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First offshore councilwoman speaks

Sunday, Mar 06, 2005, Page 4

Taipei Times: You've come a long way from that day you yelled out "President, please help Wuchiu" during one of his speeches in 2002. Whereas before you tried to make changes from outside of the system, you have been given power by Chen to enact changes since he appointed you councilwoman last year. Can you tell us more about your responsibilities as councilwoman?

Gao Dan-hua (高丹華): The Fujian Provincial Government administers two counties: Kinmen County -- which includes my home island Wuchiu, as well as the islands of Kinmen and Matsu -- and Lienchiang County. The provincial government is headed by the provincial governor, and there are eight councilmembers beneath him. Being a councilwoman is equivalent to being a deputy minister in a government ministry.

After the functions of the Fukien Provincial Government were reduced [after recent constitutional reforms], most people have come to believe that provincial government has no real purpose, with most of its responsibilities being taken over by the county and city government. However, I feel that while provincial governors may not have concrete functions, that doesn't mean that they cannot or should not do anything. When you look at Kinmen, Matsu, and Wuchio, there is definitely a societal gap between them and the main island of Taiwan and it has been this way throughout their history. As a result, with regard to Kinmen, Matsu and Wuchio, the provincial government's functions are much different from those of the county and city government systems. I feel that the provincial government and its council members can do a lot to foster social development in the offshore islands.

Gao Dan-hua's profile * Date of birth: 1969 * Place of Birth: Wuchiu (烏坵), Kinmen County * Education: Taichung Provincial Nursing School * Career: Administrative Secretary, Wuchiu Township Government Office. Section employee, Kinmen Natural Resources Office. Director, Wuchiu Township Public Affairs Association. Director, Kinmen County Culture and History Association. Councilwoman, Fukien Provincial Government. * Major impact: Social activist for offshore rights. Known primarily for her protest in 2002 where she yelled "President, please save Wuchiu" during President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) opening remarks at the National Conference on Social Welfare Service Development. First female provincial governor ever to be appointed. * Interests and hobbies: literature, public health, social activism. * Publications: Discovering Wuchiu Islet, 2001. (發現烏坵嶼)

Since I was appointed on May 20th last year by President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), it's been about six months. My focus during this time has been on minorities, and because of my personal interests in literature, on the arts as well. In addition, I work on woman's issues. This is because I am a woman and have been through a lot of difficulties in this area. Compared with a lot of people, I already have a better socio-economic background. But for someone with a background like mine, there have been many times when I have felt powerless and upset. What about people and women from less advantaged backgrounds?

"The sexes were naturally meant to be equal. I feel that provincial governors should work on such social developments."

Councilwoman Gao Dan-Hua, Fuchien Provincial Government

TT: Can you talk more about the difficulties facing women in the offshore islands?

Gao: The culture of the offshore islands is very patriarchal and bureaucratic, and this has prevented social progress in the offshore islands. In my work, I've tried to work on awakening women's sense of consciousness in this area. I don't mean that we should try to balance out or battle with men, but we should aim for normalized societal development. The sexes were naturally meant to be equal. I feel that provincial governors should work on such social developments.

I am the first and only female councilwoman in the offshore territories, and I am also the highest-ranking female government official there. To be honest, my appointment has already become a milestone for women in the offshore islands. Because I am a councilwoman in the provincial government, the local government has been stimulated to hire and appoint more women to administrative positions, and with greater amounts of authority.

Besides encouraging women locally, I am working to bring in social resources from Taiwan to the offshore islands. For example, I am working to bring in the women's group called the Garden of Hope. Before, there were very few non-profit organizations that were locally-situated. I have a vision, but all that I can do is encourage and call out for more development. I am also only one individual, but what I can do is to go to Taiwan and find resources to bring back to Kinmen.

TT: What kinds of difficulties have you faced during your time as a councilwoman?

Gao: When I first entered the provincial government, I realized that the group of governors that were already there were used to inaction. Furthermore, their first impression of me was that I am a woman. Under such pressure, when I was actually trying to do things, they would not only not give me resources, but they would also deny me the most basic things. They would refuse to give me information and tell me that I didn't have the authority to look at certain data, even though I am a high-ranking government official meant to oversee the government.

To be honest, the provincial government is not doing anything to help improve the offshore islands' situation. It is a shame, since the provincial government should be responsible for doing the most important social groundwork, but all it does all day is eat and drink. If you want to compare the provincial government to a human, then I would say that it's like a person with a stroke. What can be done, it does not do. Most often, as a provincial governor, I get phone calls about where we're going to be eating today or tomorrow. I don't want to be a provincial governor that just knows how to eat; to me, that is a shame.

I am doing my best to let them realize that councilmembers can accomplish things and let them acknowledge my work.

TT: You have been described as a female role model for offshore women. What experiences in your life have given you the strength to speak out, despite the difficulties you've faced in the provincial government and in your personal life?

Gao: I have been through too many unfair and unjust situations that have led me to speak out. In my life, I had many experiences where I have wondered what is the use of government, if it allows such things.

For example, treatment in the offshore islands is very inconvenient. In my own family, from my younger brother, to my grandmother and my uncle, has been a victim of such an unequal distribution of resources. Can you imagine how painful being in that kind of situation is? To know that your family member may have died not because of inadequate medical treatment, but that in truth he or she suffered because of insufficient resources.

For example, one of my younger brothers fell off our roof when I was in elementary school. In hindsight, he probably just had a concussion. He shouldn't have died, but because we didn't have sufficient medical treatment, he did.

In 1992, the oldest of my younger brothers ended up going to a police academy in Taiwan. When he was there, he hurt himself during physical exercises, and eventually became paralyzed from the waist down for life. At the time, the school sent my brother home and insisted that he was faking his condition. At the time, I was nine months pregnant. When I gave birth, I was lying in the same hospital as my brother, who was also discovered to have liver cancer.

The police academy insisted that my brother drop out of its ranks, which would have made him ineligible for work insurance. My family was very poor; there was no way we could afford the medical costs. At the time, I thought, "What kind of government is this, that takes even this most basic of medical care from us?" All my parents could do was cry, but I went around protesting to everyone, and finally my brother was given his insurance money. But by that time, my brother had already died. The money was just enough to cover his funeral.　

These experiences have really led me to believe that life is not fair and that the more disadvantaged you are, the more you should speak out. If you do not say anything, then you are finished.
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