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April 16,2007
Taiwan: Bloggers’ Further Action on Saving Losheng Sanatorium
Global Voices Online
Sunday, April 15th, 2007 @ 17:32 EDT
by PipperL
As mentioned in the previous post, discussions and actions on saving Lo-Sheng Sanatorium have widely spread in Taiwan blogosphere. Now the whole event has also attracted attention from mainstream media, the public, and politicians.
In addition to discussions and collaboration over their blogs, several bloggers decided to take actions in the real world.
Several bloggers walked into the sanatorium, taking a lot of pictures for those have never been in the sanatorium. As kovis said:
To clearify if the reservation of 90% of the area is applicable, nooorman asked his friend who works in the Rapid Transit System, and compared all approaches proposed by the Department of Rapid Transit System (DoRT), Dr. Ke-Chiang Liu (劉可強), and Dr. Chao-Chin Yu (喻肇青). By illustrating the design (with the help of wenli’s hand-made schematics) and discussing pros and cons of each plan, he explained the proposals one by one to his readers. He also decided to turn his blog into a platform specializing in technical issues of Lo-sheng reservation.
In the mean time, HOW visited Dr. Liu, asked his opinion about the controversies among those proposals, and put voice records and a sketch of the interview on his blog. He concluded that there is still space for negotiation:
The bloggers then initiated a joint action and got more 200,000 (TWD) to advertise their appeals on Appledaily news. The ad revealed information of 90% reservation, and emphasized that Hsinchuang city may also benefit from the reservation. Another joint action was also organized to make T-shirts with words “Saving Lo-sheng” on them. Benefits from selling these T-shirts will be donated to the campaign.
Macdog created a service called “Losheng Walker”, allowing users to recommend resturants and places near the sanatorium. Benla called for a meeting to talk about “what bloggers can do in the social campaign”. Representatives of “Youth Lo-Sheng Union” and other organizations, together with several bloggers and those interested in this topic, shared their thoughts for this issue.
Yao contacted the owner of the Gundam-like lantern that attracted many discussions during the Yuan-Hsiao Festival. With permission from the owner , Yao and several bloggers placed the lantern inside the sanatorium - “Gundam is protecting the Lo-Sheng”.
The Taiwan Public Television Service online produced a program by inviting members of the campaign, local residents and representatives from Hsinchuang city, specialists of the rapid transit system, and representatives from the administrations (including the DoRTS, the CCA, the Department of Health, the Transportation Bureau, etc.). In this show, the specialist He-Yuan Cyue (闕河淵), who is also the ex-vice director of the DoRTS, revealed that the technique issue can be resolved if the DoRTS re-evaluates their regulations. From his points of view, the schedule may even not be delayed once the 90% reservation proposal is applied. His words were then quoted and discussed in the blogosphere.
Many other organization and individuals also cosigned for the reservation, together with the calls from more than 180 scholars (they posted an ad on Chinatimes, too), medical workers, media students, and culturologists. The IDEA, which is an organization under the UN, also epressed their great concern for this issue.
On March 21, two of the possible candidates for president 2008, Mr. Xi-Kun You (游錫堃) and Mr. Frank Chang-ting Hsieh (謝長廷) claimed that they would support the reservation of the sanatorium. Two days later, the Executive Yuan Premier Mr. Tseng-Chang Su (蘇貞昌) also asked the Public Construction Commission to negotiate with the DoRTS and try to find a way to reserve the sanatorium as much as possible. So far, they have been working on it.
There are opposite opinions for the “Saving Lo-sheng campaign”. MOTCT posted his comments, explaining that the regulations cannot be modified, otherwise safety of the train might be compromised.
Subing expressed his observation on the so-called “Lo-sheng compaign”:
In March 31, Mr. Hsi-Wei Chou (周錫瑋), as the Taipei County Commissioner (where the sanatorium is), participated a demonstration entitled “We want MRT for our survival!”. The demonstration was staged by the local representatives of Hsinchuang. They opposed the reservation of Lo-sheng sanatorium because it may lead to the construction of the Mass Rapid Transportation (MRT) behind schedule. Mr. Chou stood on the float, asking the Executive Yuan do not postpone the schedule of the demolition:
He also told the crowd that he will proceed the demolition on April 16, unless the Executive Yuan asks the government to postpone via formal documents.
In the Legislative Yuan, Mr. Chia-Fu Tsai (蔡家福) , the legislator who was elected from Hsinchuang city, obstructed the legislating procedure of “Hansen’s Disease Compensation Act”. Although the draft of the act have been proposed and negotiated during the past two years, Mr. Tsai, together with the other two ligislators, boycotted the cross-party negotiations right after they arrived. This will cause the efforts via the legislation facing a dead end before April 16.
