Marshall Islands signs Treaty, urges US to address nuclear legacy

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) takes a historic step in reinforcing its commitment to a nuclear-free Pacific by signing the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, also known as the Treaty of Rarotonga.

President Hilda Heine is calling on the United States to acknowledge and address the lasting harm caused by nuclear testing.

The first nuclear testing series by the US in the Marshall Islands, under Operation Crossroads, was held to investigate the effects of nuclear weapons on naval warships.

American testing in the islands began at Bikini Atoll with the Shot Able test, on 1 July 1 1946.

Cook Islands Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Tepaeru Herrmann, says the Marshalls’ accession emphasises the enduring solidarity between Pacific nations in addressing nuclear issues.

"The Cook Islands have long stood in solidarity with the Marshall Islands and their ongoing struggles for justice, accountability and redress as related to the long-lasting health, environmental and cultural impacts of nuclear testing on the people of the Marshall Islands from the United States Weapons Testing Program,” Herrmann says.

The Treaty of Rarotonga prohibits the testing, manufacturing, and stationing of nuclear weapons in the region. The agreement also bans the dumping of radioactive waste at sea within the Treaty zone.

The treaty opened for signatures during the 1985 Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders’ Meeting in Rarotonga to reflect the region’s long-standing leadership in nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.

The decision by the Micronesian nation to sign the Treaty follows discussions at the forum leaders’ meeting in 2023, also in Rarotonga.

Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine, right, with Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Baron Waqa. Photo/PIFS

A legacy of Nuclear harm and the call for justice

The signing took place during Heine’s keynote address at the 37th Memorial Anniversary of Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day in Majuro on 3 March.

In her address, Heine reflects on the tragic nuclear legacy that defines her country’s history and honours the victims of nuclear weapons testing.

"For decades, we have fought for recognition, accountability, and remedy for the lasting impacts of the United States Nuclear Weapons Testing Program," Heine says.

"While we remain committed to dialogue, it is disheartening that we must continue to reiterate the destructive impact that the nuclear legacy has had on our health, our environment, and way of life.”

Heine spoke about the loss of traditional knowledge, the ongoing displacement of communities, and the urgency for action, reminding everybody that much more needs to be done to address these issues.

She acknowledges recent steps taken under Compact 3, including the establishment of a museum to memorialise RMI’s nuclear legacy and improved transparency over US documents related to nuclear testing.

Operation Crossroads is the nuclear weapon tests conducted by the United States at Bikini Atoll in mid-1946. Photo/US Army Photographic Signal Corps

But she says these measures are just the beginning of a broader need for comprehensive and sustained action.

Heine highlights the RMI’s plans to submit a revised Changed Circumstances Petition to the US Congress, which will outline new evidence of health impacts, environmental degradation, and lasting social consequences.

She also calls on Washington to take meaningful action saying, "How much longer must we continue to plead for justice?

“The time for action is long overdue - we must come together to devise meaningful, lasting solutions that fully acknowledge and address the harm inflicted upon our people, land, and future generations.”

In addition to its advocacy efforts within the Pacific, the Marshall Islands has rejoined the United Nations Human Rights Council. It continues to work with international mechanisms, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The council’s 2024 report emphasises the need for the US to be more forthcoming about the true impact of its nuclear testing programme and to ensure accountability.

Last year, Deputy PM Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters led a delegation to Micronesia which included the Marshall Islands. He is pictured here with Marshalls' President Hilda Heine. Photo/PMN News/Ala Vailala

The fight for global nuclear awareness

The RMI is also leading efforts within the World Health Assembly to highlight the devastating effects of nuclear weapons on human health.

Alongside Sāmoa and Vanuatu, the Marshall Islands presents a resolution at the assembly focussed on the long-term health consequences of nuclear testing +and reminds the world that nuclear weapons remain an ongoing threat to humanity.

"The world must never forget the Runit Dome," Heine warns. "It stands like a silent tomb on a scarred island, a cracked and heavy lid over a buried past, holding the poison of history that we never chose yet are forced to live with every day.”

She underscores the importance of the World Health Organisation updating its studies on the health impacts of nuclear weapons, particularly in light of newly declassified US documents detailing experiments conducted on Marshallese people.

Runit Dome: From 1977 to 1980, loose waste and topsoil from six different islands in the Enewetak Atoll was transported to the site and mixed with concrete to seal the nuclear blast crater created by the Cactus test. Photo/US Defense Special Weapons Agency

“The human rights violations that were imposed on our people and destruction of our islands for the price of world peace weighs heavily on us, and we share in the frustration that, even now, redress remains out of reach.

“I must emphasise that despite the many challenges, our commitment remains steadfast and our efforts will not waiver.”

Looking forward: A unified call for action

With the signing of the Treaty of Rarotonga, the Marshall Islands joins Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Sāmoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu in solidifying its dedication to a nuclear-free and peaceful Pacific region.