|
Amis protest against new development
law, projects
By Loa Iok-sin / Staff Reporter
Members of the Amis Defense
Alliance protest outside the legislature in Taipei yesterday, calling for a halt
to the construction of four tourism facilities around the Sansiantai area in
Taitung County. The protesters said that local residents had not been consulted.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
Amis Aborigines yesterday protested
outside the legislature against a proposed development law and development
projects in traditional Amis areas along the east coast, plans for which they
claimed local residents were not consulted.
“We demand that Aborigines be consulted and involved in any development projects
undertaken on traditional Aboriginal lands as the Aboriginal Basic Act (原住民族基本法)
stipulates,” Kawlo Iyun Pacidal, a member of the Amis Defense Alliance, told
reporters at the demonstration.
“We also demand that a co-management mechanism between locals and the operator
of any development projects be established,” Pacidal said. “Based on the first
two demands, we are asking for a halt to the planned Baosheng [Aquarium Park]
project.”
Four tourism facilities, including theme parks, resorts and hotels, are to be
built around the Sansiantai (三仙台) area in Taitung County, a traditional Amis
domain known by the tribe as “Pisiliang.”
The Baosheng project has attracted special attention because construction was
scheduled to start on Monday, though it was postponed indefinitely because of
strong opposition from local residents, said Namoh Nofu Pacidal, another member
of the Amis Defense Alliance.
“The developer [of the Baosheng project] called a meeting with local residents
on May 30, but did not allow the locals to talk and the purpose of the meeting
was only to announce that construction was to begin within a week,” Namoh Nofu
Pacidal said. “When they made their presentation, the locals requested Amis
interpretation because many elders could not understand Mandarin, but the
request was rejected.”
While the situation remains unresolved, the alliance called on the government
and developers to abide by the Aboriginal Basic Act, and refrain from
development projects without consent from Aborigines.
|
