The United States governed Bikini and the Marshall Islands as a United Nations Strategic Trust Territory from 1947 until 1986 when an independent Republic of the Marshall Islands was established. As the administrator of the Trust Territory, the United States’s responsibility was to “promote the economic advancement and self-sufficiency of the inhabitants”, and to this end to “…protect the inhabitants against the loss of their lands and resources…”
The United States blatantly and intentionally failed its mission. After the explosion of Baker in 1946, the United States detonated an additional 21 nuclear weapons on Bikini Atoll.
When the Bikini people were removed from their island a second time in 1978, The United States government awarded them a small compensation for their hardships. The initial fund was approximately 6 million dollars. The Bikinians generally received $40,000 a month distributed through the Kili/Bikini/Ejit local Governing Council to all individuals with legitimate rights on Bikini Atoll.
Since 1982 and throughout the years the United States renewed or established other trust funds for the Bikini people. The Bikinians also filed suits against the United States for the damages they incurred from nuclear testing and violation of their fifth amendment rights under the United States constitution. This amendment states the United States shall not deprive a person of life, liberty or property without due process of law.
The Compact of Free Association
In 1986 the Compact of Free Association was approved by the United States Congress as an extension of the United Nations Territorial Trusteeship. The agreement created The Nuclear Claims Tribunal to handle litigations. The Tribunal awarded the Bikini People $563,315,500 in funds that did to exist. However, since the agreement halted all previous Marshallese suits against the United States, the onus of legal pursuit was placed upon the Bikini people.
The Compact of Free Association also accorded the United states the right to a continued military presence on the Marshall Islands. In return, the Marshall Islanders were granted non-immigrant status. With this status, they received the right to live and work in the United states without a visa or work permit. The agreement, however, failed to provide an avenue to citizenship, and the Marshallese people have been denied benefits such as health insurance. In December 2020 they became eligible for medicaid.
In 2017 the remaining Bikini trust was valued at $59 million. Until that time, the United States Department of the Interior had veto power over how much money the Kili/Bikini/Ejit Governing Council could withdraw. In November 2017 the Department of the Interior relinquished the veto right, and the K/B/E Governing Council now has complete decision making rights over the funds.