Statement of H.E. President Hilda C. Heine
Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day
March 2, 2026
“Añin Jitbõn Mar”
– Kile/nebar Anij
– Kile Ṃanit eo, Chairman Lanny Kabua, Iroj im Leroj im owner eo ilo Mweo Imweir im Iroj ro i pelakin Aelon Kein
– Juon kile ñan Leroij eo an weto in, Leroij Takbar Ishiguro
– Ro Uan Cabinet eo, ro karejeraer
– Speaker Wase, Vice speaker Zackhras im ro uaan Nitijela eo, im ro karejeraer,
– Judiciary eo, Chief Justice im judge ro mottan
– Diplomatic corps eo
– Ro jen private sector eo im jen doluul ko kajojo,
– Mayor Ladie Jack im aolep mayor ro kajojo
– Kile aolep armij in Majol
——- moment of silence —–
Iakwe kom aolep,
Kommol Rikaki Matauto
Bareinwõt kamolol kom aolep kõn ami kar kobatok ijin kiõ jibboñ. Juõn iien eo ilo kajojo iiõ otemjej jej kõjenolok ñan ad koba ibben don im kejoklokijen, ebareinwõt aorõk ñan ad bõjrak im emloketok weween ko rar walok ilo tõre en kar kõkamãlmel nuclear bomb ko ilo 1946 lok ñan kar 1958, im etõren ñan ad kakememej don 12 iiõ ko remarok ilo bwebwenato in mour ilo aelõñ kein ad.
Jej kememej, ilo juon ien, aeloñ kein ad, kar aeloñ in ainemon, jokane, im obrak kin jerammon an rutto ro ad. Wawein in ear oktak ñan juon jikin kokamelmel kein tarinae ko rekkajoor. Eloñ mour ko raar kaburomojmoj im joreen itok wot jen karok ko an ro ilikin woden bwil kein ad, ko im ejelak ad maroñ ioer. Kottober eo aer, ear ñan bukot lal ta eo ekajoor kein tarinae ko aer.
Yio in ej yio eo kein ka’80 jen tore eo ear walok bwebwenato kaburomojmoj laplap in an aolepen lal in im ear ukot kalmenlokjen ko ikijen joreen laplap in ej walok jen kein tarinae kein rekajoor. Me ñe ainikien eddobolok in bomb ko rejako rainin, ako joreen im buromoj im inebata ko raar walok jeni rej wonmaanlok wot. Im jej loi wot maalekaer ibelaakin aeloñ kein ad im nañinmej kein rejelet koj rainin.
Unin tol ne an yio in, “Añin Jitbõn Mar” – ej kur eo eaurok an aeloñ kein ad im koj woj Rimajol ñan droon, im ñan lal in, bwe jen bok ijo kwonaad ilo beran im kwalok bwebwenato kein an rutto ro ad. Won enaaj kwalok bwebwenato kein ad, elañe ejab koj? Jej aikujin kile ke eddo in ej ad ñan bukmaanlok testimony kein an rutto ro ad ñan jikin kweilok ko rellap. Ilo wawein in, jej kile er ejab ilo bwebwenato wot, ak bareinwot ilo ad kur ñan lal in bwe ren elowetak.
National Efforts
Emakut in emoj an jino bok jikin ilowaan classroom ko an ajri ro nejid bareinwot iben rikaki ro aer ilo aer bok course ko ñan kolaplok jelalokjen ko aer ikijen bwebwenato in. Kien in ami ej kebooj ebeben kein maanwaj bwe en lap im mwilal melele ibeir ñan aer beran im bok ijo kwonaer ilo kenono kein.
Ilo ejja kottober in wot, iomin kwon ko an Compact in, kien in ami ej bojen kajutak juon museum, ñan kejbarok bwebwenato kein ad. Juon buñten eo bwe enjab mejkwunlak im jako bwebwenato kein rej kakirmool ta eo ekar walok ibelaakin aeloñ kein ad.
Ñan kolaplok melele kein ad ikijeen joreen in baijin ilo aeloñ kein, kien in ami ear karuwaineneik tok Greenpeace ñan komane jet ekatok ko ikijen baijin ko rejelet malo ko bareinwot bwidej im kein ekkan ko. Ilo tore in, jej kottar wot jemlok ko ikijeen kar ekatok kein.
