Thomas Chan (詹順貴) and Lin Tzu-ling (林子凌), both long-time activists involved in social and environmental movements, were married yesterday following the passage of the Wetlands Act (溼地法) in June, in line with a promise that they would get married once the law was passed.
Wearing red T-shirts bearing the slogan “something is happening in farming villages” that are often seen during protests against the government’s forced land seizures, while holding a bouquet of flowers with a band reading “justice in land use,” Chan and Lin appeared outside the Sindian District Household Registration Office in New Taipei City (新北市) where they were greeted by a dozen members of the Taiwan Rural Front (TRF) wearing the same T-shirts.
“Something is happening today for sure, but this time, it’s a good thing,” the bride, Lin, said while pointing to the slogan on her T-shirt, smiling.
Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Rural Front
“The document that I am signing now is much more important than any document that the government hands out,” the groom, Chan, said as he signed their marriage certificate.
Chan, a lawyer and a member of the TRF, and Lin, a specialist at the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Foundation, met when the foundation was looking for representation in environmental lawsuits.
As they worked together, the pair became more than just partners at work.
“Let’s make a wish, and make the passage of the Wetlands Act as the condition for our marriage,” Lin once said while discussing marriage about three years ago while lobbying lawmakers to consider environmental groups’ version of the bill.
As the law was officially passed in June and promulgated by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) last month, Chan thought the time was ripe to propose.
“The Wetlands Act has been passed, let’s get married,” Chan wrote in a blog post to Lin on Friday.
After the newlyweds completed their registration, TRF members greeted them with a shouted slogan — this time not to protest, but to wish them well.
“Tear down the government today, be happy everyday!” They shouted, drawing curious looks from clerks and visitors to the office.
“They have both made significant contributions to Taiwan’s environment,” TRF president and Naitonal Chengchi University Land Economics professor Hsu Shih-jung (徐世榮) said.
“They have found happiness in their struggle, and I believe they will continue to work for the struggle while they live together in happiness,” said Liao Pen-chuan (廖本全), TRF member and associate professor at National Taipei University’s Department of Real Estate and Built Environment.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
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
BE CAREFUL: The virus rarely causes severe illness or death, but newborns, older people and those with medical conditions are at risk of more severe illness As more than 7,000 cases of chikungunya fever have been reported in China’s Guangdong Province this year, including 2,892 new cases last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said it is monitoring the situation and considering raising the travel notice level, which might be announced today. The CDC issued a level 1 travel notice, or “watch,” for Guangdong Province on July 22, citing an outbreak in Foshan, a manufacturing hub in the south of the province, that was reported early last month. Between July 27 and Saturday, the province reported 2,892 new cases of chikungunya, reaching a total of 7,716
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden