N
groups, and a number of women on Ebeye called "Voice of Women" whd raise money for
hospital equipment and medical supplies and make up some of thellocal self-help
activities on the more urbanized islands.
A variety of service programs have been introduced to tha
peoples of the
Marshall Islands, have waned, and have been re-introduced again.
[Even with these
various projects, only the surface has been scratched to date, infidentifying the
needs and wishes of the people, and in implementing programs
dn a long term,
consistent basis.
K.
The Marshallese and Health Plans
In contacts with the Marshallese, official and non-official,|there seemed to
be general agreement on several issues:
l.
"We have been studied to death," was a lament heard Fepeatedly both
in the urban centers and rural atolls.
There is a markedly growing
resentment to
the many agencies, commissions, scientists, and other groups t§at seem to the
Marshallese to be
an endless
stream of people who come,
measurements, conduct surveys, and disappear.
ask} questions,
do
The officials object strongly to
the fact that no reports of the findings are made available tq
them in their |
offficial capacity as the governing body of the Marshall Island .
People want
results and want to see the outcome of all these studies.
2.
There is a growing resentment to the de-facto lack off
“proper channels" of official communication.
recognition of
A very high raniing government
official said: "By not working directly through the leadership, the
United States
could cause ii] feelings amongst the people of the Marshall Is¥ands.
they can accelerate the feelings of,
Marshall Islands. . .
differences
of
I think
should I say, separati§m, within the
Any attempt to work from the bottom up cogid bring about
opinions,
individual
griefs,
and
feelings
of]
segmentations
because the Marshall] Islands as you know is composed of 24 atolls.
differently, quite frankly.
All think
But we have decided to stand united
one under the
Constitution of the Marshall Islands. Working from the top down,
e can use that
avenue of the constitution.
I think we can accelerate the feeling
of unity among
The Marshallese have developed a seemingly irrevers
le psychology
the people."
3.
that the U.S. owes them, by right, a comprehensive health care
the Marshallese on all the islands and atolls.
It is important to
stem--for al]
feview here the
arguments used by the leaders of thought and the leaders of governfnent for such a
demand.
One high ranking official put it this way:
13
KD