East Kiribati Christmas Island
Ostkiribati Christmas Islandon Christmas Island: Searching for Britain's radioactive heritage
By 1957, the UK army began testing the Pacific Ocean and relied on Christmas Island. In 1957, the United Kingdom Army began to conduct atomic testing in the Pacific Ocean. Testing ended six years later and parts of the entire country were cordoned off for years. That name is all that's remained of Britain's 50 years ago.
Captain Cook, the only Christmas Island resort, is now there. A scorching easterly breeze is blowing and the sea is constantly booming on the riff, like a remote procession in a channel. The Christmas Island has undergone a great deal of changes. Now it is part of the Kiribati state ( "Kiribas") with a capitol in the far Tarawa, one days flying distance over Fiji.
In Kiribati, formerly the Gilbert Islands, the inhabitants have difficulties to pronounce the letters S. Thus Kritmat becomes Christmas and then Kiritimati - a new name is called. Concern has been expressed about the island's sustainability due to its unreliability of drinking waters, but the Kiribati authorities have further encouraged relocation from the crowded Tarawa.
There are some who are concerned that this is a danger to the Christmas Isles world in the twenty-first century. So I talked to a tired-looking physician, the birth attendant on the islands. However, for others associated with this isle, history has stopped. Upon his comeback, he developes a glaucoma in his right eyeball, and for much of his lifetime he has tried to get reimbursement from the Department of Defense for what he describes as damaging levels of radioactive contamination during his army duty.
He' an energetic, resolute man and still intrigued by the isle. He asked me before I went if I would see if there was anything remaining of the structure he had built during his stay there. On my right is the sea's dark blues and on my right side a miles after miles of Salzbusch peeling, a lush verdancy after the last rains.
I' m with William from the Wildlife Department and we drive to the isolated south-eastern tip of the archipelago, which was once badly known as the Forward Zone. The bombing was high up in the air above this area or just off the coast, and it was closed off for years.
Willie catches wild kittens out here because they are a menace to the seabird colony and he says he saw something I might find interesting. In 2006 there was a big cleanup of the rest of the army, but that looks immovable. Monday-Friday brief issues - see World Service program.