a
STATON OF UNDLEKSTANDING
ON THE PART OF THE
COVFERNNENT OF THE UNITED STATES
AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE TRUST TERRITORY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS
CONCERNING THE
MOVE OF THE PEGPLE OF BIKINI ISLAND, AUGUST, 1978
On August 11,
1978,
the Undersecretary of the Department
Interior, James A. Joseph,
of the
the Deputy Undersecretary, Wallace Green, and
the Director of the Office of Territorial Affairs,
Ruth G. Van Cleve,
journeyed to Bikini Island to meet with its current residents.
of chei:r meecing was te convey information on the subjece of
The purpose
the forthcoming
move by the people of Bikini Island to Kili Island, and to respend to questions and incar concerns put to them by the people of Bikini Island.
They
had carlierc, on August 7, held a similar meeting with former residents of
Bikini who now reside on Kili.
The High Commissioner of the Trust Territory
of the Pacific Islands, Adrian P, Winkel, had been prevented vy bad weather
in Saipan from joining in the visit to Bikini Island, but he had earlier ince
with che people of Bikini, as well as with other Bikinians on Kili.
In 1946,
U.
the people of Bikini were removed from their atoll by the
S. Navy in order to enable the United States to use the atoil for a
nuclear testing program which lasted until 1958.
The islanders were moved
first to Rongerik, then to Kwajalein, and ulcimately to Kili.
1960's,
In the late
it appeared that levels of radiation on Bikini atcll were such that
the people could return
to and
use a number of
the major islands
of
the atoll.
Beginning in 1969, a clean-up of the atoll and @ rehabilitation program was
begun.
In the early 1970's, some Bikini people were employed in the project
and the @ikini
fsland population increased to dpyieidauiely
iss im 1076.
1977, the intake of radionuclides by the people living on Bikini
In
Island had
increased to alurming proportions, and a major feeding program was instituted.
April, 1978 surveys showed that the feeding program had not resulted