peeeeemeneeeens WEAPONSTESTING Os Osee 1971 continued therefore, stay on Majuro and one doctor comments: "The team was welcomed by the islanders who strongly desired our investigation work." 1973 after completing certain “unspeci- fied activities" currently underway on the atoll. "Time and again the committee found that the people did not understand anything about their exposure, the possible effects on themselves and to their children and on their environment." Congress of Micronesia Report on Rongelap and Utirik, February, 1973. oe 1972 Rongelap: An agreement is made between the Trust Territory administra- FEBRUARY Utirik/Rongelap: The Congress of Micronesia creates a Special Joint Committee to investigate the problems of the irradiated people living on Rongelap and Utirik Atolls. MARCH Rongelap: After the Brookhaven medical survey ship leaves for Rongelap, Marshallese discover that the T.T. government has ignored the agreement, and only one Japanese doctor, who has no background in treatment of radiation sickness or thyroid disease, is on board. As a result, the Rongelap people refuse to allow the Brookhaven doctors to ex- VF ENEWETAK ATOLL, SITE OF 43 ANNOUNCED NUCLEAR TESTS. —_p— 24 SS MAY Enewetak: Five Enewetak leaders and their lawyersmake a brief visit to Ene- wetak and are ‘shocked at the damage from the 43 nuclear tests between 1948 and 1958, Very disturbing to the leaders was the information that one-half of a 40-acre island had recently been strip-. ped ef soils in preparation forthe Pacific Cratering Experiments (PACE). The initial phasesof the “unspecified activities" which had already taken place included 190 holes drilled into the reefs and land for explosive charges and 86 trenches dug in different parts of the atoll, as well as detonation of amine them, until the UTS.agreestoin=—sixtons -ef explosives. clude independent doctors on their sur- vey team. a tion and Marshall Islands elected leaders that the annual Brookhaven medical survey in March will include three Japanese medical specialists. * ‘Enewetak: A draft EIS as required by 1972 DECEMBER The U.S. begins separate negotiations with the Mariana Islands toward that district becoming a U.S. commonwealth, after the rejection of this Status by the rest of Micronesia. ~ Military plans for an air base on Tinian Island are a focus of American interest in the Marianas. APRIL Enewetak: The U.S. announces it will surrencer Enewetak by the end of 9002611 NEPA was filed by the two Defense De- (continued on page 24) mune 22 eee eee ee