Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday announced her Aboriginal affairs policy, pledging to establish a national investigation and settlement commission, implement Aboriginal autonomy, create just and equal chances for Aborigines in cities and revitalize the tribal economy.
Tsai, while attending the launch of a support group formed by Aborigines in New Taipei City’s (新北市) Shulin District (樹林), said the DPP’s 10-year policy guidelines stated that the most important goal is to “realize justice” to lead to a future where all ethnicities live in harmony.
Tsai said that when the DPP was in power, it did its best to stand by the side of Aborigines. However, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KTM), after taking power, not only failed to propose new laws to benefit Aborigines, it even blocked the DPP’s proposed Aboriginal land and marine spaces act (原住民土地及海域法), she said.
The KMT wished to forcefully pass the indigenous people’s autonomous area act even when the contents of the draft were not considered acceptable by the majority of Aboriginal people, she said, adding that the KMT government should not pass laws in haste just to have something to show for its policies when it has not given Aborigines real power or peace.
Tsai pledged to set up a national investigation and settlement commission to investigate the loss of Aboriginal land and culture and various other unequal treatments and would compensate Aboriginal people for past misdeeds.
The president should apologize to Aboriginal people for their losses during the colonial era on behalf of the government, she said, adding that the move would show that the government is willing to change and “to re-establish relations between the Aboriginal people and the nation.”
“The president should take the lead and set an example for all other government chiefs and give back to the Aboriginal people the respect they deserve; and on a new basis of mutual benefit, the government should establish policies and take the first step in establishing friendly relations with Aboriginal tribes,” Tsai said.
Tsai said she would recognize the rights of Aboriginal tribes and implement an Aboriginal autonomous government, establishing autonomous areas for tribes who wish it.
The autonomous areas would be given steady funding, giving Aboriginals “true autonomous rule, unlike the KMT’s unwillingness to give a steady source of funding and autonomy over natural resources,” Tsai said.
There should be equal and just chances for development of Aboriginal populations in urban areas, Tsai said.
Because more than half of the Aboriginal population currently lives in cities and remit money back to their elders in tribal areas, Tsai said there should be systems put in place to help pass on Aboriginal culture and language in the future and also provide an active job market, good education, housing opportunities and chances to participate in politics for Aboriginal people.
Jobs have to be created for the revitalization of tribal economies, Tsai said, adding that funds and plans have to be developed to let tribes develop their local economies in accordance with their characteristics.
Aboriginal-only industries and Aboriginal-based financial loans should also be put in place so that they no longer have to be other people’s workers, but can have the chance to develop their own businesses and be their own masters, she said.
Translated by Jake Chung, Staff Writer
The Executive Yuan yesterday approved a southwestern extension of the Sanying MRT Line from New Taipei to Bade District (八德) in Taoyuan, with a goal of starting construction by late 2026. The 4.03-kilometer extension, featuring three new stations, will run from the current terminus at Yingtao Fude Station (LB12) in New Taipei City to Dannan Station (LB14), where it will connect with Taoyuan’s Green Line, New Taipei City Metro Corp said in a statement. This extension will follow the completion of core Sanying Line, a 14.29-kilometer medium-capacity system linking Tucheng (土城), Sansia (三峽)
CARGO LOSS: About 50 containers at the stern of the ‘Ever Lunar’ cargo ship went overboard, prompting the temporary closure of the port and disrupting operations Evergreen Marine Corp, Taiwan’s largest container shipper, yesterday said that all crew members aboard the Ever Lunar (長月) were safe after dozens of containers fell overboard off the coast of Peru the previous day. The incident occurred at 9:40am on Friday as the Ever Lunar was anchored and waiting to enter the Port of Callao when it suddenly experienced severe rolling, Evergreen said in a statement. The rolling, which caused the containers to fall, might have been caused by factors including a tsunami triggered by an earthquake in Russia, poor winter sea conditions in South America or a sudden influx of waves,
The Ministry of Culture yesterday officially launched the “We TAIWAN” cultural program on Osaka’s Nakanoshima sandbank, with the program’s mascot receiving overwhelming popularity. The cultural program, which runs from Aug. 2 to 20, was designed to partner with and capitalize on the 2025 World Expo that is being held in Osaka, Japan, from April 13 to Oct. 13, the ministry said. On the first day of the cultural program, its mascot, a green creature named “a-We,” proved to be extremely popular, as its merch was immediately in high demand. Long lines formed yesterday for the opening
The Taipei Summer Festival is to begin tomorrow at Dadaocheng Wharf (大稻埕), featuring four themed firework shows and five live music performances throughout the month, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said today. The festival in the city’s Datong District (大同) is to run until Aug. 30, holding firework displays on Wednesdays and the final Saturday of the event. The first show is scheduled for tomorrow, followed by Aug. 13, 20 and 30. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Disney Pixar's movie Toy Story, the festival has partnered with Walt Disney Co (Taiwan) to host a special themed area on