ASIA CEMENT CONTROVERSY:It respected others’ opinions, the firm said, and its present mining operation in Hualien County is not inside Taroko National Park
Taipei Times
Date: Jun 26, 2017
By: Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter, with staff writer
Thousands of protesters yesterday marched from the Executive Yuan to the Presidential Office Building
Protesters form the outline of Taiwan during a march in Taipei yesterday against the extension of Asia Cement’s mining rights in Hualien County. Photo courtesy of Citizens of the Earth, Taiwan
in Taipei to back demands that the government terminate a controversial extension of Asia Cement Corp’s (亞泥) mining rights in Hualien County’s Sincheng Township (新城).
Members of protest organizer Citizen of the Earth, Taiwan (CET) and others gathered in front of the Control Yuan shouting: “Abolish Asia Cement’s mining rights! Reform the mining sector!”
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lin Shu-fen (林淑芬) said Asia Cement did not obtain the consent of Aboriginal landowners before applying for the extension of its mining rights, which it should have done to conform to Article 21 of the Indigenous Peoples Basic Act (原住民基本法).
The Ministry of Economic Affairs said on Monday last week that its approval of the extension was not illegal, with Executive Yuan spokesperson Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) saying the administration supports the ministry’s decision. [FULL STORY]
