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NIA tackles discrimination

Anyone who makes discriminatory comments to others based on nationality, race, color of skin, class, or place of birth could face a fine of between NT$5,000 (US$160) and NT$30,000 as early as June, a National Immigration Agency (NIA) official said yesterday.

The agency has drafted an anti-discrimination bill for all people living in Taiwan and submitted the bill to the Ministry of the Interior for review, NIA official Tsao Ku-ling (曹顧齡) told the Taipei Times during a telephone interview yesterday.

According to the draft, "discrimination" is defined as insulting, threatening or intimidating a person through verbal, written, televised, radio broadcast or other forms of communication based on race, nationality, skin color or birthplace, Tsao said.

Arguing that people of a certain nationality, race, skin color or birth place are superior or inferior would also constitute a violation, she said.

Although the draft was initially designed to protect the rights of immigrants, the new version applies to everybody.

"We will create a panel with 15 to 21 people from the government, academics and non-governmental organization [NGO] representatives to assess complaints of discrimination," Tsao said.

If the accusations are found to be true, "panel members would require corrections within a certain period of time. If no correction is made, the wrongdoers will be fined," she said.
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