Latest Siraya update, and the last... for now

[Chun Jimmy Huang]

The street protest for the Taiwanese low-land peoples organized by 
Siraya Association took place on May 2nd in Taipei. Around 3,000 
individuals from at least 7 different indigenous groups showed up. 
The event was peaceful, mostly with slogan-chanting, singing, a 
few speeches, and a skit showing that the low-land peoples have 
become (officially non-existent) "orphans" on their own land.

Here is a link to a 9 minute long documentary of the event. There 
is no English subtitles though, and I am sorry I really cannot do 
anything about it.
http://www.peopo.org/portal.php?op=viewPost&articleId=35104

The government response was not so good. They just reiterated that 
(1) There is no legal basis for recognizing the low-land peoples, 
and hence to ask for recognition is "illegal"!? (2) Despite the 
fact that a 9-year-old girl, Uran, gave a short speech in Siraya 
during the event ( 2:26 - 2:50 in the documentary: "I am a Tainan 
Siraya. I grew up in a Siraya village. I love the Siraya people. 
They are beautiful and nice people."), the govt say these peoples 
do not have their languages (b/c "experts" say these languages 
have gone "extinct"), and hence it is unlikely the govt would 
establish new legal basis for them. (3) The Center of Indigenous 
Peoples say if the low-land are recognized, the already official 
mountain aborigines would be sacrificed. No one even mentioned 
that maybe the govt should appropriate more resources for all the 
aborigines.

So, that's it for now.

Madag ki alilid (thanks very much) for your support

Jimmy/Chun