Forced labor, human rights abuses and illegal fishing practices continue to mar Taiwan’s deep-sea fishing industry, a new report by Greenpeace East Asia shows, Greenpeace Taiwan said yesterday as it called on the government to take legal action to end such abuses.
Choppy Waters — Forced Labour and Illegal Fishing in Taiwan’s Distant Water Fisheries details the results of a two-month investigation, including interviews with Indonesian migrant fishers working on vessels flagged or otherwise connected to Taiwan.
According to interview with four Indonesian fishers, six of the 11 International Labour Organization (ILO) indicators of forced labor were met, such as the lack of clean drinking water, being required to work 34 consecutive, wage withholding, monthly wage of less than US$450, Greenpeace Taiwan member Moffy Chen (陳瓊妤) told a news conference in Taipei.
Photo courtesy of Greenpeace Taiwan
Two Taiwanese vessels linked to Fong Chun Formosa (FCF) were allegedly involved illegal shark finning and the illegal transfer of crew and shark fins, she said.
Greenpeace provided its investigation results to the Fisheries Agency two weeks ago, which should disclose the results of its official investigation, Chen said.
Greenpeace Taiwan campaigner Pearl Chen (陳珮瑜) said that while Taiwan’s government has amended regulations, it has not been enough.
Photo courtesy of Greenpeace Taiwan
“We found fresh evidence that both government and corporations are failing to protect and respect the human rights of migrant fishers in Taiwan’s distant water fishing fleet,” she said.
“The cases of human rights abuse and environmental destruction we found are simply shocking, and major seafood corporations, like FCF, need to lead and uphold global fishery reform,” she said.
Fisheries Agency Director-General Chang Chih-sheng (張致盛) said that the agency needs to corroborate some of the details in the report with Greenpeace and the vessels involved to ensure a smooth follow-up investigation.
A Fisheries Agency official who declined to be named said the report did not give the names of the interviewees or the period of their employment, which would mean the agency would have to include every migrant fisher who ever worked on the vessels.
Verification of the allegations of illegal practices was also needed, as the interviews did not constitute solid evidence, the official said.
The agency would handle the allegations in accordance with the law if evidence of illegality is found, Chang said.
Additional reporting by Diane Baker
Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said Saturday that she would not be intimidated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), following reports that Chinese agents planned to ram her car during a visit to the Czech Republic last year. "I had a great visit to Prague & thank the Czech authorities for their hospitality & ensuring my safety," Hsiao said on social media platform X. "The CCP's unlawful activities will NOT intimidate me from voicing Taiwan's interests in the international community," she wrote. Hsiao visited the Czech Republic on March 18 last year as vice president-elect and met with Czech Senate leadership, including
Many Chinese spouses required to submit proof of having renounced their Chinese household registration have either completed the process or provided affidavits ahead of the June 30 deadline, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said on Thursday. Of the 12,146 people required to submit the proof, 5,534 had done so as of Wednesday, MAC deputy head and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. Another 2,572 people who met conditions for exemption or deferral from submitting proof of deregistration — such as those with serious illnesses or injuries — have submitted affidavits instead, he said. “As long as individuals are willing to cooperate with the legal
There have been clear signs of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attempts to interfere in the nationwide recall vote on July 26 in support of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators facing recall, an unnamed government official said, warning about possible further actions. The CCP is actively involved in Taiwanese politics, and interference in the recall vote is to be expected, with multiple Chinese state media and TAO attempts to discredit the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and undermine public support of their recall movement, the official said. This interference includes a smear campaign initiated this month by a pro-Beijing Hong Kong news outlet against
A week-long exhibition on modern Tibetan history and the Dalai Lama’s global advocacy opened yesterday in Taipei, featuring quotes and artworks highlighting human rights and China’s ongoing repression of Tibetans, Hong Kongers and Uighurs. The exhibition, the first organized by the Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan (HRNTT), is titled “From the Snowy Ridges to the Ocean of Wisdom.” “It would be impossible for Tibetans inside Tibet to hold an exhibition like this — we can do it. because we live in a free and democratic country,” HRNTT secretary-general Tashi Tsering said. Tashi Tsering, a Taiwan-based Tibetan who has never
RSS