wfn.org | Amid hesitation, Morakot victims move into permanent housing units

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

>      Taiwan Church News

>3026 Edition

>February 22~28, 2010

Amid hesitation, Morakot victims move into permanent housing units

>Reported by Chen Yi-hsuan, Sam Lee

>Written by Lydia Ma

>Photo by Sam Lee

On February 10, Aborigines from Nansalu Village in Namasiya  Township got ready to leave

Yenchao military academy near Kaohsiung and move into permanent  housing units in Pinlin

Village. This move is expected to take place in phases up until  February 28 and about 111

families are expected to move into new housing units.

However, there are still 12 families who plan to move back to  their old homes and original

village and rebuild. “It feels like we’ve been forced to  move into permanent housing units,” said

one villager with apparent despair as Nansalu villagers prepared a  farewell gathering on

>February 10.

At the farewell gathering, one woman from Nansalu Presbyterian  Church shared her story. Liu

Ai-lin was pregnant when Typhoon Morakot devastated her village.  As she was being

evacuated to safer grounds, her water broke prematurely and she  learned that her brother had

been washed away by a raging flood. She eventually gave birth on  December 26 and will soon

share a permanent housing unit with other families. Despite this  arrangement, she still prefers

going back to her old home as it wasn’t destroyed by the  typhoon.

Liu isn’t alone in feeling this way. Another lady from  Namasiya also misses her old home and

the fresh air she used to enjoy there. He Li-jiun would rather  return to her old home than move

into a permanent housing unit. But when she heard that the  government wouldn’t bail her out

financially if a typhoon were to strike again, she hesitated and  reluctantly agreed to move to

permanent housing units for her family’s safety. She will  also be bringing a newborn baby with

>her.

According to He, many people view Morakot victims with disdain and  think they enjoy

undeserved benefits. She feels the public has forgotten that  Morakot victims are actually

homeless people who didn’t choose to be treated this way.

The permanent housing units in Pinlin Village were funded and  built by Tzu-Chi Buddhist

Foundation. Tzu-Chi also built a chapel to go with the housing  units, but construction plans

went ahead without any consultation with residents who would  eventually live there, causing

>much controversy.

According to reports, posted on the walls of the new chapel are a  set of “New 10

Commandments”, including articles such as “thou shall  not kill any animals”, “thou shall not

smoke”, “thou shall not inhale drugs”, “thou  shall not chew betel nuts”, “thou shall not participate

in any political activity or demonstration”, etc. During the  farewell meeting, Tzu-Chi volunteers

repeatedly reminded villagers about the importance of keeping  these new commandments.

However, not being able to hunt wild boars is unimaginable for  Aborigines as hunting is an

integral part of Aborigine culture and life. Furthermore, hunting  wild boars is an important

custom for Aborigines whenever they celebrate holidays, host  wedding feasts, or mark special

>occasions.

A spokesperson from Morakot Rebuilding Alliance said government  officials, including

Kaohsiung County Mayor Yang Chiu-hsing, had signed an agreement  last year promising

Aborigines that new housing arrangements would respect Aborigine  cultures while providing

them a safe shelter. Now, these promises seem to have vanished  into thin air.

To express displeasure at the government’s betrayal, Morakot  Rebuilding Alliance, led by

South Bunun Presbytery’s pastor, Rev. Lituan, held a protest  against the Ma administration on

February 11 when President Ma visited the new housing units in  Pinlin.

According to reports, the 12 families that refused permanent  housing units have listed religion

as one of their reasons for not moving into these units. They said  Aborigine Christians cannot

get used to the community activities or regulations set up by  Tzu-Chi and many would rather

return and rebuild their old homes if possible.

In related news, PCT Chiayi Presbytery’s Church and Society  Committee donated a few wild

boars and young fowls to Aborigine churches in Tsou District and  Namasiya Township during

>Lunar New Year holidays.

Churches belonging to Chiayi Presbytery have been reaching out and  comforting Morakot

victims by visiting them throughout the reconstruction process and  Aborigines have

responded with gratitude for all the help received. According to  reports, donations from

churches belonging to Chiayi Presbytery for Aborigines living in  Alishan and Namasiya

Townships totaled NT$6 million and all the funds have gone toward  rescue and relief efforts.

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