DPP calls for aid to betel nut farmers

The government should help betel nut farmers find new work before cutting down their illegal crops, DPP members said yesterday.

Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) on Friday announced a plan to rid Taiwan of illegal betel nut plantations, which he said had caused the soil erosion behind last week's deadly mudslides. The premier also said the government would plant 10 million trees on 5,600 hectares of mudslide-prone areas by 2004.

Tsai Huang-lang (蔡煌瑯), chief executive of the DPP's legislative caucus, said the government should develop programs to help betel nut farmers find new careers.

Tsai accused the Forestry Bureau and the Council of Agriculture of turning a blind eye to illegal betel nut farms for decades.

The DPP lawmaker said the agencies have adopted a "three no's policy" when it comes to illegal betel nut farming -- no encouragement, no guidance and no crackdown. It would be unfair to put all the blame on farmers now, he said.

DPP caucus convener Lin Feng-hsi (林豐喜) said the government should shoulder some of the responsibility for the problem. Lin said last week's mudslides were the result of the government's land planning policies.

DPP Secretary-General Wu Nai-jen (吳乃仁) shrugged off the criticism yesterday, saying it was inevitable that there would be conflicts between local concerns and the government's long-term plans.

Wu said there was plenty of scientific support to back the claim that betel nut trees are detrimental to soil preservation. The destruction of illegal betel nut farms is inevitable, he said.

Still, Wu asked the Cabinet to develop a detailed eradication plan that would also win support in the year-end elections.

Premier Chang invited DPP, KMT and PFP caucus leaders to a meeting yesterday to discuss disaster relief measures, including cutting down illegal betel nut trees.

Much of the damage left by Typhoon Toraji last week has been blamed on deforestation caused by rampant hillside development.

Hillside betel nut farms have been blamed for soil erosion because the roots of the trees do not reach deeply into the soil.