wfn.org | TCN: Aborigines disappointed at new premier’s post-Morakot reconstruction policies

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

>      Taiwan Church News

>3007 Edition

>October 12~18, 2009

Aborigines disappointed at new premier’s post-Morakot  reconstruction policies

>Reported by Chiou Kuo-rong

>Written by Lydia Ma

When Premier Wu Den-yih and other cabinet members gave a report on  budget

allocations for post-Morakot reconstruction efforts on October 6,  they were also

questioned about how they would respond to Aborigines who wanted

government to provide temporary housing instead of permanent  housing. The

new premier replied that he didn’t support temporary housing  for those who had

>lost their homes during Typhoon Morakot.

“Permanent housing” would allow typhoon victims (mostly  Aborigines) to rebuild

>their homes or communities on government-

owned lands and settle indefinitely. However, Aborigines  won’t hold rights or

ownership over these lands or houses though they may live there  for a long time.

“Temporary housing” on the other hand would provide  Aborigines with a

comfortable place to settle down for the time being so that they  can find the

means, time, and space to rebuild their old homes or think about  where they want

>to resettle in the long run.

According to Wu, building permanent housing was a highly effective  policy and

the government wanted to finish reconstruction projects as soon as  possible.

Therefore, it wouldn’t support temporary housing because such  an option would

further delay decision-making on the part of Aborigines. Wu also  said if building

temporary housing was deemed a more appropriate option in some  cases, he

>would reconsider it on a case-by-case basis.

Many pastors and Aborigines are disappointed at Premier Wu’s  decision as

they had hoped he would respect Aborigines’ preference for  temporary housing

instead of insisting on permanent housing as the sole policy  alternative. But Wu’s

decision to continue what his predecessor, Liu Chao-shiuan,  started shouldn’t

come as a surprise for anyone. Despite a recent cabinet reshuffle,  the gist of the

Ma administration’s policies remains unchanged.

The government’s Post-Morakot Reconstruction Committee  announced in the

beginning of October that typhoon victims could live in military  barracks until the

government finishes building permanent housing for them. In the  meantime, it will

issue stipends to cover victims’ room and board and food  expenses while

staying at these barracks. However, temporary housing wasn’t  mentioned at all

during recent government newsletters on reconstruction plans.

Though the Reconstruction Committee has always maintained its goal  is to help

Aborigines move away from dangerous areas while keeping their  communities

or way of life intact, Rev. Lituan from Kaohsiung Presbytery  isn’t convinced. He

pointed out that communities in Namasiya have been bombarded by  Buddhist

organizations such as Tzu-Chi and other government agencies with  offers to

relocate and build permanent housing even as World Vision has  begun offering

>temporary housing for typhoon victims.

Rev. Lituan explained that one key aspect differentiating  temporary housing from

permanent housing is location. Temporary housing is located in the  mountains

near the site of Aborigines’ old homes, but permanent housing  is located in the

valleys or plains and far away from the site of Aborigines’  old homes. Hence,

though the government maintains that Aborigines are free to choose  where they

want to resettle, all government policies on reconstruction  efforts clearly favor

>permanent housing away from the mountains.

Rev. Abus from South Bunun Presbytery remarked that it felt odd to  have Tzu-Chi

build their new homes and new churches. Since religion and church  life are

important aspects of Aborigines’ life, it would be very  difficult for Aborigines to

get used to the idea of having a Buddhist organization build their  church – an

intimate place where they gather to worship God. That is partly  the reason why

they later sought Christian organizations such as World Vision for  help in building

>temporary housing instead.

According to one Namasiya resident, when her family evacuated  during the

typhoon, they had signed up for permanent housing offered by  Tzu-Chi and

temporary housing offered by World Vision simultaneously. Because  of the

government’s intense marketing strategies, coupled by  concerns that living

closer to the city might offer better job opportunities, the whole  family decided

>initially to forego temporary housing.

However, after the dust settled and this family had time to think  more thoroughly

about what they wanted, they ultimately chose temporary housing  over permanent

housing because they wanted to stay with the rest of their  community so that their

lives could return to normal as before the typhoon and the whole  community could

>remain together.

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