Soong unveils policy on Aborigines

Independent presidential candidate James Soong (宋楚瑜) yesterday chose the historically sensitive site of Taipei's 228 Memorial Park -- a site commemorating the thousands of Taiwanese killed by KMT soldiers in 1947 -- to announce his policy on Aborigines and held a large rally last night to kick off the first day of official campaigning.

Surrounded by over 1000 Aborigine participants yesterday, Soong proposed what he called nine "concrete measures" to preserve and protect the dignity of Aboriginal peoples.

The measures include coverage under National Health Insurance for unemployed Aborigines, providing more opportunities for Aborigine participation in politics, appointing specific banks to help with Aborigine needs, and promoting what he termed "Aboriginal diplomacy."

"Few administrative heads do as much as I have done, taking long trips to every Aboriginal tribe,'' Soong said, referring to his extended visits around Taiwan during his four years as provincial governor.

Soong said, based on his own estimate, during his tenure as Taiwan governor, he visited a total of 55 aboriginal townships over 150 times.

According to statistics, he said, the Aborigine population is only 380,000.

In addition to announcing his Aborigine policy, Soong also appealed to members of the Hakka ethnic group, a day after the KMT's presidential candidate, Lien Chan (連戰), announced his own Hakka white paper.

Hakka voters, like mainlanders, are a constituent group that is tightly-contested between Lien and Soong.

One Soong campaign official, Lin Yu-fang (林郁方), a Hakka and a former New Party legislator, said Soong's administration would recommend establishing what he called a "Hakka cultural zone," a Cabinet-level Hakka affairs commission and a Hakka University to court an estimated 2 million Hakka votes.

Meanwhile, last night a support group for Soong, made up mainly of performing artists, staged a large-scale campaign rally at Taipei's Chungshan soccer stadium.

Observers have said connections Soong made as head of the Government Information Office (新聞局) from 1979 to 1984, have brought many artists out in support of his campaign.

Despite steady rain outside, the packed rally drew enthusiastic cheers from the large crowd.

With the first televised platform presentation scheduled to take place today, most of the presidential candidates have curtailed their normal schedules, and reportedly will spend the morning practicing their television statements.