LOS ANGELES TIMES
July 23,
U.S. ERRED
Bikini {sland:
Lost Again
fo Radiation
When the atomic bomb dropped. [
thought Bian would diseppear completely. ft would have deen better,
maybe, if whad. .. . Then we wouldnb have all these troubles.
=—Naihes Note, mribe
of the Bikini people, 1978
. BY JERRY BELCHER
‘Tones Slee? wrrver
BIKINI, Marshall Istands—When
the Amencans made him leave Bikam
for the first ume. in 1946, Andrew
dJakeo was 4 years old.
When, after using the fragile Pacifie atoll for 23 nuclear test biasts. the
Americans in the person of Prendent
Lyndon B. Johnson assured him. his
fellaw islanders and the rest of the
wortd that Bikim once again was safe
for human life, Andrew Jakco was 56.
Now Andrew Jakeo is 66 and.
above all else, he wants to live out
the days that remain to tim on this
tuny curve of coral, sand and coconut
palms with his family and frends.
Then, when his ume comes, he
wanls to be buned here among his
ancesiors.
Butthe old man will not be permil(ed to end his days where he wishes.
For one day next month—[cderal
officals say about Aug. 22, although
offical plans dealing with this place
and Uhcse people secm to go awry
more often than nol—the Americans
will remove Andrew Jakeo and the
140 others living on 449-aere Gikint
Island, fargest of the 26 islets that
make up Bikini Aloll.
They will be transported to “lemporary” quarters tn Kill, a singte island with a land arca one-sixth that
of their 2.2-square-mile home atoll.
Kili, without a tagoon, ies nearly 500
mules southeast. ft 1s an island same
Bikumians habitually refer to as “the
prison.”
1978
A: pg ©
fe Erth
—_——
The Rikinans must leave their ancestral home and its beautiful, fish-
lceming lagoon because the Amen-
cans, as hey themselves now admit,
made a regrettable error 10 ycars seo:
Despite what the scientists and Lhe
President said—despite an investment of $2.25 million far cleanup and
rebuilding — Bikinis is not safe after ali.
Andrew Jakeo and the others hving
on Bikini !stand are being subjected ta
unacceptably high doses of radiation
left behind by atomic and hydrogen
bombblasts that scared the atoll during 12 years of tesung.
Some younger Bukimans may lye
to see their homeland again. bul Andrew Jakeo wilf not. {t may be 50
years before Bikini as fit for human
habitauon.
Andrew Jakeo is bitter and angry,
although hke most Marshallese he
veils hig emotions from outsiders.
“The Amencans toid us in 1916
that they had come to Lest 3 bomb,”
he said not long ago. “They lold us
they did not know how much the
bomb would hurt Bikiny. They toid us
that alter they tested the bomb. and
Bikina is good again, they will bring
us back. They did not say how jong it
would be."
But Andrew—Marshailese address
one another by first names and expect
outsiders 40 do the same—helieved.
along with the 165 others the US.
Navy removed in 1946, that they
would be back wilhin a yrar or so.
Meanume. he was convinecd, Ube
Americans woul bpeacicte for aim
the other poopie atl. ou
ret
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