This article is written like a personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay that states a Wikipedia editor's personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic. (September 2014) |
Darlene Keju | |
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Occupation | Activist |
Spouse | Giff Johnson |
Darlene Keju, also known as Darlene Keju-Johnson, (1951 – June 18, 1996) was a Marshallese activist. She was born on Ebeye Island in the Marshall Islands group in 1951. The Northern Islands where she grew up were downwind from Bikini and Enewetak atolls where the United States tested 67 nuclear weapons. She witnessed the evacuation of Regelap and Utirik Atolls after they were contaminated by radioactive fallout.[1] Keju is credited for bringing to the attention of the world the suffering of the Marshall Islanders as a result of the nuclear testing and that many more people were affected than acknowledged by the U.S. government.[2]
The book Don't Ever Whisper written by her husband Giff Johnson tells of her fight to share the Marshall Islanders' plight with the rest of the world wasn't being told of the events. He was interviewed by ABC Radio presenter Geraldine Coutts in 2013.[3] On June 17, 2006 she was commemorated on the 20th anniversary of the founding of Youth-to-Youth in Health (YTYIH) organization, which she established in 1986.[4]