Aborigine hunters prosecuted in terms of the Wildlife Conservation Act (野生動物保育法) in 2014 are to file for a constitutional interpretation on the ruling, saying that the ruling conflicted with Article 19 of the Indigenous Peoples Basic Act (原住民族基本法) as well as constitutionally protected rights.
Bunun Aborigne Tama Talum, 56, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for violating the Wildlife Conservation Act and the Act Governing the Control of Guns, Ammunition and Knives (槍砲彈藥刀械管制條例), for hunting a Formosan Reeve’s muntjac and a goat in 2013 to provide fresh meat for his 94-year-old mother.
Supreme Prosecutors’ Office Prosecutor-General Yen Ta-ho (顏大和) filed an extraordinary appeal against a jail sentence on grounds of suspected discrimination against Aboriginal culture in December last year.
Photo: CNA
Talum and lawyers on Friday last week filed an 80-page application for a constitutional interpretation.
Puyuma Aborigine Pan Chih-chiang (潘志強), who was arrested on similar charges, said in tears that they hoped Aborigines’ mandate to continue their hunting culture would be placed on an equal footing with the conservation of the culture of the Han people.
Talum said that hunting was intricately tied to the life of an Aborigine and has been a constant, even under Japanese colonial rule, adding that they hoped the result of the constitutional interpretation would allow their people to hunt openly without fear of slander and recrimination.
Lawyer Wen Chih-jung (文志榮) said that Article 21 of the Wildlife Conservation Act states that necessary hunting by Aborigines due to traditional culture or for rites should not fall under the regulation of the act.
The ruling against Talum was due to the judge’s interpretation that the hunt was carried out for personal reasons and was not a cultural or ceremonial act, Wen said, adding that Article 19 of the Indigenous Peoples Basic Act states that hunting is permitted for all three occasions as long as it is not conducted for profit.
Deputy Minister of the Council of Indigenous Peoples Tunkan Tansikian said the council hopes that the results of the interpretation would help conserve Aboriginal culture without overt violation of ecological conservation.
Tansikian said Taiwan could consider methods used by other nations that cap the number of animals allowed to be hunted, with hunters reporting catches so a government agency can keep track of changes to the wildlife population, adding that bans could be imposed if set limits are not adhered to.
Forestry Bureau Deputy Director-General Yang Hung-chih (楊宏志) said the government had offered to enact the same plan, but it was turned down by Aboriginal rights groups, who believe that the spoils of a hunt are granted by their ancestors.
SAFETY IN REGULATION: The proposal states that Chiayi should assess whether it is viable to establish such a district and draft rules to protect clients and sex workers The Chiayi City Council passed a motion yesterday to assess the viability of establishing a regulated red-light district. The council yesterday held its last session of the year, at which its fiscal 2024 budget was approved, along with 61 other proposals. The proposal to assess the viability of establishing a red-light district was put forward by independent Chiayi City Councilor Molly Yen (顏色不分藍綠支持性專區顏色田慎節). The proposal cited 2011 amendments to the Social Order Maintenance Act (社會秩序維護法), which stipulate that city and county governments can pass autonomous regulations on the sex trade to manage the industry and guarantee industry workers’ rights. A ban on the
STABILITY AND CHANGE: Flagging in recent polls, Ko this week pledged to maintain President Tsai’s foreign policy, with an emphasis on improving China relations Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday reiterated that he is “deep-green at heart” in response to accusations that he is pivoting his campaign to align closer with the ideology of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the face of flagging polls. Ko made the remark at an agricultural policy conference in Taipei, repeating his comments from an interview with CTS News a day earlier. Ko told the CTS host that he would continue to pursue President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) national defense and foreign policy in general, but with an emphasis on establishing a rapport with
CHINA illness surge: Of 88 travelers from China, Hong Kong and Macau with respiratory symptoms who were encouraged to get tested upon arrival, 70.6% had the flu Two hundred and sixty people with COVID-19 were hospitalized and 31 deaths related to the virus were reported last week — the highest numbers in four weeks, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday, adding that cases are expected to peak next month. CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said that of the 260 people hospitalized last week with moderate to severe COVID-19, 98 percent had not received the Omicron XBB.1.5-adapted COVID-19 vaccine. Among the people hospitalized this year, 78 percent were aged 65 or older, while most of the those who were hospitalized or died have or had
Taiwanese who have recently traveled to China for tourism, to visit friends or relatives or for business reasons have been interrogated, detained and faced other forms of unreasonable treatment from Chinese officials, a source said on Sunday. Among them was a Taiwanese who was detained for eight hours at an airport in China due to their research, which is related to religion, while others have had their travel documents for China canceled for a number of reasons, the source said. In July, China expanded the scope of its counterespionage law, and recently announced a draft amendment to the law on the protection