PCT distributes red envelopes to raise awareness for public properties in peril

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

3080 Edition

February 21-27, 2011

General Assembly News



PCT distributes red envelopes to raise awareness for public properties in peril



Reported by Chiou Kuo-rong

Written by Lydia Ma



Soon after Lunar New Year holidays, PCT Church and Society Committee Secretary 
Huang Che-yen distributed 400 red envelopes traditionally used to wrap cash 
gifts and placed what resembled two NT$100 bank notes inside each envelope. 
Upon closer look, the quasi-bank notes listed reasons why Taiwanese should 
oppose Eastern Development Act.

PCT isn’t alone in opposing this act for environmental activists across Taiwan 
have also called on legislators to remove all proposed legislations that would 
lift restrictions on the development of private and public property nationwide, 
which is the gist of Eastern Development Act. 

More than 75 environmental and social organizations gathered in front of the 
Legislative Yuan on March 3, 2011, to press their demands. Representatives from 
PCT, Organization of Urban Reforms, Citizen of the Earth Taiwan, and more said 
many legislators have proposed implementing laws to develop land in Taiwan’s 
east coast and agricultural areas in Yunlin and Chiayi counties under the 
banner of development, construction and sustainability. But these laws would 
essentially legitimize stealing land from the public and giving them to 
corporations, which would turn public property into private property for 
corporations to use as desired.

Holding up an oversized NT$100 bank note featuring ROC founder Sun Yat-sen 
saying “Did I ask you to sell off national land to anyone?”, protesters spoke 
out against Offshore Islands Development Act and proposed acts for land 
development in Aborigine areas. They reiterated that these acts that claim to 
promote “Development, Construction, Sustainability” would actually damage the 
environment, rob Aborigines of their land, and feed corporate lusts.
Speaking as a Taitung native, Huang said many people from eastern Taiwan are 
unfamiliar with Eastern Development Act though 87.5% of the land in the east 
coast belongs to the government and the public. Hoping to raise awareness on 
this act, he was inspired to distribute red envelopes. 

He added that PCT General Assembly would soon schedule an information session 
near Taitung because a few Christians in the area actually stand to profit from 
this act despite the fact that it’s a wrong and unrighteous piece of 
legislation.



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