Facing severe criticism from earthquake victims and social activists, key government leaders yesterday visited major disaster areas of the 921 earthquake in central Taiwan, marking the third anniversary of the catastrophe, local Chinese-language media reported.
President Chen Shui-bian (
PHOTO: RICK CHU, TAIPEI TIMES
The president also inspected post-earthquake reconstruction work at the Taotung Academy (道東書院) in Homei Township, Changhua County. The grade-two national heritage site was built in 1857 in the Qing dynasty, but was damaged by the earthquake.
PHOTO: HUNG HSIAO-CHING, TAIPEI TIMES
Vice President Annette Lu (
The monument was erected in memory of the earthquake victims. Thirty-nine people in this area were killed by mudslides triggered by the massive temblor.
PHOTO: CHANG JUNG-YU, TAIPEI TIMES
Lu also inspected reconstruction work of the Kuo Hsing Junior High School, also in Nantou. The vice president said she was pleased to see the progress made in the area but that the public would never forget what had happened.
PHOTO: CHANG YU-JUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Premier Yu Shyi-kun also visited Nantou yesterday. He went to the aboriginal village in Jenai Township yesterday morning and attended a memorial ceremony for earthquake victims.
Because of severe landslides in the area, the entire aboriginal village will soon be relocated to a safer place. The relocation project will cost more than NT$56 million.
"On behalf of the Cabinet, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the efforts and donations that the public has made," the premier said.
He also said that although post-disaster relief operations weren't perfect, the government will make every effort to push major reconstruction projects forward.
Meanwhile, KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
The PFP legislative caucus has also visited these two counties over the past few days and held a public hearing in Taichung to examine the progress of the reconstruction work.
While leaders from the ruling and opposition camps were busy inspecting the quake-affected regions, however, earthquake victims and social activists yesterday criticized the government for delays in the post-earthquake reconstruction work.
In Taipei, the Taiwan Residential Rights Alliance (
The alliance called on earthquake victims and the public to join its overnight protest in front of the Presidential Office, scheduled for Oct. 9, the day before the Taiwan's national day.
On Friday, a legislative panel also urged the Control Yuan to impeach Minister of Education Huang Jung-tsun (
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