Over the past two days, Taiwan has been over-whelmed by the damage wrought by Typhoon Toraji to the eastern and central parts of the country -- the biggest disaster since the 921 earthquake. Several dozen people have been confirmed dead in the wake of Toraji; scores more are still missing. The government cannot shirk its responsibilities to help those people whose lives have been devastated by the typhoon. It must act quickly or the ruling party's prospects in the year-end elections will inevitably suffer. Any mismanagement of the relief efforts will add to the fallout from the continuing economic slowdown.
It is a human frailty to seek someone to to blame when tragedy occurs. Typhoons are natural disasters, but blaming Mother Nature is not very satisfying to the grief-stricken. But clearly, there are human factors behind the extensive damage caused by catastrophic storms. Flash floods and mudslides are all too often a testament to man's merciless destruction of the environment. Wanton development of mountain slope areas, unrestrained timber exploitation and illegal extraction of river sand have been the leading causes of environmental destruction in Taiwan for a long time.
The former KMT government certainly deserves criticism for allowing such acts to go on for so long that much of the damage is irreversible. But on the other hand, what exactly has the DPP government done over the past year to improve the environment or to ensure that environmental protection mandates are truly being enforced? One cannot help asking if the DPP government's efforts in this regard stand up under examination. The government is said to be planning deep cuts of infrastructure projects such as transportation, water supply and flood prevention facilities so that it can use the money to make good on President Chen Shui-bian's (
Amid news of so many casualties, it was comforting to hear of the many heroic acts by police officers, firefighters and rescuers who risked their lives to save others. Some did make the ultimate sacrifice. They all deserve applause from all corners of the country. Many members of the public launched also their own personal rescue efforts, shipping food and drinking water into disaster areas and distributing them to victims -- in scenes reminiscent of similar compassionate acts after the 921 quake. Such unselfishness highlight the bright side of Taiwan's society and fosters a feeling that Taiwan is indeed a place of warmth and hope.
It is to be hoped that this devastating typhoon will encourage the people of Taiwan to think more about mankind's usurpation of the land and put more effort into stopping the widespread deforestation. Overdevelopment and callous disregard for the laws of nature will cause it to strike back sooner or later. Environmental issues are a matter of concern for every member of the global community; Taiwan is no exception. Businesspeople -- and some officials -- often question the need for environmental impact assessments, complaining that such requirements slow or block development and economic advancement. The truth is more assessments are needed, not fewer. So the next time a plan is trumpeted to develop a new housing project, recreation area or vacation retreat or pleas are heard to allow more development of forest or mountain land everyone -- right up to the president himself -- should ask: Is such a development needed and what must be done to protect the environment to ensure this project will not adversely affect it?
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