Journal 6/29/1982
P1 KAC, RepMar and US holding talks Negotiations are now underway on Kwajalein between the US and Marshalls governments and the Kwajalein Atoll Corporation, according to the KAC office in Majuro. Ten days ago KAC members moved onto islands used by the Kwajalein Missile Range in order to protest what they feel is inadequate land use compensation under the Compact of Free Association signed last month.
P2 President: Compact ‘best we could negotiate’ President Amata Kabua admitted today in a meeting with the Ebeye people that the Compact of Free Association is not a perfect document, but “it was the best we could negotiate.” He said both sides had to give up certain things in order to get what they wanted.
P3 Leaders jailed Senators Imada Kabua and Ataji Balos along with their boat crews were arrested June 20 as they attempted to occupy Emon Beach on Kwajalein Island. When they found out their leaders had been arrested, all the sail-in people at Camp Hamilton, over 100 mostly women, children and old men, marched to the Kwajalein police station and demanded that their leaders be released or they would go in. The demonstrators were met by policemen from both Majuro and Kwajalein, Col. Peter Witteried, KMR Police Chief Jon Lang and others on the steps of the police station. There were some shoving and one or two Marshallese were involved in some scuffling with the policemen. Women were shouting and crying at the same time.
P3 Open letter to World Council of Churches …The greatest area of concern is that the United States government is now demanding under the proposed Compact of Free Association a once and for all settlement of all damage claims due to its testing programs. Doesn’t it seem unfair at this time for the US to demand a one-time settlement in return for meeting its responsibilities to provide compensation for past damages when the extent of such damages remains so ambiguous? —Jerry Knight, Curator, Alele Museum.
Journal 7/1/1994
P4 Roberts named acting GM of MWSC Effective last week, Billy Roberts was named acting general manager of Majuro Water and Sewer Company. Although Roberts, who is also the GM of Marshalls Energy Company, had already been working with MWSC to improve its situation, he now has the power to do more.
P11 Hundreds of docs to review With a simple exchange of words, US Ambassador David Fields presented 26 boxes of documents of recently declassified documents concerning the nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands to Foreign Minister Phillip Muller in the minister’s office.
P12 Constitutional Convention begins work The votes have been counted and all that’s left to be done before the 1994 Constitutional Convention begins is certification of the election results and holding of an information session. The opening is set for July 6, after Speaker Kessai Note and legislative counsel Chris Stevens host a two-day informational session for the 45 members.
P19 $7m approved for Rongelap cleanup A key US House subcommittee on Friday approved $7 million funding for cleaning up and rehabilitating Rongelap Atoll. If finally approved by both the House and Senate, the funding will bring Rongelap’s US-provided trust fund to $13 million.
P24 HPO looking for links between RMI and other Pacific islanders There is presently no proven theory of how the Marshall Islands was settled approximately 2,000 years ago. Two competing theories of migration — that the first Marshall Islanders came to these north Pacific islands from central Polynesia by way of Kiribati, or that they originated from the Solomon Islands in Melanesia — are the most likely scenarios, according to Marshall Islands Historic Preservation Office archeologist Marshall Weisler.
Journal 7/1/2005
P2 40 boats set for billfish tournament Majuro’s fisherfolk have been sharpening hooks, sorting through pink and purple lures, and patching holes in fuel tanks in preparation for this weekend’s hotly contested finale to the year-long President’s Cup. Clinging on to the top spot in the Marshalls Billfish Club competition is champion fisherman Ronnie Reimers at 2,554 points, with rival Anton deBrum testing the Kirtake captain’s nerves with 2,318.
P6 New range of bank services on Kwajalein The US Army Kwajalein Atoll opened its doors last Saturday to welcome the Bank of Marshall Islands’ new branch on Kwajalein Atoll.