US NGO's Support Marshall Islands Cause at Senate Hearing

Over 30 NGO's from across the United States have signed-on to a letter urging Congress to respond to the nuclear legacy of US testing in the Marshall Islands with "moral and legal fairness," ensuring that the Marshallese people receive the same care, clean-up and protection as American citizens. The July letter was addressed to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Pete M. Domenici and Minority leader Jeff Bingaman. The diverse group of organizations, representing citizens from across the United States, also issued a similar statement in May to the House committees.

The letter commends the Committee for holding the hearing and encourages them to apply "the same standards of care, safety, redress of grievances and justice that Congress has adopted with respect to the effects of nuclear testing in the US mainland" to the people of the Marshall Islands.

Marshallese should receive the same level of health care as US Downwinders, Atomic Veterans, or Department of Energy workers exposed to radiation. Clean-up and radiation protection standards should mirror locations in the US, such as Hanford, Washington. Compensation for personal injuries should also be paid in full as is required for the Downwinders (rather than the pro rata currently used in the RMI due to an insufficiency of funds). The US government must also find the means to compensate private property owners for the damage to their lands as is required in this country, stated the letter issued by the Nuclear Peace Foundation.

US organizations that have signed on to the letter include: American Friends Service Committee, Atomic Mirror, Center for Health, Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, Citizen Alert Environment & Justice (CHEJ), Educators for Social Responsibility Metro, Global Peacemakers Association, Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE) Public Fund, Ho`okipa Network, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, Kak'oo Na Kupuna 'O Kohala, Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy, Military Toxics Project, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Nuclear Policy Research Institute, Nuclear Studies Institute at American University, Nuclear Watch of New Mexico, Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, Peace Farm, Peace Links, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Portsmouth/Piketon Residents for Environmental Safety and Security, Proposition One Committee, Santa Barbara Society of Friends, Secure World Foundation, Snake River Alliance, Solidarity Committee of the Capital District, Tri-Valley CAREs (Communities Against a Radioactive Environment), Upper Hudson Peace Action, US Peace Council, Western States Legal Foundation, Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom US Section.

--Compiled by Yokwe Online, from letter forwarded from RMI Embassy, Washington, D.C.