Jikin kōṃṃan nuuj im meḷeḷe  eo ilo Majōl eaar ba bwe ewōr jet kōrā in Majōl ro im rej jerbal ioon āne in Kwajlalein eṃōj aer kwaḷọk aer abṇoṇo ṇae jikin jerbal ko rej jerbal ie ikijjien alleging sexual harassment ak an emmaan ro kakkure im kabṇoṇoik er ilo jekkar im ejjeḷọk mālim.  Wāwein in ej ṇae kajojo ro uwaan contractor (koontōrāk) ko rej jerbal ilo jikin tariṇae eo ioon Kwajalein ak U.S Army Garrison eo ioon Kwajalein Atoll.

As of now, no action has been taken to hold the perpetrator accountable nor has the USARMY outlined a clear strategy or plan to address matters that involve civilian contractors and locals. In any standard workplace, the person accused would be placed on leave while a full investigation is conducted. This has not happened.

Juon iaan kōrā rein eaar kwaḷọk ainikien kōn ta eo eaar jelet e ippān Chickin Meḷeḷe.  Liin ej ba bwe ear bebe bwe en wōnṃaanḷọk wōt im kōnono kōn menin āinwōt an lale im loe bwe problem in eḷap an ḷap jān joñan kōtemāne eo an im eḷapḷọk jorāān im nana ko raar waḷọk ñan ro jet jān joñan eo eaar ioone. 

Liin eaar barāinwōt ba bwe ilo an kwaḷọk ainikien eaar jab ḷōmṇak wōt kōn e make bōtaap eaar ḷōmṇak kōn leddik eo nejin im kōrā in Majōl ro jet im jorāān im nana in enaaj bar jelet er ñe ejjeḷọk emaroñ beran ilo an kwaḷọk ta in enana ej bōk jikin ilo jikin jerbal in. Eaar ba im kōtmāne bwe ilo an kwaḷọk ainikien ilo beran, kōrā ro jet jekjek in eaar bar waḷọk ñan er, ren jeḷā ke rejjab make iaer im ren jeḷā bwe ewōr ej jutak likier ñe renaaj wōnṃaanḷọk wōt im kōnono kōn ejja problem in wōt im ta eo eaar waḷọk ñan er. 

“Ewōr armej ro im ro jen jikin jerbal ko repojak ñan jipañ eok.” Eaar ba. “Kwomaroñ ioon ro rejjab ṃōṇōṇō in jipañ eok, jekdoon akō kwōj aikuj beran wōt im kijñeñe ilo aṃ kajur im jutak make iaaṃ ñan juṃae jorrāān im nana rōt in.”

Kōrā in eaar ba bwe ilo an bōk buñtōn ko ñan an kwaḷọk an abṇōṇō ṇae jorrāān rōt kein ej juon wāwein eo epen.  Eaar ba bwe eaar eñjake an make iaan ilo men in im jaje ia eo emaroñ pukot jipañ jene.  Elukkun pen im kajokok kwaḷọk im tibdiki jekjek ko raar waḷọk ñan eok iṃaan mejen jet armej ro kwōjeḷā kajjier.  Eḷapḷọk an pen ñan kōrā ro rej aikuj in kwaḷọk abṇōṇōṇ ko aer ñan ro rej ukot ainikier jān kajin majōl ñan kajin pālle.  

Kōrā in eaar ba bwe meñe raar kwaḷọk abṇōṇō ko aer kōn armej rein ak raar bar leḷọk er bwe ren jerbal ippān ejja armej rein wōt im raar kwaḷọk aer abṇōṇō ṇae.  Eaar kajjitōkin eḷaññe no-contact (jab atartar) kakien eo ej jerbal wōt ke ak eḷaññe jipañ ko ñan kōjparok er reṃool.

Kōj ri majōl epen ad kwaḷọk būruwōd ñan doon. Eaar ba, “kōṃṃan bōktak ko im ablōñlōñ  ak kajook armej ejjab jekjek in rein kōm ri majōl.

Eaar ba bwe ñe kōrā in majōl renaaj beran ilo aer kwaḷọk nana rōt kein, āinwōt kaamjak akō kallu im kabōṇōṇōiki er, jej aikuij in meḷeḷe bwe rej jutak ṇae juon ṃanit eo eḷap kilan kōn menin rej aikuj bōk jet buñtōn ko ñan kabōjrak an wōr aetwerok.

“Juon wāwein eo eḷap wōt an pen kōṃadṃōde,” eaar ba.

Ilo tōre in, juon jerbal in etale eo eṃōj an bōk jikin ikijjien jorrāān kein.  General eo an U.S Army Pacific im U.S Indo- Pacific Command repād ilo facebook ñan aṃ leḷọk abṇōṇō ko aṃ kōn jorrāān im nana kein im raar bōk jikier im rej pād wōt ilo aer jerbali, im ejjañin wōr uwaaki er.

The Marshall Islands Journal has reported that several Marshallese women working on Kwajalein have filed complaints alleging sexual harassment in the workplace. According to the Journal, some women also reported experiencing retaliation after coming forward. The allegations involve civilian contractors working on the U.S. Army Garrison–Kwajalein Atoll.

As of now, no action has been taken to hold the perpetrator accountable nor has the USARMY outlined a clear strategy or plan to address matters that involve civilian contractors and locals. In any standard workplace, the person accused would be placed on leave while a full investigation is conducted. This has not happened.

One Marshallese woman shared her experience with Chikin Melele. She said she decided to speak because she realized the problem was bigger than her own experience.

She said she was thinking not only about herself, but also about her daughter and other Marshallese women who could face similar situations if no one came forward. She hopes that by speaking out, other women will know they are not alone and will feel supported if they decide to report similar experiences. 

“There are people and agencies ready to support you,” she said. “You might also meet those who might not support you, and you need to dig deep in your heart for strength to stand alone if you have to.”

She said reporting harassment was difficult. She felt isolated and uncertain about where to turn for help. It’s uncomfortable discussing the details of the incidents in front of people she knows. It’s even harder for the women who aren’t comfortable reporting in English and need interpretation to file their reports. 

She said that even after reporting the harassment, some women were still assigned to work near the people they had reported. She questioned whether the no-contact orders were being enforced or if they provide any real protection. 

Marshallese people avoid confrontation. She said, “Causing a scene or making others feel uncomfortable is not part of the way our people are.”

She said that when Marshallese women find the courage to report harassment, it should be understood that they are acting against strong cultural expectations to avoid conflict.

“The logistics of this have been a nightmare,” she said.

At this time, these are allegations, and requests for investigation have been made. The current commanding general of the U.S. Army Pacific and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command maintain an active presence on Facebook if you want to express your concern about pending allegations.