Big Land Deal
p. 115 · Read in the full issue
Settled-After
20 Years
Twenty years after American forces freed Kwajalein Atoll from the Japanese, the US Trust Territory Government has signed a lease agreement with Marshallese land owners for the use of 682 acres in the Marshall Islands.
The land involved includes Kwa jalein Island, presently used by the Pacific Missile Range, and land used by the Trust Territory Gov ernment as an airfield on Dalap Island, Majuro Atoll.
The lease agreement covered pay ment for past use rights dating to February, 1944, as well as future payments amounting to $750,000.
Since land in the Marshalls is not individually owned, but is held jointly by clan members, many hun dreds of individuals have a stake in land rights. Protracted negotiations were thus needed to arrive at an agreement which would satisfy pre sent landowners and provide for future inheritors.