Several members of the Tao Aboriginal community yesterday reiterated their decades-long demand that the government remove nuclear waste from Taitung County’s Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼), saying that they would not accept the NT$2.55 billion (US$83.57 million) in compensation President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) promised in the run-up to the Jan. 11 elections.
Since construction of a storage site was finished in 1982, more then 100,000 barrels of low-level radioactive waste have been transported from nuclear power plants on Taiwan proper to the outlying island, without obtaining residents’ consent in advance.
During a visit to Taitung on Friday last week, Tsai, who is seeking re-election as the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) candidate, pledged NT$2.55 billion in damages to Lanyu’s Tao community.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
In addition, the government is to offer NT$220 million in compensation every three years until the nuclear waste is completely removed, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Kolas Yotaka said later that day, adding that guidelines for the reparations had last month been approved by Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and that a fund management board that includes local residents would be established.
“We will not take a penny of the compensation, as we can catch fish and grow sweet potatoes to feed ourselves,” Tao elder and anti-nuclear power campaigner Capen Nganaen said yesterday at a protest in front of the Executive Yuan in Taipei, accompanied by environmental protection groups.
The Tao-language remarks by 83-year-old Capen, who in 2016 became a presidential adviser after accepting an apology to Aborigines by Tsai, were translated into Chinese by Syamen Fengayan, another Tao.
Tsai’s administration has not shown that it is sincere about wanting to relocate the nuclear waste and she is trying to buy off the Tao before the elections, Capen said, calling the president “a liar.”
Kolas said that Minister Without Portfolio Lin Wan-i (林萬億) — convener of a Cabinet task force formed to probe the truth about nuclear waste storage on Lanyu — had obtained consent for the compensation from the majority of Tao after talks over the past three years.
However, Lanyu Primary School president Syamen Womzas said that the decision to accept the compensation was not unanimous, adding that the Cabinet’s guidelines are not legitimate, as no advance notice was given before their publication.
The DPP government should enact a bill on compensation and nuclear waste disposal that passed a first reading at the Legislative Yuan three years ago, rather than adopt administrative guidelines, he said.
The NT$2.55 billion should instead be used as a budget for relocating the nuclear waste, Syamen Womzas said.
The government should establish a platform to discuss how to handle the nuclear waste and related compensation, while also continuing to reveal the storage site’s buried history, he said.
After meeting with Tao representatives inside the Executive Yuan, Lin told them he would deliver their opinions to Tsai and Su, the National Nuclear Abolition Action Platform said in a statement.
While Lin promised to continue delving into the site’s history, the statement cited him as saying that another budget would be allocated to relocate the nuclear waste, without elaborating.
Additional reporting by Lee Hsin-fang
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
RSS