’ | re porns Box ———— a ro Bele ae __£- tre Den! Catlection \\e en s. a ee ee STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING * 13 oly q ¢ Folder Lslants N THE PART OF THE GOVERTENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE TRUST TERRITORY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS MOVE OF TRY TLCPLE OF WIKINT l. On August 11, 1978, AUGUST, 1978 the Undersecretary of the Department of the Interior, James A. Joseph, 3. TSLA<>, at vey the Deputy Undersecretary, the Director of the Office of Territerial Affairs, hallace Green, and Ruth G. Van Cleve, journeyed to Bikini Island to meet with its current residents. The purpose ef their meeting was to convey information on the subject of the forthcoring 0. wove by the people of Bikini Island to Kili Island, and to respond to ques- 7. tions and hear concerns put 8. had earlier, on August 7, held a similar meeting with former residents of 9. Bikini who now reside on hili. 10. of the Pacific Islands, Adrian F. Winkel, had been prevented by bad weather 11. din Saipan from joining in the visit to Bikini 12. with the people of Bikini, as well as with other Dikinians on Kili. to them by the people of Bikini Island. They The High Commissioner of the Trust Territory Island, but he had earlier met 13. 14. In 1946, the people of Bikini were removed from their atoll by the 15. U. 16. nuclear testing program which lasted until 1958. 17. first toRongerik, then to Kwajalein, and ultimately to Kili. 18. 1960's, it appeared that lcvels of radiation on Bikini atoll were such that 19. the people could return to and use a number of the major islands of the atoll. 20. Beginning in 1969, a clean-up of the atoll and a rehabilitation program was 74 begun. S. Navy in order to enzble the United States to use the atoll] In the early J970%s. sce apd ite Daan. for a The islanders were moved In the late Bf}ink peaple were emeieves in the protect isle ha yey eectee caceccced Lo apprexinately i-3 anasto. In 23. 1977, the intake of radionuclides by the people living on Bikini Island hai 24. increased 25. tuted. to alarming proterrions, an¢ a majer feeding program was insti- April, 197B surveys showed that the feeding program had not resulted