Taiwan Church News 3361 Edition July 25 - 31, 2016 Headline News PCT Holds Seminars On Aboriginal Transitional Justice Reported by Lin Jia-jing Because President Tsai Ing-wen will officially apologize to the aboriginal peoples on August 1, many hot debates areunder way on current five draft versions for promoting transitional justice submitted by some aboriginal members of parliament. Against this background, a series of consensus-seeking seminars, organized by PCT's Indigenous MinistryCommittee and Church and Society Committee, discussing aboriginal transitional justice from the aboriginal church's viewpoints are specially held island-wide in July. Church elders, deacons and congregational members will be invited to attend seminars which are planned on July19 at Tai-wu church of Paiwan presbytery, July 21 at Kao-liau church of Amis presbytery and July 25 at Tsu-kwang church of Tayal presbytery. Many aboriginal leaders and PCT officials, including Rev. Sudu Tada(Moderator of PCT's General Assembly), Mr.Yohani Isqaqavut(the first aboriginal ambassador), Rev. Pusin Tali(President of YSCS), Rev. Omi Wilang(secretary of PCT Indigenous Ministry Commitee) and Mr Wudu Mijan(University professor), are invited to deliver their thoughts on aboriginal transitional justice. Rev. Sudu Tada urges PCT to play her prophetic role again in this third democratic regime change and build up a society of justice, peace and love imitating the kingdom of God. From the struggling history of international aboriginal peoples, Ambassador Yohani reminds the aboriginal society that President Tsai's apology should not be paid too much optimism. The point is aborigine's decision to act after her verbal apology: "Are we ready to act?", says Yohani. Rev. Pushin Tali denounced all foreign regimes as rogue waves, intending to steal, kill and destroy the culture ofaborigines only. Recounting PCT's past involvement in Taiwan's aboriginal social movement, like the restoration of aboriginal name and the legislation of The Indigenous Peoples Basic Act, Rev. Pushin Tali deeply believed that "God is the Lord of transitional justice!" and encouraged the audience to keep fighting for the autonomy of the aboriginal peoples. Wudu Mijan insists the oppression of aboriginal peoples in the past 400 years on Taiwan island should be an important chapter during the legislature of the laws of transitional justice, because the barbarous fact that many aboriginal lands and resources confiscated by the Japanese colonial government and arbitrarily inherited by KMT is absolutely illegitimate and unacceptable to Taiwan aborigines! Translated by Peter Wolfe |