Ilo ejja kottober in wot ñan kolaplok melele kein ad ikijeen joreen in baijin ilo aeloñ kein, kien in ami ej tel juon ian droulul ko ilo woden bwil kein ibelaakin Pacific, im juon ian kottober ko an droulul in ej ñan komman ekatok kin wawein an baijin jelet lal kein im ear wor kokamelmel ie ibelaakin Pacific in. Etan droulul in ej Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific Task Force on Nuclear Issues.
Ikijen tomb en ilo Runit ilo aeloñ in Enewetak, ejjab jemlok ad jerbal iben kien eo an America ñan aer kile eddo in aer im bok buñten ko rejimwe im wonmaanlok kaki.
Kien in ami ejjab jenliklok jen kar kalmenlokjen eo iomin karok ko an CCP eo ak Changed Circumstances Petition eo. Kin menin, ekar kajitok iben juon law firm nae etan Blue Ocean Law ñan jibañ kien in elmakwote juon buñten ekaal ñan limaanlok abunono kein ad iben kien en an America. Elikin jerbal in etale ko aer, raar letok ñan kien in ami juon monakjen in buñten ko ñan wonmaanlok kin juon Congressional Reference Case ilo Congress en an America.
Regional Efforts
Ilo Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day eo yio eo lak, kien in ami ekar wonmaanlok wot im bok buñten eo imaantata im likit eltan pein ñan kwalok an jutak likin kwon in nae etan South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty. Kwon in ej kamo’ik bokto boktak ak kojerbal nuclear ilo woden bwil in Pacific in. Buñten eo kein karuo ej bwe kien in en boke im kabene bwe en mweien elap tata ilo tore in im elap emakut ko ibelakin lal in ikijen wawein kojerbal nuclear.
World Health Organization
Bareinwot ejja ilo yio eo lak wot, lal in ad, koba lok iben Samoa im Vanuatu raar jerbal iben droon ñan ejaake juon resolution eo im emoj an World Health Organization bok bwe en mweien ñan kokaal kobban ekatok ko ikijen wawein an joreen kein jelet mour im ejmour bareinwot belak ko belaakid.
Human Rights Council
Koba lok wot iben kottober kein ñan loñaj bwebwenato kein, council eo an Jimwe im Maroñ iomin United Nations ekar errā kin juon resolution bwe emenin aurok ñan report e joreen kein rejelet koj rainin, bareinwot ñan jibañ ain im kolaplok jela in ad ikijen jimwe im maroñ ko ad.
Enwot juon ian lal ko rej uaan Council eo an Jimwe im Maroñ iomin United Nations, jerbal kein im emoj aer jino bok jikier rejamin jemlok.
UN
Armij in aelõñ rar mour ilo jet tõre ko rar abañ im ben itok wõt jen an kar UN kõtlok bwe kõkamlãlmel in nuclear ko ren bõk jikier. Ilo aer kar kõmelim kõkamãlmel in nuclear baam ko ilo aelõñ kein iumin kar tõl eo an United Nations Trusteeship ear juõn bwõd in jerbal elap im ejumae jimwe ko ad ñan rainin.
Ilo kõtaan 1946 ñan 1958 eo ak iumin 12 iiõ, ear wõtlok im edõblok 67 baam ko ilo aelõñ in Bikini im Enewetak. Iumin 8 iiõ ko imaan ilo tõrein kõkamãlmel kein, armij in aelõñ kein rar jab kõnono nae weween in, rar ukukot weween aer mour ekkar ñan rebeltan ko rõkããl iumin kien kein rõkããl. Bõtap, ilo kar 1954 eo ke Castle Bravo shot ear edeboklok ear kairuj armij in aelõñ bwe ren kwlok aenikier ñan lalin bwe ren BÕJRAK.
Ilo petition eo aer jinoin ilo kar 1954 eo, ritõl ro ad rar kajitõk ibben UN Trusteeship Council eo bwe ren bõjrak, rar bareinwõt kakememej Council eo kõn eddo eo aer “ñan kõjbarok mour, anemkwõj im mour im ejmour eo an armij in Majel. Im ilo 1956 eo, ritõl ro ad rar petitioned e Trusteeship Council eo bwe ren kabõjrak kõkemãlmel ko. Meñe kõkemãlmel ko rar wõnmaanlok, Trusteeship Council eo iumin Resolution 1082 im 1493 (ilo kar 1954 im 1956 eo) ar kwõnmaanlok wõt jerbal in kõkemãlmel ko.
