About 1,500 fishermen from Nanfangao (南方澳) fishing port in Suao Township (蘇澳), Yilan County, yesterday staged a protest outside Ho-ping Power Plant in Hualien County, accusing the company of causing pollution and reducing their catch.
The fishermen said they were “fed up” with the coal-fired power company dumping mud and warm water into the Pacific Ocean and jeopardizing their livelihood.
Arriving at the plant in 21 tour buses and 56 fishing boats, the protesters surrounded the plant.
Photo: CNA
Hoping to submit a petition, they demanded a meeting with the plant’s chief executive officer, but were greeted by the safety and sanitation manager instead.
Displeased at the plant’s decision to send a lower-ranking official to accept their petition, the demonstrators threatened to break into the plant, with some starting to pry open the barricades that had been set up in advance.
It was not until about 15 minutes later that general manager, Liu Yi-chang (劉奕昌) went out to accept the petition.
Photo: CNA
Among the protesters were Yilan County Commissioner Lin Tsung-hsien (林聰賢) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Yilan County commissioner candidate Chiu Shu-ti (邱淑媞)
Suao Fishermen’s Association head Chen Chun-sheng (陳春生) said that pollution from the plant has caused the whitebait and eel fry catch to plunge, but the company gives 85 percent of its annual compensation to fishermen in Hualien County, while those in Yilan County only receive 15 percent.
“This is very unreasonable,” he said.
As tensions continued to escalate, the company invited more than 20 protesters into the plant for more in-depth negotiations, but the two sides failed to reach an agreement.
The company later softened its stance and promised to respond to the protesters’ demands and questions by Sept. 1, adding that it would invite them to future environmental impact assessment committee meetings, so that their rights can be ensured.
The fishermen said that they would surround the plant again if the company fails to provide them with a satisfactory answer by said date.
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