Brazilian boy to receive free education

The Brazilian family of Iruan Ergui Wu (吳憶樺), the Taiwanese-Brazilian boy at the center of a custody battle, are preparing to welcome him back to Brazil, the country's representative to Taiwan said yesterday, after the Taiwan Supreme Court ruled last week that the eight-year-old boy's grandmother was his legal guardian.

A Brazilian university has also offered to pay for his education until he finishes college.

"The boy will enjoy free education as well as free medical treatment from now until he finishes college," said Paulo Pinto, the director of the Brazil Business Center, Brazil's representative office here. "This is a new stage in the boy's life. He will be back to his roots but he will preserve his Taiwanese identity and also preserve his link to his Taiwanese family as well."

According to Pinto, University of Brazil-Luterana, a catholic university, will be the sponsor for Iruan's education.

Pinto that he and his wife would escort Iruan to Brazil with a Taiwanese assistant who can speak both Mandarin and Portuguese.

"Iruan will be in good hands," Pinto said. "Of that I can assure you."

According to Pinto, Iruan's grandmother, Rosa Ergui, is looking for a private instructor who can teach Iruan Chinese.

After Iruan goes back to Porto Alegre City in Brazil, he will be educated in both Portuguese and Mandarin so the boy will not forget his link to his Taiwanese background, Pinto said.

A date has not been set for Iruan's return, and Pinto said he was waiting for the judicial process to be completed before leaving.

Pinto that that Ergui would still allow Iruan to visit Taiwan, a promise she made two years ago when the legal battle began.

"This is not a World Cup final. There is no hatred. There are no winners or losers on the issue. What is good for the boy has been everybody's concern from the very beginning because both sides are his families and nobody will harm him," Pinto said.