Me ñe emootlak 80 yio, ako ejañin wor juon jemlok. Botaab jej kejatdikdik wot ke ilo ad jerbal wot iben United Nations im kien eo an America, jenaaj lo jet karok ko jemaroñ jerbal iben droon kaki ñan kōmejalok abañ kein.
Concluding Remarks
Ij kõjemlok naan kein aõ im ba ke jõban im jejamin kõtlok bwe bwebwenato kein ad ren tinaad im kalibubu iumin iiõ ko rellõñ im ainikien ko ro reiet. Im mokta jen ad kiil ien in ad kiõ jibboñ, jen kakememej kõj kõn petitions ko rar ilok ñan Trusteeship Council eo. Aolepen ritõl ro rar roor eltan peier ilo petitions kein, raar jab mark’e etaer wõt ilo lõmnak ko ad, ak rar ejake juõn bwebwenato ñan ebeben kein ad – ñan aolepen lalin – bwe ren iiake im loore. Jen lelok ad naan in kûle ñan er kõn baran ko aer, ilo aer kar jelmae men ko rebben, im joortkatkat kaki, bareinwõt ro jej share e bwebwenato ko aer im jar kon ro rar itok mokta jen kõj, ro rar eñtan ilo mour ko aer im kiõ rej bed ilo kõj.
Jeban kotlak bwe bwebwenato kein ren mejkwunlok im jako. “Añin Jitbon Mar”, kur eo in an aeloñ kein im rutto ro ad – ñan kwe im ña- bwe jen bok ijo kwonaad.
Kom Emmol Tata, and May God bless the Marshall Islands.
—
Statement of H.E. President Hilda C. Heine
Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day
March 2, 2026
“Añin Jitbõn Mar”
– Kile/nebar Anij
– Kile Ṃanit eo, Chairman Lanny Kabua, Iroj im Leroj im owner eo ilo Mweo Imweir im Iroj ro i pelakin Aelon Kein
– Juon kile ñan Leroij eo an weto in, Leroij Takbar Ishiguro
– Ro Uan Cabinet eo, ro karejeraer
– Speaker Wase, Vice speaker Zackhras im ro uaan Nitijela eo, im ro karejeraer,
– Judiciary eo, Chief Justice im judge ro mottan
– Diplomatic corps eo
– Ro jen private sector eo im jen doluul ko kajojo,
– Mayor Ladie Jack im aolep mayor ro kajojo
– Kile aolep armij in Majol
——- moment of silence —–
Iakwe kom aolep,
Thank you Rikaki Lawson Matauto, and thank you all for taking the time to gather here this morning. This is the time of the year we have set aside space for a poignant moment of reflection. A sacred space for remembrance – a space where we pause to reflect upon the nuclear testing years from 1946 to 1958, and a space to rekindle our memory of those who had endured and suffered the consequences of twelve turbulent years that have left an indelible mark on our history.
We remember a time when our islands – once a place of peace, abundance, and ancestral belonging – became the testing ground for weapons of unimaginable destruction. Many lives were irreversibly shattered by decisions that were made far beyond our shores, and even further beyond our control, imposed upon us by global political forces and the drive to test the destructive power of nuclear weapons.
This year marks eighty years since the beginning of this global story, and although the detonations have fallen silent, the echo of anguish, grief, and frustration continues to resonate, fueled by the remnants that remain on our lands, water and within our bloodlines.
This year’s theme “Añin Jitbõn Mar” – Spiritual calling from our islands- calls upon each of us, as Marshallese, to uphold our commitment to carry on the advocacy and determination of those who came before us. Who is going to tell this story for us, if not us? Let us continue to build on each other’s knowledge and experiences, recognizing that the responsibility rests on each of us to carry forward the stories of our elders into the very spaces they once dreamt their voices would reach. Their testimonies must be heard in national chambers, international forums, academic institutions, and policy discussions around the world. In doing so, we honor their struggles not only with remembrance, but with action. Transforming their lived experiences into informed advocacy, principled leadership, and engagement for justice and healing.
[National Efforts]
These conversations have already begun in our children’s classrooms, with Marshallese teachers strengthening their knowledge through dedicated training at our college. We are committed to equipping the next generation to carry this truth and responsibility forward with understanding and confidence, so that one day meaningful and lasting redress is realized.
As part of our commitment to preserving this history, the Government is advancing a proposal to access Compact funding for the establishment of a nuclear museum, one that will preserve the truth of this legacy and ensure that future generations carry forward this history with knowledge, dignity, and purpose.
To strengthen our understanding of the current environmental conditions in the affected atolls, the Government invited Greenpeace International to undertake an independent scientific assessment. Soil, sediment, and agricultural samples were collected from various Atolls, and we now await the findings of that mission.
In parallel, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, in its capacity as Chair of the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) Task Force on Nuclear Issues, is leading efforts to advance a Preliminary Independent Study on Nuclear Issues in the Pacific, which will encompass our own nuclear legacy as well as broader regional concerns.
With respect to the Runit Dome, our position remains clear and consistent: the United States Government bears responsibility for its full and effective remediation.
The Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands remains steadfast in its commitment to pursuing all appropriate avenues for justice and meaningful redress for our people. Building upon our ongoing efforts under the Changed Circumstances Petition, we are working closely with a group of experienced lawyers and lobbyists to strategically advance our cause. As part of these efforts, the RMI engaged Blue Ocean Law, to conduct a comprehensive analysis and outline a detailed pathway forward. Their work has helped clarify options for advancing a congressional reference case through the United States Congress.
[Regional Efforts]
Last year, during our Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day Commemoration, the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed the Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, known as the Rarotonga Treaty—a historic milestone for our nation and region.
At a time of rising global tensions and heightened nuclear risk, our signing of the Rarotonga Treaty- and our commitment to its ratification- takes on renewed importance and underscores our resolve to advocate for a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons.
World Health Organization
Last year, the Marshall Islands, with Samoa and Vanuatu, successfully led the World Health Assembly in adopting the resolution that mandates the update of its 1993 study on the health and environmental effects of nuclear weapons and its 1987 study on the effects of nuclear war on health and health services. The WHO progress report on this work will be presented to the Health Assembly in 2029.
Human Rights Council
The Marshall Islands, as a member of the Human Rights Council, will continue to advance international cooperation towards nuclear justice for the Marshallese people. We will continue to work with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and we will seek the Human Rights Council’s support to extend the mandated technical assistance to address the human rights implications of our nuclear legacy.
UN
The Marshallese people have experienced the consequences of the UN allowing nuclear weapons tests to take place. The use of our atolls and islands to test nuclear weapons while under a United Nations Trusteeship was a monumental failure with lasting human rights consequences. Between 1946 and 1958, throughout a span of 12 years, a total of 67 nuclear bombs were exploded at Bikini and Enewetak Atolls. And throughout the first eight years of testing, the Marshallese people were mostly silent, and kept to themselves as they go about adjusting and adapting to a new and powerful colonial master. However, the 1954 Castle Bravo shot was the calamitous event that triggered the Marshallese people to finally find their voice and told the world “STOP!”
In their first petition in1954, our leaders asked the UN Trusteeship Council to stop the testing, and also reminded the Council of its “pledge to safeguard the life, liberty and the general well-being of the Marshallese people.” And in 1956, our Marshallese leaders again petitioned the Trusteeship Council to halt nuclear testing. Despite these petitions, the Trusteeship Council by Resolutions 1082 and 1493 (in 1954 and 1956 respectively) authorized further testing.
Though it has been eighty years since the first test was conducted on 1946, genuine reconciliation has yet to be achieved. We remain hopeful that, through principled engagement with the United Nations and the United States of America, a path forward can be realized – one grounded in acknowledgement, accountability, and a shared commitment to justice.
Concluding Remarks
Let me conclude by saying that we cannot, and will not allow our history and lived experiences to be overshadowed by silence or be forgotten by the passage of time. And, before we close this ceremony this morning, let us be reminded of the petitions which were submitted to the Trusteeship Council. All of these leaders that signed the petitions have not only etched their names in our memory, but more importantly, have left a legacy for our generation – and the world – to follow. Let us offer our gratitude to them for their courage, fortitude and resilience, and for the lives of those whom we’ve been privileged to share, and finally, let us pray for those who have gone before us, and for their struggles, for which their enduring impacts now reside in our memories.
Kom Emmol Tata, and May God bless the Marshall Islands.
—
NTA Livestream: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BzwL5NZ7f/?mibextid=wwXIfr
