Aborigines implore not to be treated like zoo animals on exhibit

      Taiwan Church News

      3049 Edition

      August 2~8, 2010

                                   

       

      Aborigines implore not to be treated like zoo animals on exhibit

       

      Reported by Lin Yi-ying

      Written by Lydia Ma

      Photo by Lin Yi-ying

       

       



      A few Aborigine rights advocates from various organizations, including 
PCT Indigenous 

      Ministry Committee Secretary Rev. Omi Wilang, called a press conference 
on behalf of 

      Aborigines on August 1, 2010 - a day coinciding with Taiwan’s Indigenous 
People’s Day.

       



      Displaying signs in Chinese that read “This isn’t a zoo or museum. If you 
love me, don’t visit 

      me!” these advocates spoke on behalf of Aborigines residing in permanent 
housing units 

      (also known as Daai Village) built by Buddhist Compassion Relief in 
Sanlin, Kaohsiung County.

       



      Advocates urged Compassion Relief officials to stop bringing officials or 
tourists to tour 

      permanent housing units now inhabited by Aborigines and called on the 
Buddhist organization 

      to let Aborigines live in peace and quiet. 

       



      Because Tzu-Chi (Compassion Relief) founder Master Cheng Yen had 
designated the new 

      community in Sanlin as a model for future permanent housing units, 
representatives from 

      various charitable organizations have been visiting the new community 
continuously in the past few months. 

       



      Aborigines living in Sanlin have confided that they’ve often had to take 
time out to become 

      ushers and guides as result of these visits, which have become very 
disruptive to their daily 

      lives. However, aware that they’re practically living under someone 
else’s roof, they’ve tried to 

      remain quiet about these disturbances.

       



      In response to their plight, these advocates have made a clip available 
online urging people to 

      refrain from visiting Daai Villages out of respect for the privacy of 
Aborigines. 

       



      To view this clip, refer to: http://youtu.be/wjOortQ8-Zo

       



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