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Marshall Islands nuclear dump?

Nuclear Monitor Issue: 
#418
16/09/1994
Article

(September 16, 1994) The government of the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) is in the process of serious negotiations with the United States government, to turn one of the islands into a nuclear waste dump. The initial idea was from the Bikinians, but the RMI government picked it up, for it has foreseen the billions of dollars involved.

(418.4136) WISE Amsterdam - An article published in the Marshall Islands Journal on 5 June 1994 indicated that the RMI government has prepared a detailed proposal recommending a feasibility for a long term storage and permanent disposal of nuclear materials, in one of the islands in the Marshalls.

The proposal goes into depth about the worldwide crisis concerning safe storage of radioactive materials, a situation that is worsening both because of continuing production of nuclear wastes from power plants and because nuclear weapons in Russia and the US are being dismantled as part of disarmament agreements.

Furthermore, the proposal suggests that the Marshalls might be able to "make a major contribution to the US and the nuclear waste-producing countries by providing a long term storage facility and a permanent repository for nuclear substances, with stringent safe guards to protect environment, human health and safety, and to pro-mote the goal of nuclear non-proliferation. In doing so, the Republic of the Marshall Islands would gain revenues that would help its people "economic self-sufficiency"."

The Pacific Daily News (May 9, 1994) labeled the RMI Proposal On Nuclear Waste Dump a "profitable ventury for a deadly futures". Wilfred Kendall the Marshalls' to the US fully supported the proposal because of the billions of dollars projected on the project.

Senator Alik J. Alik, the parliamentary representative of the Jaluit Atol raised his concern on the issue. In his open letter to the President of the RMI he respectfully requested on behalf of the Jaluit people and those others that share the same views that any plan on the question of the sto-rage of nuclear waste be temporarily suspended until all of the people of the Marshall Islands are given the opportunity to voice their view in a referendum or plebiscite.

The United States and the Marshalls should respect the Compact of Free Association, which was ratified by the US President under Public Law 99-239 (January 13,1986). The Compact states the following in regard to nuclear issues in the Marshall Islands:
- Section 104: Nuclear Waste Disposal: in approving the Compact, the Congress understands that the Government of the Marshall Islands will not permit any other government or any other non-governmental party to conduct any activities specified in subsection (a) of section 314 of the Compact
- Section 314: (a): - Unless other-wise agreed, the Government of the United States shall not, in the Marshall Islands

  1. test by detonation or disposal of any nuclear weapons, nor test, dispose of or discharge any toxic chemical or biological weapon; or
  2. test, dispose of, or discharge any other radioactive, toxic, chemical or biological materials in an amount or manner which would be hazardous to public health or safety.

The Pacific Concerns Resource Centre is concerned with the issue of nuclear waste dumping in the Marshall Islands for the following reasons:

  1. geographically, the islands of the Marshalls are atolls and porous and the wrong place to be storing high level nuclear waste. The Marshall Islands has no capacity or facilities for dealing with this.
  2. the Pacific region has a reputation and a desire to be nuclear free, as frequently expressed by the South Pacific Forum
  3. the risks involved, if there is an accident, it could effect more than just the Marshalls
  4. to reach the Marshall Islands from the US, high level nuclear waste will have to be shipped over thousands of miles of ocean; it will involve transferring/trans-shipments in at least two other ports, apart from the Marshall Islands
  5. there is serious doubt whether safe 'permanent' storage containers can be built either under tar above ground an one of the nuclear-affected atolls
  6. Climate change - on one hand atoll nations in the Pacific are arguing and applying pressures on the inter-national community because of the impacts of climate change, one which scientists predict will be a rise in sea level. Any small rise in sea level will have major implications for atoll nations.
  7. The Marshalls' atolls have since 1992 been affected by tidal waves that have flooded nearly half of the Marshalls annually. The most recent being in June 1994.

The Marshalls ambassador to the US, Wilfred Kendall, says that if the cabinet approves the study (whether the coral atolls can be used for the permanent disposal of global nuclear waste) it will begin in September and take six to eight months to complete. According to Kendall, it is proposed that 12 advisors sit on an international technical advisory panel - including nuclear physicists, doctors, economists and international financial experts.

The Pacific Concerns Resource Centre requests you to write letters to the President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands expressing your opposition to their proposal.

Address:
Iroij Aiuata Kabua
Nitjela of the Marshall Islands
P.O.Box 24
RMI, Majuro MI 96960
REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL
ISLANDS
Tel: +692-625-3678 or 3679
Fax: +692-625-3687
and please send copies of your letters to the PCRC.

Source: Pacific News Bulletin, August 1994
Contact: Pacific Concerns Resource Centre, 83 Amy Street, Toorak, Private Mail Bag. Suva, Fiji.
Tel +679-304-649; Fax: +679-304-755