UN urges US reparations over Marshall Islands nuclear tests

The United Nations human rights office has called on the United States to guarantee comprehensive reparations for individuals impacted by nuclear tests conducted in the Marshall Islands. Home to approximately 37,000 residents, the Marshall Islands endured 67 nuclear tests between 1946 and 1958, with the detrimental consequences still reverberating today.

Deputy UN rights chief Awa Dabo emphasized that the history of the nuclear tests is not confined to the past but continues to manifest in the bodies, families, and communities affected by the environmental damage and health issues. The 1980s settlement of US$150 million by the Marshall Islands did not encompass future generations, moral damage, environmental degradation, or other forms of harm.

Dabo urged Washington to acknowledge the lack of a thorough and equitable settlement of claims arising from the nuclear testing program, calling for the full and effective remedies for the human rights impact of the nuclear legacy on all Marshallese, including the declassification and accessibility of all information related to the nuclear legacy.

The Nuclear Claims Tribunal, founded by the Marshall Islands in 1987, has issued multiple rulings over the years, totaling compensation exceeding US$2.3 billion.