10 than Buku Estand . »» Eneu could de a residence island without Testricuons, which means you can eat the fish you catchin the lagoon, you can grow any crop. "m convinced that these Eneu (test) crops are going lo show very much lower levels than the numbers.” At the Department of the Intenor. Ruth Van Cleve, chuef of termtonal affairs; John DeYoung, her top assstant, and High Comoussioner Winkelall thought Eneu was the most accepta-: ble second choice of the Bikiruans. But now ail three were cautious about the data they were getting from the Energy Deparument, “All we can do at any stage us lsten to what the say~and hope they're night,” Mra. Van Cleve said. “The decisions of 1967-68 (that Bikini wast safe for resettlement) were based on available knowledge.” Winkel said. “And now we are in i the same posiuon. The decisions we makenow will be based on available know!edge.’ . But lesa than two weeks later, there was bad newt for the Bikimans. The report on the April whole body counts on the Bakinsans showed a startling increase in internal radiation doses. The readings ranged up to 98, nearly double the federal safety standard of 5 rems. Enclucing the external radiation dosage of .2, the same as in the past, the top reading was 1.18. At the same Lime, and just as startlingly, prelirmunary results of testing on coconuts grown on Eneu showed radioactivity levels iive to six times higher than had teen expected. Testifying at the May 22 session of the Yates ee ‘We would like you to keep. your promise to. the Bikini people, to take care of us.’ posmble future copra export.” Joseph proposed that $13 million be spent to EEA ving condiuons at Kil, mid-March, Rep, Sidney R. Yates (D-11), chairman of the House intenor subcommittee on appropmations, opened thefirst of a series of heanngs on the moneybill and the plightof the Bakiwans, ; At the Apri 12 session of the Yates sudcom- diate hazard to thew health, the people must be removed from Bikim Island within 90 days. Second, it appeared that Eneu must be ruled oyt make Eneu livable and $2 million be invested in mittee, Trust Terntory officials testified that it was their belief Bikin Island would be off mits for 30 to 50 years but that Eneu, !0 mics away, was likely to be a safe site for pe. manent resetUement. Adrian Winkel, current high commissioner of the Trust Tcrntory, tesufied that, “even know. tng of the danger,”those already Living on Biki- ni Island wanted to stay there and that there ‘was some indicauon others from Kall wanted to join them on the condemned homeisland. The subcommittee was told that final determunauion of whether Eneu was safe for permanent relocation could not be made unti about Jan. i, 1979, when radicactvity levels of fruit and vegetables grown in an expenmenial garden plot on the island would be made known by the Department af Energy. , But the witnesses agreed that the Bikimans tould remain where they were without harm umul Jan. 1 uf they just stuck to the rules and tefraned from eating the coconuts—uniess, they added in qualificauon, the medical tesis (whoie bedy counts) to be made on the Bilanians later in April showed sharp pumps in interfal rarbalion dosage. And that was not expected. McCraw, now chief of special projects branch ot the Encegy Department's divunon of environmental safety, said in an interview in early subcommittee, Mrs. Van Cleve said the latest ured sné Zz as the alternative site of “ the permanentreset- je same sesmon, at the head of a small delegation of Bikiru leaders, was Magistrate Tomaja Juda, son of the man who was chief in 1946 Ajthough born on Bukuni, the 36-year-old Tomakj was loo young to remember detauls of the furst removai. But he had heard stones of that imeall his hic. He repeated one now to the subcommiltes: When the naval officer had toid the people they must leave the island a generation ago, he had com them “to the children of Israel whom the Lord saved fram the enemy and led inlo the promused land.” It had not worked out that way, “We are more akin to the children of Israet when Uncy left Egypt and wandered through the desert for 40 years.” the dark-siunned, digndfied Bikinian sad “We lelt Bukin: and have wandered through the ocean for 32 years, and we will never return to our promised land.” In fact Tomaki waa back on Bikini on June 1, along with High Commussoner Winkel, but only to break the news to the people and to discuss with them where lncy wanted ta go. Winkel's recommendations were read into the record at the June 19 meetung of the Yatcs subcommuttee. He noted that those living on Bijund Island told hima that if they could noi reman there, of at least on Eneu, icy preferred to move to “public domain” land in Hawaii of ta the mainland of the United States. He said the majonty of those ving on Kill apparently preferred to remain there. But he added, some wanted lo join the Bilam rendenus wherever they mught be relocated. Furthertests on Eneu foodstuffs would be required before the island could be finally ruled out, Winkel sad But he was not opumustc. And, without quite spelling it out he seemed ta disrruss the thought of relocaung the in Hawaii or om the maniand “On the bass of all the factors,” Winkel Summed up,“it is my decasion that the people of Buunt Island should be relocated to Kui Lslaod at Lhus time.” Winkel’s statement to the subcommittee on the Bikimans’ preferences was accurate as far asit went « But, from Times interviews with more than a dozen Buamuans on their condemned island last month, 1 was apparent the igh commussioner failed lo convey the depth of their feelrgs, especially ther reluctance to be resettied in the Narshails, particularly on Kul “Kah,” they said again and again, “is bad, Kili is no good.” With only one excepuon, they said they wished to be resetticd in Hawai or Flonda. Muton Anien, born on another isiand but marred into a Bury family, putit uus way: “We would like to be with you in America al- ways. We hike you, We would lke you to keep Your promuse lo the Bikani peopie, to take care of us. z “You made a promise to the Bikini peopte, so we would like to come live with you —and you can support the peopie of Biluru as muca as you can—live with you so the American doctors can watch me and my famuly because | worry about the radiation, worry about the radiation mght after mght. . . Everybody here says tus.” Magistrate Tomak: Juda, appearing before the subcommittce once again, said that although there was deep sorrow and bilicmness among hu people and although “Life on Kuli is difficult.” he concurred in the high commissioner's decision ee relocate them at least temporarily on thatisand. Then he suggested practical measures which he sad were necessary to make Kil livable— construcuon of @ 2.000-foot airstmp and an allweather, all-season pier. establishment of a 0 ¥, anew school, renovation of homes and community facikties, Considerauon also should be given,he satd. to relocaung some of the people on JabworIsland at Jaiunt AtolL The Bukwu leader also made it clear that in addiuon to relocating the peoole, and making them mew homeland livable, the United States had further financial obligations, I. was too soon to discuss details, he said, but, “we feel that our people, especially the elderly ones, are enutled to compensation from the Unuted States. for their removal from Buuni and for the virtual desirucuon of Buluni and olber islands.” Congress has now approved the $15 mullion for relocaung the Brkituans, and duuding matenals are being purchased for the temparary housing for them on Kili, Plans are under way for the Kull pier, alUhough some persons famuliar with the surf conditions do not believe it 1s feasible. ° Planning also goes ahead for the final removal of the people from Bikini next month Ome last matter: Ruth Van Cleve said In Washington (hat, although old Andrew Jakeo cannat continue to live on Bikuru, st is possible that afler tus death he could be burned there with hus ancestors, But she added, “I chink we would wantto get firm word on that from Lhe scientusta.”