Our Lack of Gratitude for Mainland Compassion

Our Lack of Gratitude for Mainland Compassion
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
September 4, 2009

On August 8, Typhoon Morakot brought record rains. Taiwan experienced its worst flood damage in fifty years. It desperately needed outside aid. On the 12th, the Mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) announced that 18 Mainland companies were contributing 500 millon NT in disaster aid. China Central Television provided daily coverage of the storm situation, including casualty figures and the progress of disaster relief efforts. On the 13th, the Executive Yuan published a list of materiel Taiwan needed in its Typhoon Morakot relief efforts. On the 14th, through the SEF, the ARATS expressed its willingness to contribute emergency supplies, including modular housing units.

On the 18th, the first batch of 100 modular housing units donated by the Mainland arrived on Taiwan. But Chiatung Township Mayor Lai Hsien-ho in Pingtung County said the modular housing units were rumored to contain methanol. He said Pingtung County Executive Tsao Chi-hung had already obtained all the modular housing units they needed. Therefore, Chiatung Township was refusing to accept these modular housing units. He even added that since Chiatung Township didn't need them, he didn't really care where they were shipped next. On the 19th, the mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office said that the modular housing units shipped to Taiwan had been inspected, and did not contain methanol. The Ministry of Internal Affairs Construction and Planning Agency dispatched personnel to inspect the modular housing units. They wanted to determine whether these modular housing units from the Mainland actually contained methanol. At about the same time, over 300 disaster victims in Chiatung Township submitted applications for these modular housing units Lai Hsien-ho abruptly changed his tune. He not only accepted the 100 modular housing units, he put in a request for 150 more. Soon afterwards Mainland technicians arrived on Taiwan to assist in their assembly.

Following the 8/8 Flood, netizens in Sichuan wrote that during 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, the public on Taiwan contributed generously. The total amount was double what the rest of the world contributed. Now that Taiwan has experienced such a massive disaster, "What should Sichuanese do for disaster relief on Taiwan?" Once this opinion was posted, netizens all across the Mainland said that every time the Mainland was hit by disasters, Taiwan contributed generously, therefore "the time to pay back our debts has come." Many of the actors in the performing arts group from Yunan who came to Taiwan to perform in the Taipei Deaflympics are members of minority tribes. After their performances they personally raised 150,000 NT in an effort to do their part on behalf of the disaster areas.

Taiwan has long understood the need to give. It has long been willing to give. Over the years, due to its economic prosperity and humanitarian compassion, Taiwan has always been among the first to offer contributions and practical assistance the world world. This was particulary true in the case of natural disasters on Mainland China. The people on Taiwan have long been good-hearted, well-intentioned, and proactive. This has won them the world's respect and gratitude. When the 8/8 Flood struck Taiwan, relief supplies and personnel arrived on Taiwan from all over the world. Among them of course was the Mainland. Individuals and businesses alike immediately showed a heartfelt desire to help disaster victims on Taiwan.

But when modular housing units from the Mainland arrived on southern Taiwan, the Pingtung County Executive and Mayor of Chiatung Township rejected them. Did they really not understand that the purpose of the modular housing units is to provide temporary shelter for displaced disaster victims. Political speculation and unnecessary emotionalism could only worsen the plight of the victims. Just exactly what had priority in the hearts of these local leaders? The needs of the disaster victims, or their own need to engage in political posturing? They repeatedly characterized Mainland contributions to disaster relief on Taiwan as politically motivated. Did they truly lack the capacity to understand other people's good intentions? Were they truly unable to accept help from others with equanimity and open hearts? How could that be? After all, didn't these same people loudly proclaim, again and again, that the Dalai Lama's visit to Taiwan was a purely humanitarian and religious mission, with no hidden political agenda? If Kaohsiung City Mayor Chen Chu and sundry Green Camp politicians truly believed the Dalai Lama was motivated by compassion and benevolence, and were willing to accept his blessing, why was it so difficult for them to believe that contributions by individuals, businesses, and institutions on the Mainland, were also offered in a spirit of compassion and benevolence?

Suppose that during the Wenchuan Earthquake, the attitude on the Mainland to Taiwan's contributions had been "Humph! Isn't the reason Taiwanese are contributing so much money merely to show us how much wealthier they are?" Suppose they said "The Taiwan authorities are trying to buy the hearts of people!" How would we feel? Wouldn't we feel a stab of pain in our hearts? Would't we feel let down? Wouldn't we feel, "No good deed goes unpunished?" If we think of themselves as kind and good people, why are we unwilling to believe that people on the Mainland might also be simple and good people too? Most consider people on Taiwan their fellow countrymen, and therefore have a deeper sense of compassion for the victims. Some on Taiwan think such thoughts are merely wishful thinking. But what sort of malevolent attitude is that? People on the Mainland have shown sweeping compassion for the disaster victims. They have provided them with practical assistance. No matter how ideologically zealous some politicians might be, how can their consciences permit them to incite hatreds at a time like this?

Besides, the motives of the vast majority of individuals, businesses, and institutions on the Mainland who extended a helping hand to Taiwan were not that complicated. They did not engage in cynical political calculations. For most of them, the issue was quite simple. It was the inchoate belief that "any man's death diminishes me." Just as when disasters struck on the Mainland, individuals and businesses on Taiwan came forward with donations, religious organizations swiftly formed disaster relief and counseling groups. They were motivated by simple benevolence. They could not bear to witness needless suffering.