On April 15, the day before the scheduled deadline for demolition, another demonstration will be held by more than 50 organizations in front of the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. Protesters will voice their support for the reservation, and ask the government to cancel the order of demolition and protect human rights of the leprosy ex-patients.
In April 12, the Executive Yuan Premier announced that the demolition of the Losheng Sanatorium will be postponed and the reservation of 90% is going to be considered. Later the Taipei County Commissioner confirmed the announcement and claimed that he will follow the Executive Yuan’s decision. But he also insisted that the Executive Yuan has to take the full responsibility if the construction is delayed.
The author would like to thank the GV Chinese translation team for the help with preparation for this article.
Sunday, April 15th, 2007 @ 17:32 EDT
by PipperL
As mentioned in the previous post, discussions and actions on saving Lo-Sheng Sanatorium have widely spread in Taiwan blogosphere. Now the whole event has also attracted attention from mainstream media, the public, and politicians.
Bloggers’ actions:
In addition to discussions and collaboration over their blogs, several bloggers decided to take actions in the real world.
Several bloggers walked into the sanatorium, taking a lot of pictures for those have never been in the sanatorium. As kovis said:
家和房子是不一樣的
家是心情上的認同
而房子只不過是個容身之處
所以說「家」是心之居處
Home is different from a house. Home is belonging to your heart, while a house is just a place for your body. That’s why “home” is called as the place where your heart lives.
To clearify if the reservation of 90% of the area is applicable, nooorman asked his friend who works in the Rapid Transit System, and compared all approaches proposed by the Department of Rapid Transit System (DoRT), Dr. Ke-Chiang Liu (劉可強), and Dr. Chao-Chin Yu (喻肇青). By illustrating the design (with the help of wenli’s hand-made schematics) and discussing pros and cons of each plan, he explained the proposals one by one to his readers. He also decided to turn his blog into a platform specializing in technical issues of Lo-sheng reservation.
In the mean time, HOW visited Dr. Liu, asked his opinion about the controversies among those proposals, and put voice records and a sketch of the interview on his blog. He concluded that there is still space for negotiation:
捷運局的方案與文建會的方案基本上是有討論空間的。而捷運局保存40%的方案根本上並沒有真的保存到樂生療養院，也不願意和文件會的案子進行工程技術上的討論。這個案子是很有機會找出一個具體可行的解決方案。
Basically, there is room for discussions between proposals from the DoRTS and the Council for Cultural Affairs. The problem is, the 40% reservation proposal from the DoRTS does not really reserve the major part of the Lo-sheng sanatorium, not mentioning the fact that the DoRTS isn’t willing to discuss technique details of engineering with the CCA. Otherwise, it is possible to find out an applicable solution for both sides.
The bloggers then initiated a joint action and got more 200,000 (TWD) to advertise their appeals on Appledaily news. The ad revealed information of 90% reservation, and emphasized that Hsinchuang city may also benefit from the reservation. Another joint action was also organized to make T-shirts with words “Saving Lo-sheng” on them. Benefits from selling these T-shirts will be donated to the campaign.
Macdog created a service called “Losheng Walker”, allowing users to recommend resturants and places near the sanatorium. Benla called for a meeting to talk about “what bloggers can do in the social campaign”. Representatives
Yao contacted the owner of the Gundam-like lantern that attracted many discussions during the Yuan-Hsiao Festival. With permission from the owner , Yao and several bloggers placed the lantern inside the sanatorium - “Gundam is protecting the Lo-Sheng”.
Public attention:
The Taiwan Public Television Service online produced a program by inviting members of the campaign, local residents and representatives
Many other organization and individuals also cosigned for the reservation, together with the calls from more than 180 scholars (they posted an ad on Chinatimes, too), medical workers, media students, and culturologists.
On March 21, two of the possible candidates for president 2008, Mr. Xi-Kun You (游錫堃) and Mr. Frank Chang-ting Hsieh (謝長廷) claimed that they would support the reservation of the sanatorium. Two days later, the Executive Yuan Premier Mr. Tseng-Chang Su (蘇貞昌) also asked the Public Construction Commission to negotiate with the DoRTS and try to find a way to reserve the sanatorium as much as possible. So far, they have been working on it.
Debates and Different voices:
There are opposite opinions for the “Saving Lo-sheng campaign”. MOTCT posted his comments, explaining that the regulations cannot be modified, otherwise safety of the train might be compromised.
