Police's visit to Aboriginal boy's school questioned

An Aboriginal lawmaker yesterday questioned the motives of Taitung County police in visiting the school of a boy who confronted President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) about nuclear waste dumped on Orchid Island, where the boy lives.

Hsieh Wen-lung (謝文龍), from the Tao (達悟) tribe of Orchid Island, Taitung County, presented a petition to the president on Monday following a Presidential Office function. Hsieh asked Chen for assurances that the government would remove the waste by the end of the year.

According to legislator May Chin (高金素梅), Taitung County police visited Hsieh's school on Orchid Island later on Monday and spoke to the school's authorities about Hsieh. Hsieh was still in Taipei at the time.

At a press conference yesterday, Chin questioned the reasons for the visit, suggesting the police may have wanted to intimidate the boy for daring to address the president.

"The local police visited the student's school on Monday and said they wanted to understand more about Hsieh's situation and to talk to him," Chin said. "What does that mean?"

Chin said that the police's action had frightened Hsieh, who has not dared return to his school, Lanyu Junior High School, since the incident.

"Hsieh's family is rather frightened because they don't understand why Hsieh's innocent plea [to the president] would result in such special concern from the police," Chin said.

"All Hsieh did was make a plea to President Chen concerning the nuclear waste, which he has been living with since he was born. We really don't understand why a such simple action would especially interest the police."

In response to Chin's suggestions, Lee Han-ching (李漢卿), deputy director of Taitung County's police department, said that the police's visit had been blown out of proportion.

"The only reason we made the visit to Hsieh's school was so that we could better understand the content of Hsieh's plea and to see if there's anything we can help with," Lee said.

"The intent of the visit was genuine and there was no special purpose as some have implied," Lee added.

Presidential Office spokesman Huang Chih-fang (黃志芳) said yesterday that Chen had been impressed with Hsieh's bravery in coming forward and expressing his concerns about his homeland.

"President Chen disapproves of the actions of the local police and has spoken to the Taitung County commissioner to clarify the matter," Huang said.

"President Chen wants to ensure that the child is not punished in any way for his outspoken care for his homeland."