‘Tuesday. Scptember 13, 1983
teSling program.
The radiation question is a
difficult one, even for scientists
health problems and inadequate
who have been working with it
for many years. Many dedicated US scientists have been
involved in an extensive effort
Over many years Lo assess and
treat the effects of radiation
exposure of Marshallese and to
Monitor the residual radioactivity comtaminating many of the
islands in the northern atolls.
It would appear that they have
Performed with honesty, and
in Most cases -- particularly in
recent years -- with a remonable level of competence. Nevertheless, it 1s
always possible
to identify areas where more
attention
should
have
been
focused.
Two such areas
which have become critically
important are (1) the education
of the Marshallese on the
mature of radiation and its
human and environmental effect andl (u) piondis, ddequate
medical care and compensation
for victims of the atomic bomb
test.
Related to the first area
the recent US Department of
Energy (DOE) books on the
soar
i
ae hha 4. awh eet eet
radioactive
contamination
of
Enewetok, Bikini, and the
northern atolls have been almost totally ineffective, and in
some instances, counterproduc-
care (the lack of health care
facilities 1s obvious even Lo the
casual observer); thal all of the
people should be given comprehensive health care regardless
of whether they hase been
categorized as “‘expased’’ or
“unexposed”, that the new
Marshall Islands Government
does not have adequate capacity to do this; and that it is
the responsibility of the US
government
mot just
to give
funding, but to ensure by all
Teasonable means that such
care is made available. More-
over, a Marshalls government-
endorsed independent medical
survey might be helpful in
Moving more decisively in this
direction.
There is widespread distrust
by Marshallese of US scientists
involved in radiation monitoring and health suneidiance
Programs,
\wong ble Aiwa
‘thallese who are participants
in the Brookhaven surveillance
program some have even said,
‘the Marshallese are geing used
as ‘guinea pigs’ "| “and that the
fallout from the 1954 Bravo
test was mot an accident.”
Unfortunately
the scientists
working
today are forced to
US Security
Needs and
Kwajalein
Atoll
HL US Securtly Needs and
Kwajalein Atoll
Alo a inmost basic level, this
Situation must be seen as une
the arms rate. It was the US
Perceplion of its own secucily
Needs which was the dmving
force behind the Lesling program and now the way in
which the new political arrangements are evolving.
While
the US would clearly hike to
resolve and be free with the
Pacific biands Trust Terrttory,
its current mililary§ requirements are having major impact
upon the political, economic
and sociul stalus of lhe new
nation.
It is af the Kwajalein Atoll
where we see the embodiment
of this question, The Kwajalein people, most of them now
living in crawded dismal cun-
the Kwajalein people working
through an organization known
as the Kwajalein Atoll Corpor:
ation, is a remarkable story in
itself. ‘the Kevayaleur peapte
WH witkieat
rte it ge
potey
role in this continuing debate.
‘The
Lawyers”
long-term resturation of the
basic relationship betucen the
and
its uncertainties, making
tory under DOE contract is a
nartowly focused research effort to identify the late effects
of radiation in the most heanly
exposed Marshallese people.
The treatment by the US of
radiation induced health effects and compensation for
these effects have been largely
bul not totally limited to those
effects which have been clearly
identified by the surveiliance
Program as deing radiation
induced, mainly, thyroid abnormalities among those most
heavily exposed to the fallout
from the Bravo test. Health
effects that have not been
tatistically linked to radiation
in the Marshallese population
under study are generally not
treated ~ exceptions have been
cance
in
the
accept they
cynicism and
frustration which they reflect.
The problem of the primary
contaminated atolls, Bikini and
Enewetok, Is deeply troubling
A serious cleanup attempt is
being made at Enewetok, at a
reported expenditure of $218
miltion. In the light of the
drastic measures and unusual
lifestyle required for resettlement, it is not yet clear if
many of the people wiil choose
to return. Bikini poses a More
difficult case than Enewetok,
and thus far the US GovemMent has taken the position
that cleanup would be too
expensive. It would seem that
a profound moral and legal
question 1s posed here for the
global community. Who 15 to
decide upon such weighty
matters of land abuse and
testoration? While even avery
imperfect cleanup at Bikini
could cost several hundzed
million dollars, some Marshailese pointed out that the US
Government 1s spending much
more that that amount on just
a few weapoos such as the MA
Man $8.95
IV. “Phe Lawyers”
Lawyers and the litigation to
must be seen tor thei signifi.
be difficult to
Neilan Biti.
cant, often troubling potitical
factor.
