BackA Control Yuan (CY) joint committee recently issued its investigation report on the Kanjin aboriginal community located on the banks of the Dahan River in Taoyuan County, making recommendations to the Water Resources Agency (WRA) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP), and the Taoyuan City Government to take action to improve the community’s situation.
The Kanjin community is made up of members of the Amei tribe who moved to the area several decades ago in search of work, building makeshift homes on the river’s shores. However, the community is located in a flood zone where housing is technically prohibited, so residents have long been denied household registration, resulting in children facing difficulty receiving schooling. Residents also lack access to public utilities, such as street lighting and connection to water supply, thereby putting their safety at risk.
The joint committee, made up of members of the CY’s Committee on Domestic and Minority Affairs, Committee on Financial and Economic Affairs and Committee on Educational and Cultural Affairs, therefore, conducted a study of the community in a bid to spur action on addressing the poor living conditions in which residents struggle.
According to the committee’s report, the Taoyuan municipal authorities have solved the problem of electricity supply and are in the process of constructing a water supply system. However, several issues have yet to be fully addressed, such as the community’s riverside location, house numbering, household registration, children’s right to formal education, and application for social welfare benefits.
Following the release of the report, the Taoyuan City Government, WRA and CIP have each mapped out improvement plans. The Control Yuan will follow up with close monitoring of implementation of the plans and measures by the relevant agencies in order to ensure that the various longstanding problems facing the community are resolved and that the rights of aboriginal citizens are safeguarded.
Source: Control Yuan, Taiwan
