wfn.org | Taiwan Church News - Taipower - Stop Apologizing, Do Something!

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Taiwan Church News 2618, May 5, 2002
Reported by Lin Yi-ying, Written by David Alexander

The Taiwan Power Company (Taipower), instead of keeping its
promises and removing a nuclear waste storage facility, has
continued to apologize to the Tao Aborigines who form the main
population of Orchid Island.  The patience of the Tao has worn
out.
The Rev. Mr. Chang Hai-yu is a minister of the Presbyterian
Church in Taiwan (PCT). He is the General Secretary of the Tao
Anti-Nuclear Self-Salvation Association. He called the Tao to
demonstrate their indignation through a protest rally at the
gates of the storage facility on May 1st.  He asked the wider
ecclesiastical world to pray for the oppressed people of Orchid
Island.  In a warning to the leaders of the PCT, he said that
they should not be silent just because the political party that
many Presbyterians support now holds Taiwan's presidency. "You
must not change your position just because the head has changed."

Mr. Chang and the association stridently demand that Taipower
cease acting unjustly.
Speaking as a Christian, he said, "The current state of affairs
is not pleasing to God. Not only that, Christians must go beyond
praying for us. They must come out to stand and shout with us."
Citing the past prophetic stance of the PCT's General Assembly
viz. former governments, he called for similar criticism of
injustices by the current authorities.  "We don't ask for much,
just that our people who have been forced to host a nuclear waste
dump not be given the cold shoulder by the church at large."
    "In the past," he said, "the Tao people have received promise
after promise, apology after apology from Taipower, but no
action.  Our rally on Labor Day will point out the
irresponsibility of this pattern and charge the government of
President Chen Shui-bian with bad faith."

For More Information:  Chang Hai-yu  +886 89 732 885
                     952, Taitung County
                     Orchid Island Township
                     Tung Ching Village
                     Tung Ching Hsin Yi Street #69   TAIWAN

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