Taiwan Church News
3362 Edition
August 1 – 7, 2016
Headline News
Sbalay! President Tsai Ing-wen Apologizes To The Aboriginal
Reported by Chiu Kuo-rong
In order to implement the transitional justice for aborigines, President Tsai Ing-wen officially apologizes to the aboriginal peoples in Taiwan on August 1st named as Day of the Aboriginal henceforth. This is the first time in Asian history that a president of the country apologizes to her aboriginal peoples.
Explaining the word of “Sbalay”, a Tayal vocabulary meaning for “reconciliation”, is originated from “Balay” which refers to “truth”, President Tsai apologizes to the aboriginal with a vision of reconciliation yet built upon truth. President Tsai mentions 8 reasons why she has to make this apology and proposes concrete ways to correct the past errors.
The official assembly, held in the auditorium of the Presidential Building, starts with the traditional blessings of aborigines, then prayers follow from different religious clergy in their own mother tongues. In his prayer, Rev. Chang Enoch, a PCT pastor from Western Amis Presbytery, asking God to fulfill Taiwan with peace, love and forgiveness as this is a moment of restoring truth and justice!
President Tsai promises to solve the problem of the nuclear waste stored in the Orchid island, i.e. before the arrival of a final solution of those nuclear waste, she will still deliver a way of reasonable compensation for aborigines on the island; regarding the legal rights and status of the plains aborigines, Tsai also agrees to review all the related laws to solve their requests; in order to facilitate the autonomy of the aboriginal government, territories of the aboriginal traditional inhabitant area will be declared publicly from November 1st and the legal legislation on the aboriginal land, sea and languages will speed up. On annual August 1st, Tsai expects the progress of transitional justice of aborigines will be reported by the Executive Yuan and all the Taiwanese peoples could reach a true reconciliation and build Taiwan together as a country full of justice, diversity and equality!
Siyapen Nganaen, an 81-year-old Tao elder representing all Taiwanese aborigines to accept President Tsai’s apology, responds in the ceremony that as most aborigines believe in Christ he wish President Tsai will treat aborgines with the love of God. Siyapen Nganaen also believes, since the aborignal peoples come to accept President’s apology, this is the start of reconciliation and peace!
Against the implementation of the Aboriginal Committee of Historical Justice and Transitional Justice under the Office of the President, Rev. Omi Wilang, secretary of PCT’s Indigenous Mission Committee, delivers his deep worry: how could this committee move forward if those appointed members are not granted any legal investigation power legislated by the congress?!
Translated by Peter Wolfe
Photos by Chiu Kuo-rong