‘This, too, is 15 a con-
being exploited in new ways
compensation,
oralher
THE
FIRST BOOK
compelling
stories of the
Marshall
Istands
pursye health damage and land
claims have become a signifi-
in terms af the average risk of
dying of cancer
perhaps
Presented this way in an effort
to simplify the issue -- tends to
mask the variability of the data
the presentation of Lhe results
Jabdrewot cocj joninak in jumac wia kake in ao,
Written, Typeset, Printed
Is there an unfortuante “pull”
towards money solutions, or
Some charge that
KOJJELLA
Kojjclla non ro ewor ser maron ion Nerak Weto
All in the Marshall lands
perhaps even paranoid statements, Rut though they may
tadiation.
KOJELLA
RUG WETO
TWO JARBO, ARNO ROBELLOK
NON WIAKARKE:
RONG WETO
UROKBUBROT WE TO
ELANE EWOR AML MARON ION TJOREIN, JOUG
IM LOTOR OFFICE BOON RRE
en jou; im wonmanlok im file an complaint ilo
Court im jiikintok copy in complaint in non; Box
2112, Majuro, Marshall Islands.
Dri kojella,
through the lawyers, even as
they deal with older injustices?
books have been ineffective
even though written in Mar-
fre pmetnas
Pala Vlto CA Sgdne
land, which is being used as
part of the missile testing
range.
The determination of
Scientists are giving conflicting
Messages. These are strong,
ation on human health. These
bosyorrte re
Pwosan Voto Koad Ste AY
lo Amo Island, Amo Atoll, bwe hio 1) wia hake
maron ko an Iroj, Alub, im Ori Jerbal.
far unsuccessfully, lo attain a
Measure of restoration to their
shaliese and English and clearly
aimed at a lay audience. Most
Marshallese simply cannot understand the text. Moreover,
_ Fesidual radioactive contamuin-
SEA-AIR
EXPORTS, INC,
ditions on 27 Ha. (67 acres}
Ebeye Island, are seeking, thus
sequence of the weapons tesling program. Are the people
tive in explaining the nature of
radiation and the effects of the
Cuntinued pare 8
POCR CALEFORNS A CONNECTION
PLUMBING * HARDWARE «GENERAL MERCHANDISE
of the many tragic eflects of
carry the baggage of mistakes
and changes in policy
accumulated over the past87 y ears.
We heard ulterior motives
altributed to the DOE’s educa:
tions efforts regarding residual
the results mideading.
With regard to
the second
area, the US medical surveillance program conducted by
Brookhaven National Labora-
mk een eh ae | weet a Pe
Nearly everyone with whom
we spoke felt that the Marshali
[lands has serous, unique
“Why can the US du whaleser
1 chooses?”
Page 7
While we tare tegretled ti ata
cleat, offical chureh statement
has wot cume turward from the
Marshalls an these cunc ms,
Meany
church
people | ave
spoken oul, and we must t.tist
than
people and their Jand ard
culture?
Perhaps, but the
lawyers
apparently
have
brought these greatly disadvantaged peogie a new means
of much-needed power, and it
would be most unwise to
jeopardise this by altacking
their sensitive tawyer-clent relationship
TheChurch
rs
should cansider whether the
medical surveillance program
should be so narrowly defined,
whelher the people in the
surveillance program who have
been categorized as ‘‘unexpused cantrols" should be so
categorized, and whether the
level of compensation and the
People whn qualify for i are
appropriately defined.
they are a consequence of the
wee Bae
perhaps the United Nations -
Physical debility, a birth anomaly or other abnormality, the
people tend to believe that
such had not occured before
“The Bamb"'
Cases of fish
Poisoning, unusual plant doease, the demise of the highly
valued arrowroot plant (a tradItional staple}, seem invariably
to be allributed to radiation,
tven though this is contrary to
Scientific evidence.
Myth or
realily, these anxieves and
fears are painfully real, and
articulate young man asked,
Volume 4, Number 73
belong to the church, und
where virtually afl member ol
the local government councils
are church people. aos) Che
custom too sprak oon politial
and economic tatters through
civie charinels.
|
From page 6
MARSHALL ISLANDS JOURNAL
missiles, now beimyg tested at
Kwajatem. At one meeting an
ri
Radiation
and
Relation
Questions
made but generally these have
AOL heen
in accord with
Hrookhaven’s contract
with
DOE .. and the victims are not
compensated. In effect, the
burden of proof hes not with
the US to demonstrate the
dbease is nol radialion induc:
ed, but with the victim to
demonstrate that it was.
The LS Government - and
in the
Marshalls
V. The Church in the Marshalls
The Church in the Marshall
Islands has played and will
apparently continue to play a
nurturing and comforting role
rather than one of advocacy.
In this fragmented society the
church 1s a relatively strong,
Self-relsant indigenous institu-
tion where people can come
together in spile of their
dmsion.
In communities
where
virtually all persons
my:
28
Available at
Seven degrees \
Hotel Adjirth
Marshalls Uhaadicrall
.
Alele Museum
&
Micronitor
2 8 8 q
PO. Rox 14, Mauro 96960
(add $i 50 for airmail postage)
oT 9
=