Journal 6/22/1982
P1 Kwajalein landowners occupy two islands Over 200 Kwajalein landowners have peacefully occupied sites on Kwajalein and Roi-Namur islands despite a temporary restraining order obtained by the Marshall Islands government from High Court Chief Justice John Lanham in a special Saturday court proceeding. The landowners have not communicated any demands to the Marshall Islands government but based on earlier statements they are displeased by US options in the Compact of Free Association for use of Kwajalein for up to 50 years and lack of past-use compensation. Fifteen Kwajalein Atoll Corporation leaders were arrested June 21 on Kwajalein, including all three senators from Kwajalein, Ataji Balos, Imada Kabua and Jolly Lojkar. Balos phoned KAC attorney George Allen in Honolulu from Kwajalein jail. At 1am in Honolulu June 22, Allen obtained an order from Supreme Court Justice Harold Burnett vacating (canceling) the TRO issued by High Court Chief Justice Lanham late last week. Allen arrived in Majuro this morning via Air Mike but did not continue to Kwaj because the US Army authorities refused to give him a clearance. Upon arrival at Majuro, Allen distributed copies of Burnett’s order to President Amata Kabua and Judge Lanham who were waiting to board the flight to Kwajalein. Allen made separate appeals to Kabua and Lanham, including hand-written letters, not to go to Kwajalein so long as citizens were being held without access to counsel of their choice.
Journal 6/24/1994
P3 New N-test data: Pohnpei, Majuro got it, too Pohnpei, Pingelap and Kosrae were exposed to radioactive fallout from nuclear weapons testing in the Marshall slants, according to documents presented to the US Congress recently. At the request of FSM Ambassador to the US Yosiwo George, the Marshall Islands Embassy in Washington sent information about the Congressional testimony and maps detailing fallout patterns that, for the first time, show islands in the FSM were exposed and adds to an already growing list of islands in the Marshalls that were exposed to fallout. A Department of Defense chart titled “Fallout-Affected Atolls—Pacific Nuclear Tests” also lists Ailinglaplap, Arno, Majuro, Aur, Maloelap, Wotje, Erikub, Lae and Ujae in addition to the 14 other northern islands that US officials have previously said were exposed. According to the latest information, islands that didn’t get measurable fallout are now in the minority. They are mostly southerly islands of Ebon, Namdik, Jaluit, Kili and Mili, and Lib, Namu and Jabot, which somehow escaped fallout although islands to the north, south west and east of them received it.
P9 NTA business is booming Telephone customers on Majuro and Ebeye have doubled since NTA’s new phone system went online a year ago. Majuro had about 900 telephone lines in early 1993. That number is up to more than 1,800 now, said NTA General Manager Alan Fowler. Similary, Ebeye has gone from slightly over 200 to more than 500 phone lines.
Journal 6/24/2005
P1 Girls switch grammar for hammers In this summer program, girls and boys use hammers, chisels and their hands to work on canoes. “We don’t treat girls differently from the boys,” said Waan Aelon in Majel coordinator Alson Kelen. “The girls love the hands-on maintenance work.” A group of 20 Upward Bound students are working with the WAM program every afternoon through the end of July.
P7 Maryknoll team is back The Maryknoll students from Honolulu are back at it again, the 15th summer that they’ve been sending students and teachers on an exchange program with Assumption High School.
P26 Leney has the answers for our trash Kiribati has shown that there is economic opportunity in garbage, not just problems. But in Majuro, garbage is still seen as just a problem, Alice Leney told the Majuro Chamber of Commerce this month. Leney recently completed work in Kiribati for two and a half years developing a recycling program that is now a business-run operation. Because of the success of the recycling program in Kiribati, he was retained by the United Nations Development program to work with people in Majuro to see about the possibility of establishing a similar system here.