Taitung County councilors have opposed the Siraya’s bid to be recognized as “indigenous peoples in plains areas,” as it might accelerate the Sinicization of indigenous people.
The Constitutional Court yesterday heard an oral argument for the case, whereby the Siraya, one of the Pingpu indigenous groups, requested to be recognized legally.
The Status Act for Indigenous Peoples (原住民身分法) does not recognize the Pingpu, who are unable to obtain indigenous status under the existing law.
Photo: CNA
Eight Amis, Paiwan and Puyuma councilors, as well as indigenous people from plains areas and mountainous areas, voiced their disapproval of the appeal in a joint statement issued yesterday.
Taitung County Council Deputy Speaker Lin Tsung-han (林琮翰) said that indigenous people were under legislative protection due to their unique culture, which would be obliterated if Pingpu groups that have already been Sinicized were hastily integrated into the existing categorizations of indigenous people.
The government should enact separate laws to recognize and protect Pingpu groups and establish a Pingpu Council to revive their culture, he said, citing the example of the Hakka Affairs Council.
Pingpu groups should not be included in the “indigenous peoples in plains areas” category, otherwise the lifestyles of existing indigenous peoples would be wiped out and “Taiwan’s indigenous people would soon disappear due to Sinicization,” he added.
Taitung County Councilor Lin Tsan-tien (林參天), who is Han Taiwanese, was highly supportive of recognizing the Pingpu as indigenous people, saying that historically they were “indigenous people’s brothers” so they should not be “left on the street.”
If indigenous people are worried that their resources would be diminished due to recognition of the Pingpu, the government could allocate a larger budget or increase the quota for legislators elected by indigenous peoples in plains areas instead of excluding the Pingpu, Lin Tsan-tien said.
Taking care of minority groups, such as passing the Indigenous Peoples Basic Act (原住民族基本法), can “bring harmony to Taiwan’s politics,” he said, adding that people in Taitung are working hard to improve the relationship between indigenous people and Han Taiwanese.
He called on indigenous people to “accept their brothers the Siraya.”
CHANGING LANDSCAPE: Many of the part-time programs for educators were no longer needed, as many teachers obtain a graduate degree before joining the workforce, experts said Taiwanese universities this year canceled 86 programs, Ministry of Education data showed, with educators attributing the closures to the nation’s low birthrate as well as shifting trends. Fifty-three of the shuttered programs were part-time postgraduate degree programs, about 62 percent of the total, the most in the past five years, the data showed. National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) discontinued the most part-time master’s programs, at 16: chemistry, life science, earth science, physics, fine arts, music, special education, health promotion and health education, educational psychology and counseling, education, design, Chinese as a second language, library and information sciences, mechatronics engineering, history, physical education
The Chinese military has boosted its capability to fight at a high tempo using the element of surprise and new technology, the Ministry of National Defense said in the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) published on Monday last week. The ministry highlighted Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) developments showing significant changes in Beijing’s strategy for war on Taiwan. The PLA has made significant headway in building capabilities for all-weather, multi-domain intelligence, surveillance, operational control and a joint air-sea blockade against Taiwan’s lines of communication, it said. The PLA has also improved its capabilities in direct amphibious assault operations aimed at seizing strategically important beaches,
‘MALIGN PURPOSE’: Governments around the world conduct espionage operations, but China’s is different, as its ultimate goal is annexation, a think tank head said Taiwan is facing a growing existential threat from its own people spying for China, experts said, as the government seeks to toughen measures to stop Beijing’s infiltration efforts and deter Taiwanese turncoats. While Beijing and Taipei have been spying on each other for years, experts said that espionage posed a bigger threat to Taiwan due to the risk of a Chinese attack. Taiwan’s intelligence agency said China used “diverse channels and tactics” to infiltrate the nation’s military, government agencies and pro-China organizations. The main targets were retired and active members of the military, persuaded by money, blackmail or pro-China ideology to steal
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
RSS