Subing expressed his observation on the so-called “Lo-sheng compaign”:
支持樂生保留的人獨缺我那群長期從事社運的朋友們，他們毫無例外的告訴我，樂生保留訴求的正當性不足，很難說服社會，作為一個專業的社會運動者，他們必須選擇戰場，他們甚至質疑現在還選擇樂生當作戰場的人，要不就是判斷出問題，不然就是別有用心。
Those who support the reservation may not include my friends who have been devoted on the social campaign for a long time. My friends told me unexceptionally that the calls for reservation are not legit enough to convince the public. As the professional social activists, they have to choose battleground. They even doubted that the people who choose the Lo-sheng issue as the battleground, either misjudge or have other purpose.
In March 31, Mr. Hsi-Wei Chou (周錫瑋), as the Taipei County Commissioner (where the sanatorium is), participated a demonstration entitled “We want MRT for our survival!”. The demonstration was staged by the local representatives
各位鄉親，我們捷運為了樂生，我們願意等，但是已經等了三年，我們還要再等一年以上，再等下去嗎? (群眾大喊) 不要~~~~
Chou: “Dear citizens!! For the losheng sanatorium, we are willing to wait. BUT we have waited for three years!! Are we going to wait for another year? For any longer?” Crowd: ” No~~~~”
He also told the crowd that he will proceed the demolition on April 16, unless the Executive Yuan asks the government to postpone via formal documents.
In the Legislative Yuan, Mr. Chia-Fu Tsai (蔡家福) , the legislator who was elected from Hsinchuang city, obstructed the legislating procedure of “Hansen’s Disease Compensation Act”. Although the draft of the act have been proposed and negotiated during the past two years, Mr. Tsai, together with the other two ligislators, boycotted the cross-party negotiations right after they arrived. This will cause the efforts via the legislation facing a dead end before April 16.
The upcoming events:
On April 15, the day before the scheduled deadline for demolition, another demonstration will be held by more than 50 organizations in front of the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. Protesters will voice their support for the reservation, and ask the government to cancel the order of demolition and protect human rights of the leprosy ex-patients.
Last minute update:
In April 12, the Executive Yuan Premier announced that the demolition of the Losheng Sanatorium will be postponed and the reservation of 90% is going to be considered. Later the Taipei County Commissioner confirmed the announcement and claimed that he will follow the Executive Yuan’s decision. But he also insisted that the Executive Yuan has to take the full responsibility if the construction is delayed.
The author would like to thank the GV Chinese translation team for the help with preparation for this article.
Thousands back saving Losheng Sanatorium
Published on Taipei Times
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2007/04/16/2003356820
Leprosy sufferers raise their hands and shout during a protest in Taipei yesterday against the government's plan to demolish the Losheng (Happy Life) Sanatorium. Thousands of activists took part in the protest.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, AP
Students kowtow during yesterday's protest in Taipei against the government's plan to demolish the Losheng Sanatorium.
PHOTO:CHIANG YING-YING, AP
Thousands of people took to the streets of Taipei yesterday to support preserving the Losheng (Happy Life) Sanatorium.
After speeches, musical performances and a play by individuals and groups, the crowd marched 2km from the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall to Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office where another rally followed.
Losheng is a sanatorium in Taipei County completed in 1930 under Japanese colonial rule where thousands of people with Hansen's disease, or leprosy, have been secluded for life.
Plans to tear down most of the buildings to make room for a Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) maintenance depot have sparked heated debate.
The sanatorium still houses 45 elderly lepers who refuse to move.
Last month, the Taipei County Government announced that today would be the deadline for the residents' mandatory eviction.
However, having faced tremendous public pressure, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said last Wednesday that the deadline would be postponed.
Although the premier's decision has given Losheng a temporary reprieve, the sanatorium's future is still uncertain.
"Through the march, we want to put pressure on the government on all levels ? so that Losheng's preservation can be assured," said Hsia Chu-chiu (夏鑄九), a professor of urban planning at National Taiwan University.
A UK-based construction consulting firm has proposed a plan in which 90 percent of the sanatorium's buildings can be preserved with only a few months' delay to the completion of the MRT line.
"Preserve 90 percent of Losheng -- no delay to the MRT" the crowd chanted as they marched.
At the tail end of the march was a group of about 100 "disciplinants," mostly of university students.
Four people leading the team walked while dragging metal barrels with burning coals.
Those who followed kneeled down on the street after every six steps and kowtowed.
"I do so to get a feeling of what it is like to be a disadvantaged person in a society, and to try to feel how hard life was for the elderly people [of Losheng]," said Lou Nai-chieh (樓乃潔), a university student who participated in the disciplinant team.
"I want to thank you all for holding out your hands and offering us your warm help," Chou Fu-tsu (周富子), a Losheng resident, said while kneeling down in front of the demonstrators.
More than 100 civic groups around the nation participated in the demonstration, according to Hsu Po-jen (許博任), a member of the Youth Alliance for Losheng, one of the main sponsors of yesterday's march and rally.
