Do Not Exploit Disaster Victims for Votes

Do Not Exploit Disaster Victims for Votes
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
August 10, 2011

Summary: In the face of natural disasters, man will not always prevail. The road to reconstruction will be a long one. The second anniversary of the disaster is merely a mile marker along the way. As we proceed toward the third anniversary, we hope the government will be more proactive, more patient, more communicative, and more adept at coordination. It is not merely the infrastructure that needs rehabilitation. We too need spiritual rehabilitation.

Full Text below:

"That is my home, the autumn maple tree is my house number." People who have homes will find it hard to feel the pain of those who have lost their homes. Two years ago, Typhoon Morakot took over 400 lives in Hsiao Lin village, Victims' families held memorial services in honor of loved ones, Thes people can never return to Hsiao Lin Village, Some people carved their house number on rocks. Some people planted sunflowers, or autumn maples. The trees represent homes. The survivors' hearts are filled with thoughts of home. But they are also filled with pain.

Two years ago, on August 7, Typhoon Morakot struck Taiwan. Record rains caused severe flooding in central, southern, and eastern Taiwan. These widespread floods caused landslides. In Hsiao Lin village hundreds of people were buried alive. Other areas suffered severe damage, including Namasia Township, Kaohsiung County, Liuguai Township, Pingtung County, Linbian Township, Jiadong Township, Taitung County, Beinan Township, and Taimali. According to official statistics, the storm caused 681 deaths. Eighteen people are still missing. President Ma Ying-jeou's approval rating has plummeted. Premier Liu weathered the global financial tsunami, but was forced to resign in September over the disaster relief issue.

Hundreds of deaths have left wounds in the hearts of survivors that will never heal.

The Ma administration will find it difficult to emerge from under this shadow.

On the eve of the 8/8 Floods, President Ma Ying-jeou revisited the disaster area and stayed overnight in Hsiao Lin Village. DPP Chairman Tsai Ing-wen criticized Ma. She accused him of visiting the disaster area on the second anniversary of the flood, after neglecting it for over two years, In fact, President Ma visited the disaster area 82 times. Actually, for disaster victims, the number of visits to the disaster area is not that meaningful. It is however, part of the Ma administration's required homework. It enables the administration to keep a close eye on reconstruction. It also enables the administration to continuously track the effectiveness of its disaster prevention and disaster relief efforts.

Over the past two years, reconstruction work has continued unabated. According to the government's numbers, it has provided more than 200 hectares of land to disaster victims. In cooperation with charitable organizations, it has completed nearly 3000 permanent homes, and benefited over 10,000 people. The government undertook Infrastructure projects in 18 major disaster areas. These include the Chi Chi Section of Taiwan Route 16, the Alishan Highway, the Da Jin Bridge, the Chiahsien Bridge, the Liuguai Bridge, the Qishan Bridge, and the Xinfa Bridge on Taiwan Route 27. The Gaoshu Levee in Pingtung is already complete. Industrial reconstruction includes orchid flower cultivation and grouper fish farming. Over 400 hectares of farmland lost during the disaster were recovered.

Nevertheless, reconstruction remains incomplete. For example, Aborigines are most concerned about Taiwan Highway Route 20 and Taiwan Highway Route 21. These have yet to be approved. Some Aborigines are still getting used to living in permanent dwellings, far from their native villages, Some roads remain impassable, The damage caused by the disaster was too extensive. It poses obstacles to swift reconstruction. Some villages have been unable to stabilize the soil. Rains still bring disaster. It is unlikely they will be able to return to their native villages in the near term. To most victims, the homes they lost were their real homes.

Premier Wu Den-yih teared up during the press conference held on the second anniversary of disaster reconstruction. But a number of Aboriginal elected officials protested on behalf of Aboriginal peoples outside the Executive Yuan. Their protests signs read,"Aboriginal Village Restoration Rate: 0. Eviction Rate: 90." Premier Wu, who was moved to tears, may feel wronged. Demanding that victims move away from their tribal villages is a last resort. After all, human life is more important than a particular locale. No one on Taiwan, including the government, can endure an even worse disaster.

When victims protest, the government must listen. The wounds the victims have endured cannot be healed merely by providing them with attractive new homes. What they really want is to return to their old homes. They do not want to be evicted and forced to move north, Their wishes, alas, cannot be fulfilled any time soon. Under the circumstances, all the government can do is remain humble. All it can do is help victims to the best of its ability, The holes in the victims' hearts can never be healed.

Reconstruction has proceeded for two years. Some people are angry at the government over the slow pace of reconstruction. Many more meanwhile, suffer in silence. They do their best to endure, They find ways to integrate themselves into unfamiliar new environments. They learn how to begin anew.  "Nature shows no mercy, but among men there is love." Premier Wu bowed low before disaster victims three times during the press conference, He thanked reconstruction personnel. He expressed his gratitude to survivors who have remained positive and optimistic towards life, These survivors have withstood these challenges of nature, and these tests of their character. They have proven their love of mankind.

Those who have not undergone such an experience, cannot imagine how the past two years have been for disaster victims. Tsai Ing-wen criticized Ma Ying-jeou, saying he visited the disaster site only on the second anniversary of the typhoon. But how many times did she visit the same site? How many times did DPP county chiefs and city mayors visit disaster sites under their jurisdiction? The Democratic Progressive Party accused Premier Wu of shedding "crocodile tears." But how many tears have DPP officials shed for the disaster victims? DPP officials' callous sniping, all for the sake of electoral advantage, does nobody any good. It does no good for the victims. It does no good for the reconstruction effort. It does no good for the hearts of men.

