Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Empty words on human rights?

Taipei Times Editorial

The government yesterday published its first report on human rights based on the UN covenants that are now part of the nation’s legal system. President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said the report marked another milestone in Taiwan’s efforts to meet international standards. Ironically, the report, both through its inclusions and omissions, highlights just how far this nation has to go — even as its place on the world stage grows ever smaller and international attention paid to it dwindles.

Locks alone won’t keep hope alive

Taipei Times Editorial

In light of a recent slew of suicides, the government is mulling ordering stores to lock up charcoal to make it less readily available for people who want to commit suicide.

Considering that ingesting pesticide is a common form of suicide in southern Taiwan, the Department of Health said it is also planning on asking pesticide manufacturers to set aside NT$1 for every kilogram of product sold to finance the production of cabinets with locks, again aiming to make it more difficult for people with suicidal tendencies to get their hands on the product.

Council urged to keep reactor offline

Taipei Times

Democratic Progressive Party legislators Yao Wen-chih, left, and Tien Chiu-chin, center, with Green Consumers’ Foundation chairman Jay Fang, hold a press conference outside the legislature in Taipei yesterday, calling on the government to suspend the operation of the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in Wanli District, New Taipei City, to allow a safety inspection.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times

Environmental protection groups and legislators yesterday urged the Atomic Energy Council to reject a proposal by Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) to resume operations at the No. 1 reactor of the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in Wanli District (萬里), New Taipei City (新北市), saying that it should first explain why seven anchor bolts of the reactor were damaged.

During a temporary shutdown on March 16 for routine maintenance of the reactor, problems were discovered with some of the anchor bolts used to secure the bottom of the reactor to the steel-reinforced concrete substrate.

Tibetan health chief met Chiu

Taipei Times

The health minister for the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala, India, visited Taiwan last week to discuss cooperation on health with his Taiwanese counterparts — including Department of Health (DOH) Minister Chiu Wen-ta (邱文達).

Contact between Taiwanese officials and Tibetan representatives is always a sensitive matter given Beijing’s hardline position on Tibet and government-to-government contacts by Taiwanese officials.

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