Tue, Aug 17, 2004 page3

• Aboriginal issues stalled in legislature, expert says

  POLITICAL WRANGLING The majority of Aboriginal lawmakers come from opposition parties and they are blocking passage of laws related to Aborigines, some say

  • By Caroline Hong / STAFF REPORTER
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  Taiwan's Aboriginal people are the victims of political wrangling between Aboriginal legislators, the head of the Council of Indigenous Peoples said yesterday, citing as proof the recent difficulties establishing an Aboriginal television channel.

  "The past two and a half years have been really difficult for the Council of Indigenous Peoples," said Chen Chien-nien (陳建年), leader of the council, yesterday at a discussion forum about Aboriginal issues in Taoyuan. A lack of support from opposition and independent Aboriginal legislators has left the council with its hands tied throughout his term as chairman, he said.

  "Out of the 10 Aboriginal lawmakers in the legislature, nine are from opposition parties. Because non-Aboriginal legislators don't tend to concern themselves with Aboriginal issues, these issues all end up being controlled by the 10 legislators," Chien said at the forum, which was sponsored by the political think tank Taiwan Advocates and the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan.

  Chien said that the presence of only one ruling party Aboriginal legislator, Chen Tao-ming (陳道明), leaves the council struggling to pass bills against attacks from the majority of the Aboriginal legislators each legislative sitting. As a result, Aboriginal people have fallen between the cracks, he added.

  Chien cited difficulties establishing an Aboriginal television channel as an example.

  "The budget for the television channel has been going around the legislature for two years now because of disagreements from opposition party Aboriginal legislators," Chien said.

  The television station, a brainchild of the council, was originally slated to begin broadcasting next month, but the project became stalled in the last legislative session. While the establishment of the channel has already been approved, funding for the channel has been withheld because of concerns about low reception rates among Aboriginals in mountain areas and a lack of trained personnel.

  During his speech yesterday, Chien said that reception rates and staff deficiencies are not serious enough problems to merit not broadcasting.

  The council has already collaborated with the Government Information Office (GIO) to make the satellite television signals available throughout Taiwan and set up satellite dishes in mountainous communities, Chien said.

  Further, personnel problems can be easily solved over time, he said.

  "A certain legislator said that the channel must have a 100 percent Aboriginal staff before broadcasting can begin. That makes no sense; if there is not enough trained personnel, then we can borrow manpower from other places at first and still begin broadcasting," he said, later identifying the opposition legislator as independent May Chin (高金素梅).
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