The Taipei County Government yesterday promised not to demolish the Happy Life Leprosy Sanitarium this year, adding that it would avoid using violence in assisting lepers in settling into a new hospital.
"We understand that the lepers are used to the environment and don't want to move. We will continue to communicate with them," Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei (
The sanitarium was supposed to have been torn down to make way for the construction of an MRT line.
Chou made the announcement in response to a protest held by a group of lepers and activists in front of KMT headquarters on Wednesday and yesterday. The protesters demanded that KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
Some protesters claimed they would stage a hunger strike.
Receiving protesters from the Happy Life Self-help Association at KMT headquarters later on Wednesday night, Ma said that Chou had promised not to force lepers to leave using violent measures.
Chou said yesterday that the county government would not force the lepers to leave, but asked the protesters to take local residents' expectations regarding the construction of the Hsinchuang MRT line into consideration.
Protesters said that Chou should make the promise to association members, who continued their sit-in protest in front of KMT headquarters yesterday.
"We are against being moved by force! Happy Life wants human rights!" they shouted, asking Chou to meet them at the headquarters by tomorrow.
The central government ceded the 17-hectare hillside property on which the leper colony was built to Taipei City for the construction of the Hsinchuang MRT line 10 years ago.
Without the residents' consent or an assessment report on the site's value as a historical landmark, it was decided that the 70-year-old sanitarium was to be demolished, and the more than 300 lepers at the facility were to be relocated to the newly built Huilung Hospital.
Since then, residents have gone through a decade-long odyssey of petitions to different government agencies, including the Taipei County Government, the Council for Cultural Affairs, the Legislative Yuan and the Executive Yuan, in an attempt to block its demolition.
According to the county government, about 41 percent of the sanitarium is defined as "cultural assets."
To preserve the area, the Taipei City Department of Rapid Transit Systems is altering the MRT construction project, it said.
One hundred and seventy-four lepers have moved to the new hospital, and 53 have moved to other communities.
Fifty-two lepers have refused to leave the site.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday expressed “shock and regret” over a statement issued by his wife without his consent, and rejected her assertion that his eldest sister, Ma Yi-nan (馬以南), would manage his medical care or act as his spokesperson amid an ongoing embezzlement probe into his foundation. Ma Ying-jeou in a statement said he was shocked by a statement by his wife, Chou Mei-ching (周美青), regarding his affairs. Ma Yi-nan “must not” be in charge of his healthcare and other personal affairs, nor can she be allowed to represent the Ma family, the former president said. He said he was also
RSS