The US must take additional measures to address the long-term consequences of nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands, including by providing health care for survivors and declassifying documents. This is stated in a UN report presented to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, BTA reports.
Between 1946 and 1958, the US conducted 67 nuclear tests on the territory of the Marshall Islands. Among them is “Castle Bravo“ on Bikini Atoll in 1954. The consequences of the program continue to affect the health and lives of the local population, and according to the UN, the issue of a fair settlement of the claims has not yet been resolved.
UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Awa Dabo told the Council that “damage must be repaired”. The report cited health problems, including increased cancer rates, as well as continued displacement from contaminated areas and social stigmatization of people exposed to radiation.
The UN recommended that the US expand support for those affected through health services and provide access to information related to nuclear tests and their consequences. The Marshall Islands have been demanding full declassification of documents from the nuclear program for years.
The US government maintains that claims related to nuclear testing have been settled, and points out that more than $600 million has been provided to affected communities. At the same time, the Marshall Islands continue to insist on additional compensation and access to archives.
The Marshall Islands' representative to the Human Rights Council, Senator David Anitok, said that the lack of effective compensation has forced the country to seek assistance from the international organization again.
According to UN documents, full access to US archives remains a long-standing dispute. Washington has set aside $10 million in 2024 to improve access to previously declassified materials, but that does not include new declassifications.
The US mission in Geneva and the State Department did not immediately comment on the new report. Meanwhile, the US seat on the Human Rights Council remains vacant after Washington withdrew from the body last year.