To bring demonstrators from outside of Taipei into the city, the sponsors organized a "Losheng bus" program in which people pooled their money to hire buses.
"There are four buses that brought us here from Kaoshiung and Pingtung," said a demonstrator surnamed Kao from Meinong (美濃), Kaohsiung County.
"We're here to join forces with others and express our opposition to a bad decision," Kao said.
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2007/04/16/2003356820
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, AP
Students kowtow during yesterday's protest in Taipei against the government's plan to demolish the Losheng Sanatorium.
PHOTO:CHIANG YING-YING, AP
"I do so to get a feeling of what it is like to be a disadvantaged person in a society, and to try to feel how hard life was for the elderly people [of Losheng]."
Lou Nai-chieh, a university student taking part in yesterday's protest
Thousands back saving Losheng Sanatorium
PRESERVE AND PROTECT: More than 100 groups took part in yesterday's demonstration, busing people in from around the country to join the rallies
By Loa Iok-sin
STAFF REPORTER, WITH AP
Monday, Apr 16, 2007, Page 1
Thousands of people took to the streets of Taipei yesterday to support preserving the Losheng (Happy Life) Sanatorium.
After speeches, musical performances and a play by individuals and groups, the crowd marched 2km from the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall to Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office where another rally followed.
Losheng is a sanatorium in Taipei County completed in 1930 under Japanese colonial rule where thousands of people with Hansen's disease, or leprosy, have been secluded for life.
Plans to tear down most of the buildings to make room for a Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) maintenance depot have sparked heated debate.
The sanatorium still houses 45 elderly lepers who refuse to move.
Last month, the Taipei County Government announced that today would be the deadline for the residents' mandatory eviction.
However, having faced tremendous public pressure, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said last Wednesday that the deadline would be postponed.
Although the premier's decision has given Losheng a temporary reprieve, the sanatorium's future is still uncertain.
"Through the march, we want to put pressure on the government on all levels ? so that Losheng's preservation can be assured," said Hsia Chu-chiu (夏鑄九), a professor of urban planning at National Taiwan University.
A UK-based construction consulting firm has proposed a plan in which 90 percent of the sanatorium's buildings can be preserved with only a few months' delay to the completion of the MRT line.
"Preserve 90 percent of Losheng -- no delay to the MRT" the crowd chanted as they marched.
At the tail end of the march was a group of about 100 "disciplinants," mostly of university students.
Four people leading the team walked while dragging metal barrels with burning coals.
Those who followed kneeled down on the street after every six steps and kowtowed.
"I do so to get a feeling of what it is like to be a disadvantaged person in a society, and to try to feel how hard life was for the elderly people [of Losheng]," said Lou Nai-chieh (樓乃潔), a university student who participated in the disciplinant team.
"I want to thank you all for holding out your hands and offering us your warm help," Chou Fu-tsu (周富子), a Losheng resident, said while kneeling down in front of the demonstrators.
More than 100 civic groups around the nation participated in the demonstration, according to Hsu Po-jen (許博任), a member of the Youth Alliance for Losheng, one of the main sponsors of yesterday's march and rally.
To bring demonstrators from outside of Taipei into the city, the sponsors organized a "Losheng bus" program in which people pooled their money to hire buses.
"There are four buses that brought us here from Kaoshiung and Pingtung," said a demonstrator surnamed Kao from Meinong (美濃), Kaohsiung County.
"We're here to join forces with others and express our opposition to a bad decision," Kao said.
Activists march to save Losheng
TAIWAN NES 16 Apr. 2007
Hansen patients and supporters participate in a rally held on April 15, 2007, in Taipei to urge the government not to tear down the Losheng Sanatorium.
為保存台北縣新莊樂生療養院，「全台鬥陣挺樂生」大遊行四月十五日在台北市舉行，漢生病友與支持者一同走上街頭，爭取保留樂生療養院。
Hansen patients and supporters participate in a rally held on April 15, 2007, in Taipei to urge the government not to tear down the Losheng Sanatorium.
為保存台北縣新莊樂生療養院，「全台鬥陣挺樂生」大遊行四月十五日在台北市舉行，漢生病友與支持者一同走上街頭，爭取保留樂生療養院。
An estimated 5,000 advocates and students gathered and marched in Taipei City yesterday to demand more understanding and human rights toward patients of the Losheng Sanatorium (樂生療養院).
With yellow banners tied to their foreheads or elbows that read "Save Losheng; fight against eviction," thousands of activists, including more than 100 civil groups that devote themselves to helping disadvantaged minorities, shook the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, where the march started, with a burst of vitality and righteousness that the compound has seldom felt before.
