Aboriginal legislators voiced opposition to the government's plan to develop the Makao National Park by insisting that the National Parks Law (
The legislators stressed that the law would have to include a provision providing for the welfare of the Aborigines before they would unfreeze the park's budget.
PHOTO: CHEN SHIH-LIEN, TAIPEI TIMES
The proposed park would cover 53,000 hectares of land and is inhabited mainly by the Atayal people. It encompasses four villages in northern Taiwan: Wulai, in Taipei County; Fuhsing, in Taoyuan County; Chienshih, in Hsinchu County; and Tatung, in Ilan County.
However, the budget for the preparation office of the park has been frozen because Aboriginal legislators were not satisfied with the National Parks Law, which does not include provisions on the Aborigines' welfare or acknowledge how the park would influence their communities.
"We have to wait until the National Parks Law is amended to lift the budget freeze on the Makao preparatory office. Hopefully the amended law can match the expectations of the Aboriginals living on or next to the designated land for the park, and allow them to co-manage the park with the government" said Walis Palin (
Another Aboriginal legislator, May Chin (
"Actually, it is not enough just to amend the National Parks Law. We have to pass the Indigenous People's Autonomous Area Law (原住民自治區法) too. The government cannot set up a national park first and then amend and make laws beneficial to the Aborigines. It would be too late and it would be cheating as well," Chin said.
The reaction came as a response to Premier Yu Shyi-kun's comments regarding the park two days ago.
Yu reiterated the agreement of "A New Partnership Between the Indigenous Peoples and the Government of Taiwan," which President Chen Shui-bian (
Yu said the Executive Yuan would help push for the amendment of the National Parks Law and accelerate the preparation for the park.
Payan Talu, a senior specialist at The Council of Indigenous Peoples and a Atayal, pointed out the intention to establish a Makao National Park was an important step in the administration's efforts to realize the "new partnership" agreement.
"But the issue has been politicized and criticized for some people are simply against A-bian [Chen's nickname]. If we cannot manage to push through the park, based on A-bian's agreement with the Aborigines, before A-bian's term finishes next year, it is likely to become a dead issue," Payan Talu said.
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