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Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.
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OFFICE OF TERRITORIES United States Seaats This will acknowledge your letter of Dece=tier11 asking our comments ~ith respec~ to two lettsrs which you have received The overall history of the people rmw living on Kili, as related by Mr. and Xrs. Jenkins, is subs~cr.tizlly correct. Their hmne atoll, Bikini, was acquired for use i> nuclear testing in the late 1940s and tileBikini people were moved ultimately to Kil.i .,not have a lagoon bur is a single islzml with a fringing reef. Access to and from the islxui OVSY the reef is adaiztedly difficult. Although this kind of islznd is not :he usual one, it is by no means uncommon in the Pacific znd Ylrsha llese people have lived for many ,. Years on a similar island, Mejic. The people of Bikini were paid $325,0C0 for Bikiai Islznd. Of this amount $25,000 was pzid ir.cas-nantit;lercxainder was invested Ln a trust fund, the incoxz froa which is periodically paid to them. Houses and other village facilities were bu~i~ for then a~ the time of their r“emovalto the island and other assistz?.czwas given to zhem toward establishing their new home. AILhoug!I sxaller in land a?ea than Bilcini, Kili is more fertile and lies in part of the ?larshalls that has a more ample rainfall. Agricultural prodxct%on th~s is somewilaceasisr than in ~heir home island. tainccla desire Lo rccurn to fiikini. ‘1’llisis d .~~:;irewi~l~which WC sympathize and inorz than a year ago the Eigh Comiiissionerand this Department requested the Atomic Er.ergyCommission to make a nsw survey of Bilcini to determine w!lether or not levels of radio activity are s~ch that the ‘Kilipeople may saEely be rzturned. This study, which. involved a field trip by a scientific team to zke atoll in the early paz~ of this year, has not yet bees coinpletedant?the samples and data gathered have not yet been fully analyzed. Xc is che~ef~re premature to say whether or ,not the Kili people night safziy be rzturncd to Bi’k-ini. BEST COPY AVAILABLE
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YOU may be assured that the problem of these people is very much the concern of the High Commissioner and this Department and we are desirous of giving thea every possLble assistance. ~{e appreciate the opportunity of COm.TcntiW on the letters from Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins aml are returninz tl~cmas you rcqucstcd.