President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was noncommittal yesterday on the issue of Aboriginal autonomy, saying it was difficult in reality and that he did not want to make a promise he could not keep.
Addressing the National Assembly of Aboriginal Peoples and Groups held by the Council of Indigenous Peoples, Ma said the Aborigines were the earliest settlers of Taiwan and had played a significant role in its history.
There are about 490,000 Aborigines in Taiwan, Ma said, adding that many anthropologists contend that they are the ancestors of the Austronesian peoples, a population in Oceania and Southeast Asia that speaks languages of the Austronesian family.
While reiterating the principles of his Aboriginal policy, which include respect for diversity, justice, fairness and promoting the autonomy and independent development of Indigenous peoples, Ma declined to commit to Aboriginal autonomy.
He instead repeated his promise to grant Aboriginal autonomy “on a trial basis.”
He emphasized that he did not want to “write blank checks” and he made promises only if he could keep them.
“I know Indigenous people want to govern themselves as soon as possible, but in reality there are many difficulties,” he said. “Many conditions must be created, but in the meantime we can establish Aboriginal autonomous regions on a trial basis so Indigenous people can enjoy autonomy in certain areas.”
On disaster prevention in mountainous areas, Ma said his administration would respect the right of Aborigines to live in mountain areas and would not force them to relocate unless a village reached a consensus to do so.
However, the government would enforce compulsory emergency evacuations should rainfall reach dangerous levels, he said.
The legislature passed the Aboriginal Basic Act (原住民族基本法) under former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and it came into force in 2005. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-controlled legislature, however, has yet to approve the act governing the autonomous region of Indigenous peoples.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS