la? on wm, ein SIND ISUANDERS FACE REMOVAL permanent resettlement. Adrian Wynkel, current high commissioner of the Trust Territory, testified that “even knowing of the dan- ger,” those already living on Bikim Island wanted to stav there and that tnere was some indication others from Kil wanted to join them on the condemned home island. The suncommitiee was told that final determination of whether Eneu was safe for permanent relocauon could not be made until aout Jan. 1. 1979. when radioactivity levels of fruit and vegetables grown in an experimental garden plot on the island would be made known by the Department of Energy. But the witnesses agreed that the Bikinians could remain where they were without harm until Jan. 1 if they just stuck to the rules and refrained irom eating the coconuts—unless, they added in qualification, the medical tests (whole body counts) to be made on the Bikinians later in April showed sharp jumps in internal radiawon dosage. And that was not expected. McCraw, now chief of special projects branch of the Energy Department’s division of environmental safety, said in an interview in early May, “We can show that Eneu is lower (in radioactivity) by a factor of 10 than Bikim Island. . Eneu could be a residence island without restriclions, which means you can eat the fish you catch in the lagoon, vou can grow anv crop. I’m convinced that these Eneu (test) crops are going to show very much lower levels than the Bikini numbers.” affairs: John BeYoung, her top assis- tant and Hign Commuissicner Winkel all thought Eneu was the most acceptabl> second choice of the Bikinians. But now all three were cautious about the data they were getting from the Energy Department. “All we can do at any Stage is listen to what the experts say—and hope they’re night,” Mrs. Van said. “The decisions of 1967-68 (that Bikini was safe for resettiement) were based on available knowledge,” Winkel said. “And nowwearein virtuaily the same position. The deci-’ sions we make now wil be vased on available knowledge.” But less than two weeks later, there was bad news for the Bikinians. The report on the April whole body counts on the Bikinians showed a Startling increase in internal radiauon doses. The readings ranged up to .98, nearly double the federal safety standard of .5 rems. Including the external radiation dosage of .2, the same as in the past,the top reading was 1.18. At the same trme, and just as startlingly, preliminary results of testing on coconuts grown on Eneu showed radioactivity levels five to six times higher than had been expected. Testifying at the May 22 session of the Yates subcommittee, Mrs. Van Cleve said the latest results required a fast overhaul of plans. First. she said, although there was no immediate hazard to their health, the people must be removed from Bikini Isiand within 90 days. Second,it appeared that Eneu must be ruled out as the alternative site of the permanent resettlement. At the same session, at the head of a small delegation of Bikini leaders. was Magstrate Tomaki Juda, son of the man who was chief in 1946. Although born on Bikini, the 36-vear- old Tomaki was too young to remem- ber details of the first removal. But er to 50 years but that Eneu. 10 miles away, was likely to be a safe site for At the Department of the Interior, Ruta VanCieve, chief cf territorial . Continued from 7th Page interior subcommittee on appronriations, opened the first of a series of hearings on the money bill and the plight of the Bikinians. At the April 12 session of the Yates subcommittee, Trust Territory officials testufied that it was their belief Bikini Island would be off mits for 30 he had heard stories of that time all his life. He repeated one now to the subcommittee: When the naval officer had told the people they must leave the island a generation ago, he had compared them “to the children of Israel whom the Lord saved from their enemy and led into the promised land.”, It had not worked out that way. “We are more axin to the children of Israel wnen they left Egypt and wandered through the desert for 40 years,” the dark-skinned, dignified Bixinian said. “We left Bikini and have wandered through the ocean fcr 32 years. and we will never return to our promised land.” In fact Tomaki was back on Bikini on June lvatong with High Commissioner Winkel, but only to break the news to the people and to discuss with them where they wanted to go. Winkel’s recommendations were read into the record at the June 19 meeting of the Yates subcommittee. He noted that those living on Bikini Island told him that uf they could not remain there, or at least on Eneu, they preferred to move to “public domain” land in Hawaii or to the mainland of the United States. Hesaid the majority of those living on Kili apparently preferred to remain there. But, he added, some wanted to join the Bikini residents wherever they might be relocated. Further tests on Eneu foodstuffs would be required before the island could be finally ruled out, Winkel said. But he was not optimistic. And, without quite spelling it out, he seemed to dismiss the thought of relocating the Bikinians in Hawaii or on the mainland. “On the basis of all the factors,” Winkel summed up. “it 1s my decision that the people of Bikini Island should be relocated to Kili Island at this tume.” Winkel’s statement to the subcomPlease Turn to Page 10, Col. 2