Abstract

This site is meant to examine some of the effects of the many relocations endured by the Marshallese people.

During the ten year-plus (1946 to about 1958) period of nuclear testing involving 66 tests the people of Enewatak, Rongelap, Wotho, Bikini, and Utrik were moved (and in some cases moved several times) from their atolls (or temporary atolls) to surrounding atolls and islands. Some of these moves involved people traveling several hundreds of miles away to begin a new life on a smaller, less habitable atoll or islet. A comprehensive Chronology of the Marshall Islands over the years 1944 to 1990 is available in an online format submitted to the U.S. Department of Energy (Deines, 1990). I've also compiled a timeline from additional sources with quotes available on this site.

The geologic makeup of the Marshall Islands is unique and I believe one of the major components influencing the issues surrounding the frequent relocations of Marshallese peoples. The atolls and islets that consist of the Marshalls are scattered over 200,000 - 300,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean in an area referred to as Micronesia. This site also explores some of the geographic issues associated with the relocations.

Finally Bikini is presented as the foremost example of a people who have been relocated several times and they offer through interviews their attitudes toward these relocations.