An eight-minute film recently unveiled by state-run Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) as part of its campaign to set up a nuclear waste disposal site in Taitung County’s Daren Township (達仁) came under fire after it emerged the film included footage of an antinuclear activist of the Paiwan people.
Netizens have slammed the film, with many accusing Taipower of perpetrating fraud.
In footage meant to demonstrate the rustic charms of the township, long-time antinuclear activist Wu Cheng-chung (吳正忠) was seen dressed in traditional Paiwan clothing and smiling broadly in a Chenopodium field, accompanied by captions describing the company’s startup and vocational training programs.
Photo obtained by Chen Hsien-yi, Taipei Times
Wu said he received a call from the Daren Township Office on the day of the filming, asking him if he would let a film crew shoot footage his field.
“At that time, I thought they [the township office] wanted to make a feature to promote local industries, so I welcomed the film crew. I had no idea that the footage was to be used in a promotional video for the nuclear waste disposal site,” Wu said.
He said he was “very upset” about appearing in the film, because it misleads people into believing that he is an advocate of the nuclear waste storage site.
“I hereby clarify that I did not accept any fees from Daren Township Office or Taipower, or anyone for that matter. Had I known that the film was being made by Taipower, I would have rejected the request immediately, even if payment had been offered,” Wu said.
Netizens responded angrily to the issue.
“Deny Taipower the right to your publicity,” a netizen with the username Cathy Yu said.
Others described the company as a “gang of scam artists,” urging Wu to file a lawsuit.
However, Wu said: “I do not want any compensation from Taipower. I just want a public apology.”
In response, Taipower spokesperson Lin Te-fu (林德福) said employees from the company’s Taitung office and members of the film crew had visited Wu at his home to make a formal apology, and the film was taken down from YouTube on Friday.
He said that Taipower respects different opinions, adding that Taipower apologized on behalf of the film company for the problems caused by its poor communication and failure to inform the people filmed of the movie’s purpose.
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