Secret testing revealed

Front pages from 1982, 1994 and 2005.

Journal 7/13/1982

P1 RepMar gets Kwaj TRO RepMar went back into court this weekend and obtained a new temporary restraining order (TRO) barring Kwajalein landowners from occupying or interfering with the Kwajalein Missile Range. High Court Chief Justice John Lanham’s TRO also directs RepMar to try to presuade the US to allow landowners access to legal counsel on Kwajalein Island, to maintain sanitation facilities at the occupation sites, and to continue to supply water to Ebeye. RepMar sent cables to the US Defense Department making the requests Lanham directed. On the other side, the Kwajalein Atoll Corporation has sued in Washington, DC to get access to Kwajalein lodging and communications facilities for George Allen and other KAC attorneys. The Kwajalein landowner occupation has received wide media coverage with articles last week in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.

P2 Kwaj occupation said to be growing Irooj Joba Kabua, brother of Marshalls President Amata Kabua and nephew of Irooj Manini Kabua who is the father of Senator Imada Kabua, told the Journal July 13 that the sail-in on Kwajalein by the landowners is “bigger and spreading. The people on Kwajalein are planning on occupying other parts of Kwajalein,” said Kabua who had just returned from Kwajalein and is also leaving again today on the Air Mic flight back to Kwaj. Joba said the people are showing no signs of giving up what they are doing.

P8 Plan nearly done The first complete working draft of the National Development Plan is scheduled to be finished July 13. Reports say a lot of people have been working long hours recently to complete the document.

Journal 7/15/1994

P3 Tony deBrum: We found smoking gun United States officials used Marshall Islanders for radiation experiments and withheld information about the extent of nuclear contamination in the Marshalls, ranking island officials told a US presidential commission in Washington, DC last week. Senator Tony deBrum and Ambassador Wilfred Kendall told the Advisory Committee on Radiation Experiments that among 20,000 pages of secret data released last month by the Department of Energy is “documentation showing that Marshallese citizens were purposefully exposed to radioactive fallout from the Bravo shot so they could be used as subjects in a medical study called ‘Project 4.1.’”

P5 Something’s brewing Republic Brewery brewmaster Paul Fullerton has arrived in Majuro and is working on the brewery’s first beer. He calls it a “mainstream beer” that should be available in four to six weeks.

Journal 7/15/2005

P21 Weaving a wonderful day After a week of serious discussions on issues of teen pregnancy, STDs, HIV/AIDS, environment and tourism development, Women United Together Marshall Islands members closed off with a day of fun in the sun. Attendees of this summer’s WUTMI Executive Board Meeting spent a day relaxing and having a good time at the Weather Station in Delap playing games of musical chairs, juggling and showing off their skills in a basket weaving competition.

P27 Squad on track for Palau The track and field team which will represent the country in the South Pacific Mini Games in Palau hasted this months has been confirmed by the Marshall Islands Athletics Federation. The seven-member squad will compete in the women’s and men’s sprint events — from 100 meters up to 400 meters, the jumps, and two sprint relays. Making up the men’s team is Peter “Roman Cress” Rear, 23; Domeio Kabua, 18; Fred “Nene” Adde, 24; and Rolanto Caesar, 17. The women’s team includes Takilang Kabua, 16; Magdelene “Ann” Chong Gum, 16; and Danica Kabua, the youngest in the team at 15.

P35 Dramatic evening Soon-to-be 9th graders at Assumption Schools put on a set of four skits about Marshallese legends last Friday at the church. The program was the wrap up for the school’s summer program that also involves a group of Maryknoll High School students and teachers from Hawaii in working with the incoming freshmen. In addition to parents and friends, the more than 160 students in Assumption’s Higher Achievement Program watched the show.