Calling the past century “100 years of suffering for Aborigines,” activists yesterday issued a Declaration of Aboriginal Rights, while also urging the passage of laws that would facilitate and speed up Aboriginal autonomy.
“While the Republic of China [ROC] celebrates the centennial of its founding, that period was an era of painful suffering for us Aborigines,” Taiwan Aboriginal Society chairman Tibusungu ‘e Vayayana told a press conference at the legislature.
“At the beginning [of the 20th century], it was the colonization of Japan, and then it was the Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT] regime,” he added.
“Both regimes were colonial regimes to the Taiwanese Aborigines. Both of them imposed severe losses on the Aborigine community in terms of the knowledge and dissemination of our own languages, cultures, traditional domains and traditional lifestyles,” he said.
The destruction of traditional Aboriginal domains not only led to the suffering of Aborigines, but the suffering of all, he added.
“Over-development means that we are constantly threatened by natural disasters, such as mudslides, that turn everyone into a victim,” Vayayana said. “Actually, I wouldn’t call such disasters ‘natural’ at all, because they are the results of human activity and are thus ‘manmade disasters.’”
Former People First Party legislator Tsai Chung-han (蔡中涵) of the Amis tribe, said that, having reviewed the suffering of Aborigines over the past 100 years, “I’ve refused to take part in any -celebration of the ROC’s Centennial anniversary.”
He said the government continued to overlook the rights of Aborigines.
“Right now, we’re talking about improving Aboriginal rights and there are official tribal representatives from the Council of Indigenous Peoples in attendance,” Tsai said. “Well, they don’t have any actual power and I don’t know how it would actually help to share our opinions with them.”
The activists also publicized a Declaration of Aboriginal Rights, in which they urged the government to grant autonomy to Aborigines, protect their rights to land, water and other natural resources in traditional Aboriginal domains, and help to maintain Aboriginal languages, cultures, sacred sites, legends and lifestyles.
KMT Legislator Chien Tung-ming (簡東明) of the Paiwan tribe said that although the Aboriginal Basic Act (原住民族基本法) was passed in 2005 to protect Aboriginal rights, “subordinate laws to the act have not been passed despite a deadline, making it difficult to do anything concrete to protect Aboriginal rights.”
The Aboriginal Basic Act provides only a framework, leaving details to be developed in subordinate laws, and stipulates that all subordinate laws must be passed within three years of the adoption of the Aboriginal Basic Act.
For example, it is impossible to protect Aborigines’ right to non-commercial hunting in their traditional domains — as stated in the Aboriginal Basic Act — because subordinate laws on traditional domains have not been adopted, and the boundaries of such domains have not been defined.
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Hualien Branch of the High Court today sentenced the main suspect in the 2021 fatal derailment of the Taroko Express to 12 years and six months in jail in the second trial of the suspect for his role in Taiwan’s deadliest train crash. Lee Yi-hsiang (李義祥), the driver of a crane truck that fell onto the tracks and which the the Taiwan Railways Administration's (TRA) train crashed into in an accident that killed 49 people and injured 200, was sentenced to seven years and 10 months in the first trial by the Hualien District Court in 2022. Hoa Van Hao, a
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the