wfn.org | TCN: Aborigines protest losing their homes because of Post-Typhoon Reconstruction Special Act

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>      Taiwan Church News

>3001 Edition

>August 31~September 6, 2009

Aborigines protest losing their homes because of Post-Typhoon  Reconstruction Special Act

>Reported by Chiou Kuo-rong

>Written by Lydia Ma

Taiwan’s national legislature passed Post-Typhoon Morakot  Reconstruction

Special Act on Aug. 27 and approved a budget of NT$120 billion  (US$3.6 billion)

for reconstruction efforts. In the next 3 years, central and local  governments can

apply for funding using this act for all reconstruction projects  in areas ravaged by

>Typhoon Morakot.

However, what aborigines find most upsetting are clauses in the  act granting

government authorities the power declare disaster areas  “danger zones” and

thereby forcing residents to resettle. These clauses have incited  much

indignation among aborigines, whose culture is closely tied to the  land they live

in. Aborigines are also furious that the government hasn’t  sought the opinions or

heeded the suggestions of victims when it comes to rebuilding  their homes. As

result, they staged one protest inside the Legislative Yuan and  another protest

outside of the Legislative Yuan opposing forced resettlement.

Aboriginal NGOs, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan’s Indigenous  Ministry

Committee, and other organizations, have expressed utmost  dissatisfaction with

post-Morakot reconstruction bills. According to a prepared  statement, these

organizations are furious at President Ma for breaking promises he  gave to

aborigines about respecting their wishes in reconstruction  efforts. They are also

displeased that reconstruction legislations that would impact one  or two

generations of aborigines were passed in such a sloppy manner,  demonstrating

>utter disregard for victims’ rights.

Though the reconstruction bill may mean well, it does not take  into consideration

several aspects of Aboriginal Basic Act because forced  resettlement actually

violates the Act, which requires governments to consult Aborigines  before doing

anything in Aborigine areas. “Every tribe has its own  distinct culture. Even among

people of the same tribe, merely living in different neighborhoods  or reserves

gives rise to different cultures,” said PCT Indigenous  Ministry Committee

>Program Secretary Rev. Omi Wilang.

He berated the executive and the legislative branches of  government for failing to

hold public enquiries and acting independently and with total  disregard to the

feelings of aborigines. “Besides shooting us dead, the most  efficient means to

exterminate aborigines is to separate them from their land,”  said Rev. Omi

Wilang on behalf of all aborigines in the world.

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