One of the sponsor organizations, the Youth Union for Lepers Rights, told reporters that all of the 5,000 banners were distributed to participants of the march.
Campaign leaders said the purpose of the march was to call on the ruling government to acknowledge its faulty policy in selecting the 77-year-old sanatorium in Sinjhuang, Taipei County as the site to construct power plants as part of the Sinjhuang MRT project.
"Patients suffering from leprosy have long been stigmatized in our society due to a lack of understanding toward the low-infectious disease.
The government should restore patients' reputations and prevent them from being evicted - or to at least guarantee them their living rights," the campaign said in a statement.
It added that the government should name the sanatorium as a historical relic, and make the sanatorium a human rights park that serves the interests of the patients' life, social education, and local development.
More than 15 leprosy patients joined the march by riding on electric motor bikes.
Another five patients were on a flat truck waving to the crowds. "Thank you everyone. We do not feel alone anymore," Li Tien-pei, one of the leprosy patients said.
Over 100 paraders marched on their knees all the way to Ketagalan Boulevard, dragging gasoline cans that contained burning coals to demonstrate their will and resolution to safeguard the sanatorium.
They said that their kneeling down is not to beg for sympathy, but rather an attempt to understand the hardships that the patients have lived with all their lives. "We use a position that is closest to the earth to reflect how a society should treat the existence of each individual," they added.
Dancers from the Tsai Jui-yeh Dance Foundation covered themselves in white fabric and jumped into gasoline cans to mimic the pain of leprosy patients who cannot move freely.
Friday Wu, one of the guardians of the sanatorium, told Taiwan News that the reason so many people were expected at the march is because they are still worried that the sanatorium would be demolished.
"Taipei County Magistrate Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) Saturday paid a visit to the sanatorium to urge the patients to relocate to another hospital. He even said 'let all of the leprosy patients cast votes on whether to stay or not.' Su's empty promise cannot stop Chou from trying to demolish the sanatorium," Wu said, adding that politicians attempting to make fools of people is shameful.
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said last week that the government will preserve as much of the sanatorium as possible while minimizing the impact on the MRT project. Su said that the Cabinet will help preserve as much as 90 percent of the compound.
The previous plan mapped out by the Department of Rapid Transit Systems under the Taipei City Government called for demolishing 60 percent of the site.
Liu Hsiao-shen, a junior high school teacher from Meinung in Kaohsiung County, said that the sanatorium controversy is a clear example of a majority using violence to suppress a minority.
Liu added that he and other 40 southerners departed from Meihung at 5:30 a.m. yesterday morning to take part in the rally.
Activists marched along Zhongshan South Road in downtown Taipei, passing through the Legislative Yuan and stopped on Ketagalan Boulevard. The march ended at near 6 p.m. yesterday evening with all of the participants of the march bowing down to the leprosy patients.
Hansen patients and supporters participate in a rally held on April 15, 2007, in Taipei to urge the government not to tear down the Losheng Sanatorium.
為保存台北縣新莊樂生療養院，「全台鬥陣挺樂生」大遊行四月十五日在台北市舉行，漢生病友與支持者一同走上街頭，爭取保留樂生療養院。
Hansen patients and supporters participate in a rally held on April 15, 2007, in Taipei to urge the government not to tear down the Losheng Sanatorium.
為保存台北縣新莊樂生療養院，「全台鬥陣挺樂生」大遊行四月十五日在台北市舉行，漢生病友與支持者一同走上街頭，爭取保留樂生療養院。
Activists march to save Losheng
By Hermia Lin
Taiwan News, Staff Reporter
An estimated 5,000 advocates and students gathered and marched in Taipei City yesterday to demand more understanding and human rights toward patients of the Losheng Sanatorium (樂生療養院).
With yellow banners tied to their foreheads or elbows that read "Save Losheng; fight against eviction," thousands of activists, including more than 100 civil groups that devote themselves to helping disadvantaged minorities, shook the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, where the march started, with a burst of vitality and righteousness that the compound has seldom felt before.
One of the sponsor organizations, the Youth Union for Lepers Rights, told reporters that all of the 5,000 banners were distributed to participants of the march.
Acknowledging fault
Campaign leaders said the purpose of the march was to call on the ruling government to acknowledge its faulty policy in selecting the 77-year-old sanatorium in Sinjhuang, Taipei County as the site to construct power plants as part of the Sinjhuang MRT project.
"Patients suffering from leprosy have long been stigmatized in our society due to a lack of understanding toward the low-infectious disease.
The government should restore patients' reputations and prevent them from being evicted - or to at least guarantee them their living rights," the campaign said in a statement.
