Aboriginal leaders claimed yesterday to hold the key to the presidential election, demanding that both political camps act to prevent their way of life from being wiped out.
Community leaders led a march yesterday to protest decades of what they said were human rights abuses and claimed that successive governments had ignored their appeals to preserve their language and identity.
They claimed that Aborigines represented 5 percent of the country's 23 million people and could swing the vote on March 20, with President Chen Shui-bian (
"We may be a minority but we believe our votes will play a crucial role in this tight election," said protest organizer Pan Jae-yang, without expressing support for either camp.
Pan said, "Neither the KMT nor the DPP government has offered any help in preserving our culture and heritage. This is practically genocide of our race as we watch our language and culture being slowly wiped out."
Several hundred protesters marched from Chen's campaign headquarters to Lien's and delivered petitions to both camps demanding improved rights for Aborigines.
Aborigines receive some government money to help preserve their culture but Aboriginal leaders say that another 800,000 people living outside the nation's mountainous regions suffer from not being officially recognized by the government.
"We are truly the masters of Taiwan, but our rights and benefits are ignored by the Chen government," said independent Legislator May Chin (
She said that Chen had gone back on promises made to the Aboriginal people four years ago.
"He pledged to grant us greater autonomy in our tribal settlements and more resources, but nothing substantial has been done to improve our people's lives," she said.
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday expressed “grave concerns” after Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (黃循財) reiterated the city-state’s opposition to “Taiwanese independence” during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強). In Singapore on Saturday, Wong and Li discussed cross-strait developments, the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “Prime Minister Wong reiterated that Singapore has a clear and consistent ‘one China’ policy and is opposed to Taiwan independence,” it said. MOFA responded that it is an objective fact and a common understanding shared by many that the Republic of China (ROC) is an independent, sovereign nation, with world-leading
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
DEFENDING FREEDOM: Taiwanese love peace and helping others, and hope to be a positive force in the world, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim told ‘Weltspiegel’ Taiwan is making every effort to prevent war in the face of China’s hybrid coercion tactics and military threats, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said in an interview with German public broadcaster ARD’s program Weltspiegel that aired on Monday. Taiwan is not seeking provocation or intending to disrupt international order, but “must possess the capacity for self-defense,” a news release issued by the Presidential Office yesterday quoted her as saying. Taiwan is closely watching not only the increasing scope and frequency of Chinese military exercises around the nation, but also Beijing’s hybrid and cognitive warfare tactics, including manipulating public opinion, fostering
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