As a result of the experiments on the northern
atolls, a great age of nuclear science was born with
its dangers and its benefits.
The Marshallese of
Bikini, Enewetak, and other atolls paid the price for
this nuclear knowledge and thus, they are partners in
this great atomic age.
We in the Marshall Islands
were partners in the testing; it is our right,
therefore, to be partners in the remedies and cures
for the ailments and conditions caused by the
negative effects of radiation, and also partners in
the positive scientific benefits in the peaceful uses
of the atomic age.
How is it that there is an almost unanimous opinion that
any health plan
should be a universal one covering all the Marshallese everywhere?
about the voices from the northern four atolls that have been heayd
And what
in litigation
and out of litigation ciaiming exclusivity of health attention?
The reason why some of the northern islands o
Enewetak, Bikini, Rongelap and Utirik are upset when
there
is
talk
about
including ali
the Marshall
Islands in the PL 96-205 medical plan
is because
they believe that anything that dilutes their claims
diminishes the help to which they are entitled. But
the thrust is that different people need different
types of help--and there should be help to everybody
according to their needs. In other words, there are
magnitudes of needs, and there should be magnitudes
of help.
And all will be included that have
conditions stemming directly or indirectly from the
atomic experimentation.
So says a top government official-analyst.
But the question
of demands for
a comprehensive health care for all the Marshallese has bec
apparently a
clarion call, and the following arguments were advanced vehemently:
1.
The “Hidden Dimension"--The Affected, but not known orldiscovered yet
"We know that there are people who are directly affected angi
not so directly affected.
But we also suspect that there may be
those who are
those who are
actually physiologically affected but because of the lack of delifery of even the
most basic rudiments of health care, we have not been able to identify them.
We
think the health assistant level of medical care, that has been t§e rule here for
thirty-five years, was not in any position to be able to ascertain any of these
illnesses that occurred in the period following the testing as tegt related or as
radiation related.
Even now, when people get sick in the outer
#slands we don't
FI