It added that the government should name the sanatorium as a historical relic, and make the sanatorium a human rights park that serves the interests of the patients' life, social education, and local development.
More than 15 leprosy patients joined the march by riding on electric motor bikes.
Another five patients were on a flat truck waving to the crowds. "Thank you everyone. We do not feel alone anymore," Li Tien-pei, one of the leprosy patients said.
Over 100 paraders marched on their knees all the way to Ketagalan Boulevard, dragging gasoline cans that contained burning coals to demonstrate their will and resolution to safeguard the sanatorium.
They said that their kneeling down is not to beg for sympathy, but rather an attempt to understand the hardships that the patients have lived with all their lives. "We use a position that is closest to the earth to reflect how a society should treat the existence of each individual," they added.
Dancers from the Tsai Jui-yeh Dance Foundation covered themselves in white fabric and jumped into gasoline cans to mimic the pain of leprosy patients who cannot move freely.
Friday Wu, one of the guardians of the sanatorium, told Taiwan News that the reason so many people were expected at the march is because they are still worried that the sanatorium would be demolished.
"Taipei County Magistrate Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) Saturday paid a visit to the sanatorium to urge the patients to relocate to another hospital. He even said 'let all of the leprosy patients cast votes on whether to stay or not.' Su's empty promise cannot stop Chou from trying to demolish the sanatorium," Wu said, adding that politicians attempting to make fools of people is shameful.
Premier's promise
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said last week that the government will preserve as much of the sanatorium as possible while minimizing the impact on the MRT project. Su said that the Cabinet will help preserve as much as 90 percent of the compound.
The previous plan mapped out by the Department of Rapid Transit Systems under the Taipei City Government called for demolishing 60 percent of the site.
Liu Hsiao-shen, a junior high school teacher from Meinung in Kaohsiung County, said that the sanatorium controversy is a clear example of a majority using violence to suppress a minority.
Liu added that he and other 40 southerners departed from Meihung at 5:30 a.m. yesterday morning to take part in the rally.
Activists marched along Zhongshan South Road in downtown Taipei, passing through the Legislative Yuan and stopped on Ketagalan Boulevard. The march ended at near 6 p.m. yesterday evening with all of the participants of the march bowing down to the leprosy patients.
April 14,2007
Student to Save Losheng
original:
3 days ago on my way back home I saw a student with mask standing on the police guard stand in the MRT Taipei Main Station trying to show his opinion on the recent Losheng issue happened in Taiwan. I took some pictures of him:
Taiwanese student who wants to protect the Losheng house / 捍衛樂生療養院的學生
The student stands on the police guard stand in the MRT Taipei Main Station with mask and a sign.
Taiwanese student who wants to protect the Losheng house / 捍衛樂生療養院的學生
I think he looks great! :)
Here is the picture of the sign:
On the sign it says "Protect Losheng, Keep it as a whole"
If you want to know what it means on the sign, clicks on the picture for more details.
3 days ago on my way back home I saw a student with mask standing on the police guard stand in the MRT Taipei Main Station trying to show his opinion on the recent Losheng issue happened in Taiwan. I took some pictures of him:
Taiwanese student who wants to protect the Losheng house / 捍衛樂生療養院的學生
The student stands on the police guard stand in the MRT Taipei Main Station with mask and a sign.
Taiwanese student who wants to protect the Losheng house / 捍衛樂生療養院的學生
I think he looks great! :)
Here is the picture of the sign:
On the sign it says "Protect Losheng, Keep it as a whole"
If you want to know what it means on the sign, clicks on the picture for more details.
April 11,2007
Scholars urge sanatorium's preservation
By Hermia Lin
Taiwan News, Staff Reporter
Page 3
2007-04-11 01:21 AM
Members of the academic circle yesterday called on the Executive Yuan to preserve the Losheng Sanatorium (樂生療養院), which they consider a historical treasure, and criticized politicians for stirring up tensions between Sinjhuang residents and those suffering from leprosy.
A total of 183 scholars from across Taiwan jointly ran a half-page advertisement in local newspapers yesterday, demanding the Executive Yuan name the sanatorium as a historical site, and openly review the policy proposed by the Council for Cultural Affairs that said preserving 90 percent of the sanatorium would not bring adverse impacts nor delay the Sinjhuang MRT construciton in Taipei County. The current Sinjhuang MRT line route mapped out by the Department of Rapid Transit Systems under the Taipei City Government will forcibly take away nearly 60 percent of the 77-year-old sanatorium's land.
Kuang Chung-hsiang, a media professor at Shih Hsin University, said at yesterday's press conference that the controversy generated from the demolition of the sanatorium is a clear example of Taiwan's politicians "shifting blame onto each other."