In the face of natural disasters, man will not always prevail. The road to reconstruction will be a long one. The second anniversary of the disaster is merely a mile marker along the way. As we proceed toward the third anniversary, we hope the government will be more proactive, more patient, more communicative, and more adept at coordination. It is not merely the infrastructure that needs rehabilitation. We too need spiritual rehabilitation.

中時電子報 新聞
中國時報 　2011.08.10
社論－不要為了選舉消費重建災民
本報訊

    　「那是我的家，茄冬樹就是我家的門牌」。有家的人很難深刻體會失去家的人心中永遠的痛。兩年前莫拉克風災奪走小林村四百多條人命，罹難者家屬舉辦法會追悼親人，他們重回再看不到家的小林村，有人在石頭上刻下門牌號碼，有人種下一株向日葵，或者茄冬樹，一顆樹代表一個家。家，在他們的心裡；痛，也還在他們心裡。

    　兩年前的八月七日，莫拉克颱風侵台，破歷史紀錄的雨勢，造成台灣中南部及東部嚴重水災，引發多處水患、坍崩與土石流，小林村數百人慘遭活埋；其他災情慘重的災區，還包括當時高雄縣那瑪夏鄉、六龜鄉、屏東縣林邊鄉、佳冬鄉、台東縣卑南鄉、太麻里等地區。根據官方統計，這次風災造成六百八十一人死亡、十八人失蹤；馬英九總統民意聲望大跌，才度過全球金融海嘯的行政院長劉兆玄於救災告一段落後於九月請辭。

    　數百人命既是倖存者心底無法撫平的痛，更是馬政府執政難以抹去的陰影。

    　就在八八風災前夕，馬英九總統重回災區，夜宿小林村。民進黨主席蔡英文批評馬只有在風災兩周年紀念時才前往災區，卻疏忽了這兩年多來，馬總統已經前往災區八十二次。訪視災區的次數，對所有災民而言，其實沒有太大意義；但是，對馬政府而言，卻是必要的功課，一方面盯緊重建進度，二方面藉此不斷檢視政府防災救災的效能。

    　在這兩年中，重建工作無一刻停頓，根據政府匯整統計，政府提供二百多公頃土地，結合眾多慈善團體，完成近三千間永久屋，受益者超過萬人。基礎建設方面包括台16線集集路段、阿里山公路、台27線大津橋、甲仙大橋、六龜大橋、旗山大橋、新發大橋、十八處重大土石災區、屏東高樹舊寮堤防等重建均已完成。產業重建方面，包括蘭花或石斑魚也都復養，若干流失的農田也復建約四百多公頃。

    　儘管如此，重建工作仍未竟全功，諸如原住民最介意的台20與台21線，迄今未通；部分原住民對遠離原鄉，進住永久屋，還在調適。儘管部分路段未通，肇因於災損太巨，快速大幅重建有實質的困難；部分原鄉迄今土石未能有效保養生息，遇雨依舊成災，短期內重回部落也有根本的困難，但是，對多數失去家園的災民而言，那個失落的家才是他們真正的家。

    　就在行政院長吳敦義舉行重建兩周年記者會哽咽落淚的同時，部分原住民代表集聚行政院外抗議：「原鄉零進度、迫遷達九成。」紅了眼的吳揆或許心中也有委曲，要災民遠離原鄉也是情非得已，畢竟人命更重要，不要說政府，所有的台灣人，也承受不起更大的災難了。

    　對於災民的抗議，政府只能敬謹受之。他們心中的創傷不是任何優美的永久屋可以安慰的；他們只想回到自己家，不要被迫北遷，這個願望幾乎可以預言，短期內很難實現。在這種狀況下，政府只能用更謙卑的心，盡最大能力滿足災民的需求，雖然，災民心中那個缺口是怎麼也填不回了。

    　重建兩年，有人憤怒政府重建速度還是太慢，但是，更多數災民默默地承擔發生在他們身上的災難，努力與堅毅的走下去，想辦法融入他們並不熟悉的新環境，學習展開新的生活。「天災無情，人間有愛」，吳揆在記者會三度九十度鞠躬，感謝所有的重建人員，更感謝的應該是所有展現積極樂觀的人生態度的災民們，是他們讓台灣度過天災的挑戰、人性的考驗，照見台灣的愛與光輝。

    　不是身歷其境者，很難想像災民是如何走過這重建的兩年，當蔡英文指責馬英九只在周年紀念才前往災區的時候，或許也該想想自己去了幾次？或者民進黨執政的災區縣市首長訪視了幾次？當民進黨指責吳揆之淚是「鱷魚的眼淚」的時候，或許也該想想自己為災民掉過淚沒有？為了選舉利害的冷漠批評，於災民、於重建、於人心俱無益。

    　面對災難，總有人力難以對抗的時候，災後重建是一條漫長的道路，災滿兩周年只是重建工作的一個檢驗點，邁向重建第三年的此刻，期許政府更積極、更有耐心地溝通協調，不只是硬體設施的復建，我們還需要心靈的復健。