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Taiwan Church News 3049 Edition August 2~8, 2010
Aborigines implore not to be treated like zoo animals on exhibit
Reported by Lin Yi-ying Written by Lydia Ma Photo by Lin Yi-ying
A few Aborigine rights advocates from various organizations, including PCT Indigenous Ministry Committee Secretary Rev. Omi Wilang, called a press conference on behalf of Aborigines on August 1, 2010 – a day coinciding with Taiwan’s Indigenous People’s Day.
Displaying signs in Chinese that read “This isn’t a zoo or museum. If you
Advocates urged Compassion Relief officials to stop bringing officials or tourists to tour permanent housing units now inhabited by Aborigines and called on the Buddhist organization to let Aborigines live in peace and quiet.
Because Tzu-Chi (Compassion Relief) founder Master Cheng Yen had designated the new community inSanlin as a model for future permanent housing units, representatives from various charitable organizations have been visiting the new community continuously in the past few months.
Aborigines living in Sanlin have confided that they’ve often had to take time out to become ushers and guides as result of these visits, which have become very disruptive to their daily lives. However, aware that they’re practically living under someone else’s roof, they’ve tried to remain quiet about these disturbances.
In response to their plight, these advocates have made a clip available online urging people to refrain from visiting Daai Villages out of respect for the privacy of Aborigines.
To view this clip, refer to: http://youtu.be/wjOortQ8-Zo
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