- 更新時間:2020/08/26 15:06:37
On the morning of April 25, Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP) Minister Icyang Parod visited the Nakahila Community Meeting Hall, which is currently under construction in Zhouxi Township, Hualien County, for a briefing alongside the township mayor, village chief, and community leader and members.
Mr. Icyang stated after listening to the briefing that the meeting hall serves as a center of political and everyday life for local indigenous communities, and that it is where regular community meetings and traditional harvest festivals take place. In order to preserve indigenous culture and ensure traffic safety, the CIP sets aside an annual budget to help local governments build indigenous meeting halls and carry out road improvements to give local indigenous peoples a cultural space and safe roads to use when going to work, school, or the hospital.
According to Mr. Icyang, meeting halls are of great significance to indigenous communities, while a safe road network facilitates disaster relief, improves healthcare accessibility, and benefits local commuters. The CIP has provided additional funding of NT$ 159.58 million to build two meeting halls, design two more, and improve road conditions in 15 locations. Zhouxi Township, Hualien County is the location of two of the 19 projects—the new Nakahila Community Meeting Hall and repairs on the Lunbushan Communication Road, which is the main road connecting the Dauqpusan and Swasal communities. Traffic here is often interrupted by road closures due to potholes caused by torrential rains. A feasibility study was commissioned in July 2018, and the project is currently in the planning and design stage. Once the design is finalized, the CIP will provide the necessary funding for road repairs to protect local indigenous peoples’ fundamental rights.
At the end of the briefing, Mr. Icyang reiterated the CIP’s commitment to working with local governments to build new meeting halls and improve public road infrastructure to create a high-quality, sustainable living environment for the indigenous peoples.
CIP Contact: Ku Chi-min
Telephone: (02) 8995-3278 or 0932-236643