Modular housing units can provide disaster victims with comfortable homes. Contributions can provide the impetus for post-disaster reconstruction. All we need are hearts capable of gratitude.

中時電子報 新聞
中國時報 　2009.09.04
社論－面對彼岸關懷 我們缺了一聲感謝
本報訊

八月八日，莫拉克颱風帶來超大豪雨，台灣出現五十年來最嚴重的水災損害，亟需外援；十二日，大陸海協會宣布，有十八家企業捐助新台幣五億元，中央電視台連日持續報導風災死傷數字以及台灣的救災情況；十三日，行政院提出外援台灣莫拉克風災的需求清單；十四日，海協會透過台灣海基會表達願意捐助應急物資、活動板房（組合屋）等。

十八日，大陸捐贈的首批一百套組合屋抵台，屏東縣佳冬鄉鄉長賴憲和表示，外傳這批組合屋含甲醇，且屏東縣縣長曹啟鴻已募得夠用的組合屋，因此佳冬鄉拒收這批組合屋；他並表示，因為不需要，所以這批組合屋運到哪裡都無所謂；十九日，大陸國台辦表示，來台組合屋都經過檢驗，不含甲醇；內政部營建署派員開櫃驗屋，以了解這批大陸組合屋是否真的含有甲醇；差不多在同一時間，佳冬鄉有超過三百戶災民登記需要組合屋，賴憲和改口，不但接受這批百套組合屋並且又多要求了一五○套；之後，大陸組合屋技術人員陸續抵台協助組裝。

八八水災後，四川網友在網路上貼文指出，○八年汶川大地震時，台灣人慷慨捐輸，捐款總額是世界捐款的兩倍，如今台灣發生了這麼大的災難，「四川人該為台灣救災做點什麼？」此文一出，大陸各地網友紛紛響應表示，大陸幾次受災，臺灣都捐過不少，「還情的時候到了。」來台參與台北聽奧系列活動演出的雲南映象表演團隊演員，大多來自少數民族，他們在表演後也集資人民幣十五萬元，希望能為災區盡點心力。

台灣一直是個很懂得付出，也很願意付出的地方，長期以來，因為經濟富裕以及人情溫暖，在世界各地、尤其是中國大陸發生天災巨變時，台灣總是最快提供捐款和實際幫助的地方；台灣人的善心美意和行動力，贏得世人的尊敬與感念；當八八水災重創台灣的畫面，透過媒體傳播出去，世界各地的救援物資和行動也陸續進入台灣，其中，當然也包括了對岸；從一般民眾到企業機構，大陸在第一時間，展現了他們援助台灣災民的心意。

然而，當大陸的組合屋來到南台灣時，拒收的屏東縣縣長和佳冬鄉鄉長或許真的無法理解，組合屋的功能是用來為流離失所的災民提供一個暫時安身立命的居所，加諸其上的各種政治臆測與不必要的情緒，不過是延長了災民的苦情境遇而已；在這些地方父母官的心裡，災民的需要與政治的作態，究竟哪個重要些？一再懷疑大陸捐款給台灣是有政治動機的政治人物們，是因為欠缺了體察他人好意的能力，因此不知道該如何好好地、安心地成為被幫助的人嗎？這好像也說不通，畢竟這些人不也懂得再三大聲疾呼說，達賴喇嘛來台灣是單純的人道宗教之旅，沒有任何政治目的嗎？如果包括高雄市市長陳菊在內的各個綠營政治人物可以這麼真心相信達賴喇嘛的慈悲善念，不卑不亢地接受他的祝福，為什麼相信大陸民眾、企業、機構對台灣的捐款、援助，同樣也是本乎善念好意，竟會是那麼困難的一件事情？

試著想想，如果汶川大地震時，大陸人回報台灣捐款的態度是：「哼，台灣人捐那麼多錢還不是為了跟我們炫耀他們有錢？」或者：「這是台灣政府要收買大陸的民心啦！」我們會做何感想呢？我們的心裡會不會有受傷的感覺？會不會有一種「好心給雷親」的失落？如果我們認為自己是善良的好人，為什麼不肯相信對岸人民真的也可以是很單純的好人？即便他們當中有些人是把台灣人當成同胞，因此對災民有一分更深刻的感同深受的感受，這種想法也許會讓一些台灣人覺得他們太一廂情願，但老實說，這又是什麼不得了的惡意呢；與舖天蓋地的悲愴以及災民大量且實際的援助需要比較起來，再怎麼立場鮮明的政治人物，又何忍在此時炒作種種仇恨對立？

更何況，大多數對台灣伸出援手、捐款和救助的大陸民眾、企業和機關團體，動機也不是那麼複雜、那麼精於算計；他們的心意大多數其實很單純，就是一種「人溺己溺」的心情，如同大陸發生災變時，台灣人民和企業踴躍捐輸，宗教團體迅速組成救災或者心靈撫慰團體一樣，就是發自善念、對災難中人的一顆不忍之心。

組合屋可以是溫暖的家，捐款可以發揮重建的力量，只要我們有一顆懂得感恩的心。