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said last month that he will dispatch experts from different agencies to figure out a solution that preserves as much of the sanatorium as possible while minimizing the impact done to the MRT construction, Kuang said, "but so far there is no substantial action being taken."
Su has said it takes two months to finalize the policy.
On the other hand, Kuang said that Taipei County Magistrate Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) has constantly warned that the county government will demolish the sanatorium if it does not receive the Executive Yuan's final decision by April 16.
"Several politicians are taking advantage of the long-existing traffic jam in the Sinjhuang area and are forcing people to support the construction of the MRT project," Kuang said.
Fan Yen-chiou, a history professor at National Taiwan Normal University, echoed Kuang's view and said that the MRT route planned by the DORTS explicitly demonstrated the authority's hegemony and the opaqueness of engineering technology, which Fan argued should be cross-examined by the public.
She added that the faulty decision made by the government originated from their lack of understanding Taiwan's history and culture.
"The root of the Losheng controversy is the decision-makers' indifference and alienation toward Taiwan's history, culture, medical treatment, and public health," said Fan.
Professors attending yesterday's conference urged related agencies to hold a public debate on the construction plans of the Sinjhuang MRT line to convince the public that the 90-percent policy proposed by the CCA is really not executable.
Advocates who support the preservation of the sanatorium will launch a march at 1:30 p.m. this Sunday.
Taiwan News, Staff Reporter
Page 3
2007-04-11 01:21 AM
Members of the academic circle yesterday called on the Executive Yuan to preserve the Losheng Sanatorium (樂生療養院), which they consider a historical treasure, and criticized politicians for stirring up tensions between Sinjhuang residents and those suffering from leprosy.
A total of 183 scholars from across Taiwan jointly ran a half-page advertisement in local newspapers yesterday, demanding the Executive Yuan name the sanatorium as a historical site, and openly review the policy proposed by the Council for Cultural Affairs that said preserving 90 percent of the sanatorium would not bring adverse impacts nor delay the Sinjhuang MRT construciton in Taipei County. The current Sinjhuang MRT line route mapped out by the Department of Rapid Transit Systems under the Taipei City Government will forcibly take away nearly 60 percent of the 77-year-old sanatorium's land.
Kuang Chung-hsiang, a media professor at Shih Hsin University, said at yesterday's press conference that the controversy generated from the demolition of the sanatorium is a clear example of Taiwan's politicians "shifting blame onto each other."
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said last month that he will dispatch experts from different agencies to figure out a solution that preserves as much of the sanatorium as possible while minimizing the impact done to the MRT construction, Kuang said, "but so far there is no substantial action being taken."
Su has said it takes two months to finalize the policy.
On the other hand, Kuang said that Taipei County Magistrate Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) has constantly warned that the county government will demolish the sanatorium if it does not receive the Executive Yuan's final decision by April 16.
"Several politicians are taking advantage of the long-existing traffic jam in the Sinjhuang area and are forcing people to support the construction of the MRT project," Kuang said.
Fan Yen-chiou, a history professor at National Taiwan Normal University, echoed Kuang's view and said that the MRT route planned by the DORTS explicitly demonstrated the authority's hegemony and the opaqueness of engineering technology, which Fan argued should be cross-examined by the public.
She added that the faulty decision made by the government originated from their lack of understanding Taiwan's history and culture.
"The root of the Losheng controversy is the decision-makers' indifference and alienation toward Taiwan's history, culture, medical treatment, and public health," said Fan.
Professors attending yesterday's conference urged related agencies to hold a public debate on the construction plans of the Sinjhuang MRT line to convince the public that the 90-percent policy proposed by the CCA is really not executable.
Advocates who support the preservation of the sanatorium will launch a march at 1:30 p.m. this Sunday.
April 6,2007
IDEA's Letter
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
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
April 5,2007
Legal effort fails to halt closure of Lo Sheng Sanatorium
Published on Taipei Times
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/04/05/2003355340
By Loa Iok-sin
STAFF REPORTER
Thursday, Apr 05, 2007, Page 4
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/04/05/2003355340
Legal effort fails to halt closure of Lo Sheng Sanatorium
By Loa Iok-sin
STAFF REPORTER
Thursday, Apr 05, 2007, Page 4
The legislative effort to prevent mandatory eviction of Lo Sheng Sanatorium residents failed as cross-party negotiations on the Hansen's Disease Compensation Act (漢生病補償條例) broke down yesterday.
Located in Taipei County, Lo Sheng sanatorium is where thousands of people with Hansen's disease have lived since the facility's establishment, despite the low contagiousness of the disease.
A plan to tear down most of the buildings to make room for a MRT maintenance depot has met with strong opposition.
