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CIP calls for new law to safeguard chief positions

A new law is needed to ensure that only Aborigines can be elected as chiefs of Aboriginal autonomous regions, the head of the Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP) said yesterday.

CIP Minister Icyang Parod said during a Legislative Yuan session that because a draft bill governing Aboriginal autonomous rights stipulates that all Taiwanese citizens enjoy equal political rights in indigenous autonomous regions, there was no clause to prohibit Han Taiwanese from participating in elections of local chiefs in autonomous regions.

He said that an article should be added to the draft bill to stipulate that only Aborigines can be elected as chiefs of Aboriginal autonomous regions.

Parod made the remarks in response to Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Ying (陳瑩) of the Puyuma tribe, and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chang Jen-hsiang (章仁香) of the Amis tribe.

Chen and Chang criticized the Executive Yuan-authored indigenous residents' autonomous rights draft bill for allowing all citizens to compete for seats representing Aboriginal regions as long as they maintain their household registration in those regions.

The stipulation violated the spirit of Aboriginal autonomy, the legislators said.

Chang also lashed out at the Executive Yuan for referring the indigenous residents' autonomous rights draft bill to the legislature more than four years after the draft bill was hammered out in June 2003 and only at a crucial moment with legislative hearings on the general budget for next year are about to begin.

Chang accused the Executive Yuan of trying to hold the legislators "hostage" at a crucial time.
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