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 jis 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?
And what
about the voices from the northern four atolls that have been heard in litigation
and out of litigation claiming exclusivity of health attention?
The reason why some of the northern islands of
Enewetak, Bikini, Rongelap and Utirik are upset when
there is talk about including aj] 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.
a comprehensive health care for all
But the question of demands for
the Marshallese has become apparently a
clarion call, and the following arguments were advanced vehement ly:
1.
The "Hidden Dimension"--The Affected, but not known or discovered yet
"We know that there are people who are directly affected and those who are
not so directly affected.
But we also suspect that there may be those who are
actually physiologically affected but because of the lack of delivery 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 the 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 test related or as
radiation related.
Even now, when people get sick in the outer islands we don't
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