Drafts of the act have been proposed during the past two years in order to compensate Lo Sheng residents for previous seclusionist policies.
Key items on the proposed bill include compensation, on-site care and site preservation.
However, lawmakers from Sinjhuang (新莊), where Lo Sheng is located, boycotted negotiations.
"When [Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)] legislators Wu Ping-jui (吳秉叡), Chau Lai-wang (曹來旺) and [Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)] Tsai Chia-fu (蔡家福) arrived, they expressed strong opposition to clauses concerning on-site care and preservation," said DPP Legislator Tien Chiu-chin (田秋堇), who supported the bill and participated in the negotiations.
...繼續閱讀
April 4,2007
Saying it would present Lo Sheng's case to the UN, a global advocacy group urged the nation to find an honorable solution to the problem
Published on Taipei Times
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/04/04/2003355181
Lo Sheng controversy attracts the interestof international group
HUMAN RIGHTS:
Saying it would present Lo Sheng's case to the UN, a global advocacy group urged the nation to find an honorable solution to the problem
By Shih Hsiu-chuan
STAFF REPORTER
Wednesday, Apr 04, 2007,Page 2
Pamela Parlapiano, left, a representative from the International Association for Integration, Dignity and Economic Advancement, says at a press conference in the legislature yesterday that she will present the case of Lo Sheng Sanatorium to the International Leprosy Congress, which will be held in Hyderabad, India, next year.
PHOTO: SUNG CHIH-HSIUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
The controversy over the preservation of Lo Sheng (Happy Life) Sanatorium has moved into the international limelight as a global advocacy group for people with Hansen's disease said it would report the case to the UN.
Calling Lo Sheng's predicament an issue that is "important to the whole world," Pamela Parlapiano of the International Association for Integration, Dignity and Economic Advancement (IDEA), yesterday said she would present the sanatorium's case at the International Leprosy Congress, which will be held in Hyderabad, India, next year, adding that Lo Sheng residents have been invited to attend a panel discussion.
Parlapiano made the remarks at a press conference hosted by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Joanna Lei (
...繼續閱讀
April 1,2007
Why Lo Sheng must be preserved (By Liao Hsien-hao 廖咸浩)
Published on Taipei Times
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2007/04/01/2003354816
By Liao Hsien-hao 廖咸浩
Sunday, Apr 01, 2007, Page 8
The Cabinet and the Taipei County Government have decided to evict the residents of the Lo Sheng (Happy Life) Sanatorium on April 16 to make way for the construction of a Mass Rapid Transit maintenance depot. If this isn't stopped, it will be a black day indeed in Taiwanese history. Not only will the government destroy a major cultural artifact and compound the misery of the residents, but even more importantly, it will show us how single-minded politicians lack respect for culture, history and human rights. This is a real tragedy for all Taiwanese.
Of about 60 such institutions around the world, Lo Sheng Sanatorium is one of the few to have survived until today. It bears witness to the process of modernization, in which state violence is used to "purify" society as well as besmirch and oppress disadvantaged groups -- including those of different ethnicity, the lower classes, the mentally ill, the diseased and dissidents.
Preserving Lo Sheng would not only let Taiwan retain one of its cultural assets, but it would also preserve a piece of history for the entire world. The International Association for Integration, Dignity and Economic Advancement, a UN-related organization dedicated to promoting the rights of Hansen's disease patients, also believes that the sanatorium is part of a global heritage and has asked the Taiwanese government to protect it.
...繼續閱讀
http://www.taip
Why Lo Sheng must be preserved
By Liao Hsien-hao 廖咸浩
Sunday, Apr 01, 2007, Page 8
The Cabinet and the Taipei County Government have decided to evict the residents of the Lo Sheng (Happy Life) Sanatorium on April 16 to make way for the construction of a Mass Rapid Transit maintenance depot. If this isn't stopped, it will be a black day indeed in Taiwanese history. Not only will the government destroy a major cultural artifact and compound the misery of the residents, but even more importantly, it will show us how single-minded politicians lack respect for culture, history and human rights. This is a real tragedy for all Taiwanese.
Of about 60 such institutions around the world, Lo Sheng Sanatorium is one of the few to have survived until today. It bears witness to the process of modernization, in which state violence is used to "purify" society as well as besmirch and oppress disadvantaged groups -- including those of different ethnicity, the lower classes, the mentally ill, the diseased and dissidents.
Preserving Lo Sheng would not only let Taiwan retain one of its cultural assets, but it would also preserve a piece of history for the entire world. The International Association for Integration, Dignity and Economic Advancement, a UN-related organization dedicated to promoting the rights of Hansen's disease patients, also believes that the sanatorium is part of a global heritage and has asked the Taiwanese government to protect it.
...繼續閱讀
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