Up to the 1940s the Marshall islanders, like most other Micronesians, were self-sufficient living off the ocean and land. Brookhaven resident physician in the Marshalls. “Nowthe facts of the thyroid cancer at Utirik have strone!s shown that the theory was wrong. Kotradyv wrote in a stinging critique, of the ERDA medical pro- gram. “The people ask if this thvroid problem has suddenly occurred is it not possible that the experts have been ‘\rong for so many years and that more problems will occur in the future *”” Despite the inability of the aEC’s “experts to predict the thyrord can- cers among the Ltink population. they have adamantly barred outside medical teams trom the islands. Not until the Rongelapese and others refused to undergo the 1972 sEc medi- cal examinations unless independen’ doctors participated were two doctors added to the AEC team for that examination, Everv vear since 1984, the aEc and later ERDA medical teams have examined the Marshallese people. and every vear they reassure them of thetr good health. When the people eventually began asking. “[f nothing is wrong with us, why do you keep coming back every vear to examine us?"” EROA replied that it was a pre- cautionary measure. Although the AEC. ERDA has treated the Marshallese for 24 vears. a study bv a special committee of the Congress of Micronesia stated. ‘*Time and again the committee found that the people did nor understand aavching about their exposure, the possible etfects on themselves and to their cnildren and on their environment. Protesting what they considered inadequate medical care and to underline the monumental cultural clash between the U.S. medical per- sonnel and the islanders. the Ltirikese refused a quarterly ERDA medical checkup on December 1976. and the ERDA physician was re- called. "‘The people of Utirik are verv distressed and angry as a resuit of the radiation.” the chiefs of the atoll wrote the Energy Research and (left) Nuclear bomb crater. Enewetak — -° Atoll, ibetow) Leaving Bikini. ., carrying pandanus leaves to build new i atx >; houses on Rongerik. Suffering from ™ matnutrition, the Bikinians are evacuated to a tent city on Kwajalein. , a A ; | mie tee abeak eT waren eat gt a 3 SEONG pret . Ye “s so Fya ar oa eee S , a February 1979 pr 2 ath Aes éashPee _ oad ri The Bulletin 13