An alliance of civic groups yesterday called on the government to protect the human rights of foreign workers hired by Taiwanese fishing vessels flying a flag of convenience (FOC). It said such boats are often accused of illegal fishing or inhumane working conditions.
FOC vessels are a neglected part of the nation’s COVID-19 prevention efforts, as the government does not have guidelines governing how to quarantine such vessels or the entry of foreign fishers on board, said the Foreign Fisher Human Rights Protection Alliance, which is made up of several civic groups advocating labor and human rights.
Three Philippine fishers who worked on FOC vessels operated by Taiwanese — the Da Wang (大旺) and Chin Chun No. 12 (金春12號), both registered in Vanuatu — have asked the alliance for help, it said.
After the Da Wang returned to Kaohsiung in April, one fisher was confined by his Taiwanese broker at a building in the city from April 20 to May 4 and threatened not to inform officials, it said, adding that the fisher developed bronchitis before his confinement.
As the Da Wang left Taiwan again on May 7, the fisher was asked to quit his job and the Serve the People Association took him to its shelter in Taoyuan, the alliance said.
Overwork, physical violence and death of an Indonesian fisher had been reported from the Da Wang, the alliance said, citing a report published by Greenpeace Southeast Asia last year.
The other two Philippine fishers on the Chin Chun No. 12 were confined at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport for 20 days when they tried to return to the Philippines after disembarking from the ship, said Lennon Wong (汪英達), director of the association’s shelter.
The National Immigration Agency considered them as having illegally entered Taiwan and planned to deport them by Friday, he said.
After the association intervened and offered legal assistance, the agency allowed it to temporarily shelter the two fishers in Taoyuan, he said.
Having no legal entry permits is not the fishers’ problem; it is the government’s failure to attend to their plight, Wong said, calling on the agency to revoke their illegal entry records and allow them to return home.
It is estimated that more than 140 foreign fishers who entered Taiwan on FOC vessels have been stranded in Kaohsiung’s Cijin Port (旗津) this year, as they did not have legal entry permits, Wong added.
FOC vessels are often found to take part in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, as well as forced labor or human trafficking, it said, calling on the government to abolish the FOC system to improve fisheries management.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is to launch a new program to encourage international students to stay in Taiwan and explore job opportunities here after graduation, Deputy Minister of Education Yeh Ping-cheng (葉丙成) said on Friday. The government would provide full scholarships for international students to further their studies for two years in Taiwan, so those who want to pursue a master’s degree can consider applying for the program, he said. The fields included are science, technology, engineering, mathematics, semiconductors and finance, Yeh added. The program, called “Intense 2+2,” would also assist international students who completed the two years of further studies in
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) departed for Europe on Friday night, with planned stops in Lithuania and Denmark. Tsai arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Friday night, but did not speak to reporters before departing. Tsai wrote on social media later that the purpose of the trip was to reaffirm the commitment of Taiwanese to working with democratic allies to promote regional security and stability, upholding freedom and democracy, and defending their homeland. She also expressed hope that through joint efforts, Taiwan and Europe would continue to be partners building up economic resilience on the global stage. The former president was to first
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
The Taipei District Court sentenced babysitters Liu Tsai-hsuan (劉彩萱) and Liu Jou-lin (劉若琳) to life and 18 years in prison respectively today for causing the death of a one-year-old boy in December 2023. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said that Liu Tsai-hsuan was entrusted with the care of a one-year-old boy, nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴), in August 2023 by the Child Welfare League Foundation. From Sept. 1 to Dec. 23 that year, she and her sister Liu Jou-lin allegedly committed acts of abuse against the boy, who was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries on Dec. 24, 2023, but did not
RSS