Taiwan Church News

3328 Edition

December 7 - 13, 2015

Church News

2015 Recipient of the Albert J.F. Lin Human Rights Award: Very Rev. Dr. N Bruce McLeod

Reported by Lin Yi-yin

In order to recognize and encourage the long-time work of people or organizations in Canada or Taiwan for human rights, democracy and social justice, the Albert Lin Human Rights Award was established by Taiwanese Human Rights Association of Canada(THRAC) in 2014.

As the initial purpose of this award is given in honor of a man who is a living example of this commitment, and who has given his life seeking to realize these values in Taiwan and in Canada, 2014 recipient was awarded to Rev. Ed File who was the minister of the United Church of Canada.

Rev. Ed File, the 2014 recipient of the Albert J.F. Lin Human Rights Award, was awarded for his engagement over 50 years in training and inspiring leaders of marginalized people to fight for their rights - in Canada (Canadian Urban Training Centre), globally (World Council of Churches URM Advisory Committee) and in Taiwan (Taiwan Urban Rural Mission).

According to THRAC, the reason why Rev. Bruce McLeod is honored with 2015 Albert J.F. Lin Human Rights Award, is due to the fact that "[Rev.] Bruce McLeod has worked for human rights in Canada and Taiwan, as a minister, as a journalist, and as a rights advocate. He has been a strong friend of the Taiwanese people for half a century, and greatly contributed to the struggle for human rights in Taiwan".

"Through the help of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, McLeod was able to secretly make a night visit Prof. Peng Ming-Min, under house arrest and under the 24-hour watch", said THRAC. So, KMT's authoritarian oppression and ruthless custody of Dr. Peng - once an advisor of ROC's UN delegation and one of the internationally renown legal scholar in 1960s - could be uncovered to the world, due to a detailed report entitled as "Not Everyone Is Smiling in Taiwan" by Rev. McLeod on the Globe and Mail in Canada.

According to THRAC, Rev. McLeod also "smuggled the Declaration of Formosan Self-Salvation out from Taiwan. This he shared Prof. Robert Y M Huang, the first Chairperson of Committee for Human Rights in Taiwan, Michael Tsai and Albert Lin. This contributed tremendously to the Taiwanese human rights and self-determination Independence movement both inside and outside Taiwan".

After learning the 2015 Albert J.F. Lin Human Rights Award was announced, Rev. Lyim Hong-tiong paid his tribute to Rev. Bruce McLeod by a congradulational letter. In the meantime, in order to commemorate those persons or groups who had made great efforts for the democracy of Taiwan, Dr. Albert J. F. Lin also felt very much comforted and honored that this 2015 human rights award could be awarded to Rev. Bruce McLeod.

Translated by Peter Wolfe