Solidarité Internationale pour la Défense de Lo-sheng- 楽生院を救え！国際連帯 - 搶救樂生國際鬥陣

To: Premier Su

Executive Yuan, Taiwan (R.O.C.)

via Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York

Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S.

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco

We are writing this letter to express our deeply concern to the decision you made to evict the Lo-Sheng Sanatorium. Sir, as the chief of Taiwanese government, recently your prior concern toward the MRT construction project over the human and cultural rights in the controversial issue of Lo-sheng, is truly injustice and unacceptable for us. In this crucial time of the forced eviction toward Lo-sheng, we want to express our angry and sadness of your decision to the Human Rights Council, Economic and Social Council of United Nations. We will carry this crisis of human right violation to the Bureau of Democracy, Human Right and Labor, United State of America as well.

Through the twentieth century, people suffered from the Leprosy all around the world have been forced to be separated from society, leaving their dear families and friends, spending the whole life in an isolated sanatorium. In fact, in some cases, the whole family lines of a Leprosy patient breaks down, just in case of the only child suffered from leprosy. Nowadays, many Leprosy sanatoriums, since their lands are becoming valuable, project of development were proposed in their homeland. What is outrageous is that most of these develop projects concerns nothing about the ethical and humanity right of these Leprosy patients, no matter how these issues is indeed crucial in the dislocation cases.

Now, these leprosy sanatoriums’ historical and cultural value is worldwide recognized. They are indeed the real treasures in our time. Many countries now not only compensate, but also try very hardly to protect the living rights of those Leprosy patients, including their house and living space. This is because these governments, such as American, Japan, and England. They have now realized the old policy of segregation is completely wrong and inhuman. This realization brings to a creative synergy, to open a new life of these sanatorium facilities, and make them be benefit to the whole society. The preservation of Leprosy history is indeed the preservation of the country’s history, as well as the people’s lifestyle in the land. (please see attachment for examples of some of these).

Since the anti-Leprosy movement is still a great issue in Asia and the whole world. In the coming January, 2008, one international conference of Leprosy is going to open in India. This conference is hold by international NGOs concerning about Leprosy issue for a long time. And the next International Leprosy Congress is going to open in Hyderabad. The residents of Lo- Sheng have been invited to designate as representative to serve on the five-member panel in the conference 2008, and they will lead the discussion. We fervently hope that the Taiwanese government and people can recognize that Lo-Sheng’s residents are truly the national treasures.

Although suffered form Leprosy for the whole life, the residents in Lo-sheng never stop teaching us the spirit of fighting against the distress of life. Their lives have undergone separation from society and family, yet there is no revenge or hatred in them. The simply request they propose is that their history of tear can be remembered, and they can remain living in their own home, till their very last breath.

We hope that we can work together to save this important chapter of medical human right in Taiwan's history. Let this to be remembered as moments of justice and humanity, not as force and violence. We firmly oppose to the eviction toward these elders who have sacrificed their families and lives fro years and years, just for ensuring and guarding the safety of our society. Their story is our story. None of us can get rid of it.

We would hope sincerely to your response and fair solution.

Sincerely

2007.4.4

New York