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Flag of Bikini Atoll
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Flag of Bikini Atoll, a member of the Marshall Islands, was adopted in 1987 as a symbol of what the islanders believe is the American government's obligations to them.[citation needed] The 23 white stars in the canton of the flag represent the islands of Bikini Atoll. The three black stars in the upper right represent the three islands that were disfigured in March of 1954 during 15-megaton Bravo test by the United States. The two black stars in the lower right corner represent Kili Island and Ejit Island of Majuro Atoll, where the Bikinians relocated to before the testing began. It lies 425 miles to the south of Bikini Atoll. These two stars are symbolically far away from Bikini's stars on the flag as the islands are in real life (both in distance and quality of life).[citation needed] The use of the American flag design represents the belief by the islanders that the Government of the United States still has obligations to their people.[citation needed]
The Marshallese language words on the bottom of the flag, "MEN OTEMJEJ REJ ILO BEIN ANIJ," reportedly represent the words spoken in 1946 by the Bikinian leader, Juda, to U.S. Commodore Ben Wyatt when the American went to Bikini to ask the islanders to give up their islands for the 'good of all mankind' for nuclear weapons testing.[citation needed] It translates as "Everything is in the hands of God".[citation needed]