“0. STITT oe ta Ulan se Ri agp p eemetmenn : lorax) . tee Sommnrmind 1 |ae tt vente ge . November 25, 1967 Senator Clifford Case United States Senate Washington, D.C. Dear Mr. Case; My husband and I are serving in the Peace Corps in the Marshall islands district of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. I suspect that you receive many lettcrs from Volunteers whose new "Ss erspective has heightened their awareness of a problem in which the United States is involved, ‘This has been tne case in our situation, Tne island where we are located has its special problems which have involved us deeply. The name Bikini is familiar to most Americans today, I believe. fais was an atoll in.the Marshall Islands used for atomic testing. How many Americans are familiar with the fact that there were people living on this atoll before the bomb tests? TI don't believe there are too many, and I myself belonged to that majority who did not until a very short time ago, Those people wore moved, of course, before the tests. After several unsuccessful moves, they were finally moved to the island of Killi, This is their home today. It is also my home for two years. ‘To understand the problems, one necds some background about the Marshallese people. Briefly, they are people who value their land nighly, especially since there is none to spare among these tiny islands. Also their welfare is highly dependent on the sea and the food available from the sea, The Marshall Islands, as you m:y know, is comprised mostly of atolls, not single islands, These atolls are strings of islands on a foundation of coral rock generally forming an, We A ceee center fe ee ee ee ee oval, encircling a body of water called a lagoon, This lagoon is the "pread| basket" of those people living on the atoll. Lagoon waters are generally calm, protected from the rough water of the open ocean. Aliso they are generally woll stocked with fish, turtles, lobster, clans, a plentiful food supply. 4 Bikini was such an atoll. Mae Lee eee One other important ,