wfn.org | Earthquake raises doubts about quality of permanent housing units

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

>      Taiwan Church News

>3029 Edition

>March 15~21, 2010

Earthquake raises doubts about quality of permanent housing units

Reported by Sam Lee

>Written by Lydia Ma

When permanent housing units were being built in Pinlin Township,  Tzu-Chi

Buddhist organization claimed that all construction materials used  to build 
“Da-Ai

permanent housing units” were imported, earthquake-resistant  and high-quality

>materials.

To investigate whether Tzu-Chi’s claims would hold, PCT Rukai  District and

some village leaders went to work on March 11, exactly one week  after a 6.4-

magnitude earthquake rocked southern Taiwan. They visited  permanent housing

units in Pinlin and discovered cracks along the walls of many  houses. According

to these investigators, it was baffling that “imported,  high-quality 
materials” could

>be so fragile.

However, what this team of investigators found even more appalling  was seeing

a giant screen playing a program hosted by Buddhist Compassion  Relief Tzu

Chi Foundation’s leader, Master Cheng Yen, right inside the  chapel built near 
the

housing units. At the time, the program featured Master Cheng Yen  explaining

>Buddhist texts.

According to these investigators, there were several cracks inside  and outside

of these newly-built houses. Though they were built to withstand  over 10.0-

magnitude earthquakes, a few days after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake

originating from Jiashian in Kaohsiung County, investigators found  cracks in

>several places.

There was also a notable crack inside the chapel, right below the  cross where

Buddhist slogans were carved. Kabalelradhane Presbyterian Church  pastor,

Rev. Palri, believes the crack inside the chapel might just be an  indication of

God’s displeasure over having Buddhist slogans printed on  Christian church

>walls.

Having to listen to Master Cheng Yen preach and forced to obey a  set of “New

10 Commandments” displayed inside the new church has offended  many

Namasiya residents who felt they were being brainwashed.

In response, PCT General Secretary Andrew Chang issued a statement

indicating it was very inappropriate to have Tzu-Chi’s  “New 10 Commandments”

displayed inside a Christian church. However, Rev. Chang also  pointed out that

a review of reconstruction efforts showed the root of problems lay  in President

Ma and Premier Wu and their policies and strategies.

Rev. Chang pointed out that both leaders often played partisan  politics when

dealing with Morakot reconstruction projects, resulting in delays  over 
rebuilding

new houses for Aborigines and making Aborigines wearier. He said  PCT does

not want religious differences or disputes to get in the way or  become

distractions that would further hamper rebuilding efforts.

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