Pes See ee WEAPONS TESTING 1975 APRIL Rongelap: Nelson Anjain tion. leet leeateel ttle | At lower doses, as in the adult group, a greater number of cells would be spared for malignant transformation." of Rongelap Atoll, participates in the first Conference for a Nuclear Free Pa- cific held in Suva, Fiji, seeking international support for the Marshallese. The 93 representatives of 22 Pacific and Pacific rim countries at the conference strongly endorse the Rongelap peoples’ attempt to gain independent medical aid. DECEMBER Utirik: The people refuse to submit to a quarterly examination by Dr. Knudsen of Brookhaven. The L.A. Times points to a "monumental culture clash" between AEC doctors and the Utirik peo- ple as the cause of the peoples’ refusal of the medical examination. 1976 Rongelap/Utirik: A Brookhaven report shows that to date, 20 out of 29, or 69% of the Rongelap children who were under 10 years old in 1954 have developed thyroid tumors. Of the total Rongelap population of 86 exposed in 1954, 30, or 35% have developed thyroid tumors; at Utirik, 10 out of 157 or 6% of the people who were exposed in 1954 have de- veloped thyroid tumors. Utirik: The people of Utirik, whose original exposure in 1954 of 14 rads was less than one-twelfth of the Rongelap peoples’ exposure, suddenly show a higher rate of thyroid cancer. This thyroid cancer took 22 years to develop. JULY Utirik: The people react angrily to 1977 JUNE Rongelap/Utirik: The U.S. Congress approves more than $1 million in compensation for the inhabitants of Rongelap and Utirik who were exposed to radiation in 1954. A payment of $25,000 will be made to anyone who has had a thyroid removed or has developed hypee thyroidism; to anyone who develops a radiation related malignancy such as leukemia; and $100,000 to the survivors of any exposed person who dies. $100,000 each is set aside for Rongelap, Utirik, and Bikini for construction of community facilities. The law provides that: "A payment made under the provisions of this section shall be in full settle- ment and discharge of all claims against the U.S. government." $1,000 is to be this development because for 22 years provided to each of the original 157 the Brookhaven doctors have told the peo- yryri, people exposed to radiation in ple not to expect any adverse effects from their contamination. In a letter to the Atomic Energy Commission, the 1954, Utirik people say they "are very dis- tressed and angry as a result of the -197 8 AUGUST Northern Marshalls: A radiation. The people feel that the (AEC) Department of Energy (DOE) report reprogram is in need of vast changes." veals that in addition to Bikini, Enewetak, Rongelap and Utirik, ten other Rongelap/Utirik: Brookhaven's 22 year atolls or single islands "received intersummary of medical findings points out mediate 1ange fallout from one or more the reason for a higher amount of thyof the megaton range tests," including roid cancers in the people exposed to Ailinginae, Ailuk, Bikar, Jemo, Likiep, low doses, rather than in those exposed Mejit, Rongerik, Taka, “‘Ujelang, and to high doses: "...The thyroid doses in Wotho. This information, that at least the Rongelap children (700-1,400 rads) 1,600 more Marshallese were contaminated § with radiation, is not released until a 20 years after the nuclear testing stop- Jj ped. 4 were high enough to cause many cells to die...and thus reduce the number of cells at risk for malignant transforma- (continued on page 28) 26 am ae oe 2 2s ee es