[Call for Endorsement] Taiwan: Stop the Forced Evictions of the Urban Renewal Victim Families

 So far, there are 52 communities facing the same situation like the Wang families. If the Wang's houses are demolished, there will be more houses teared down by the government according to the Urban Renewal Act. There are many students, victim families, NGOs gathering in front of the Wang's house trying to stop the eviction by their bodies. Following is the photo took in front of the Wang families' house last night. photo by: Taiwan Urban Renewal Victims Association

Call for endorsement

Urgent Appeal

Taiwan: Stop the Forced Evictions of the Urban Renewal Victim Families 

March 23, 2012

Taiwan is always proud of its democratic progress and human rights protection in Asia region. However, more and more government sanctioned renewal projects without procedural due process and more and more forced evictions for the interests of development companies are now taking place in Taiwan.

The Wang families have resided in Shih-Lin district, Taipei city for more than half centuries. They built their houses in the land in compliance with every regulation and law in Taiwan. However, because of the urban renewal project proposed by the Le Young Construction Company, the Wang families are forced to become a part of thegovernment sanctioned renewal zone without any notifications of public hearings. It is both a clear violation of the due process of law and an infringement of Wang’s legitimate rights since the Wang families have firmly rejected the offer from the company to be part of the renewal project in the very beginning stage.

Indeed, the renewal project could proceed without the lands of Wang families because their lands do not constitute an essential part of the renewal. Wang’s have long requested the city government to exclude their lands from therenewal zone. However, the government is inclined to abide by the interests of the development company rather than to protect the legitimate rights of citizens. All the appeals to the administrative courts also failed on the grounds that the notification of public hearings of a renewal zoning needed not be actually delivered by the development company to the parties concerned.

The key issues are caused by the flaws and problems in the Urban Renewal Act. According to the Article 11, the scope of the renewal zoning could be drawn by any developer at will without the actual notice of land owners affected.Article 22 also allows the developers to get renewal permit without consensus from all residents or owners even though they may have refused to be part of the renewal zone. Furthermore, Article 36 allows the developers to resort to public authorities to evict the residents and demolish their houses. The Wang’s already received the notification from TaipeiCity Government and the mayor Mr. Hao also vowed to tear down the houses soon.

The case of Wang families is not a single incidence. There are 52 urban communities in Taiwan now facing the similar situations.

Taiwan government has ratified ICCPR and ICESCR and passed the Enforcement Act of Two Covenants by itsLegislative Yuan in 2009. Thus, Taiwan government indeed has the obligation to respect and protect the right to adequate housing according to ICESCR no.11 and the ICESCR general comment no.7.

The forced evictions of the citizens’ houses for the interests of the construction company are clearly not in the interests of public benefit or welfare.

We strongly urge Taiwan government to

1)     Stop the forced eviction of the Wang families

2)     Organize a consult meeting for the families who are in threat of forced evictions

3)     Revise the Urban Renewal Act in accordance with the Constitution in Taiwan and ICESCR

News Reports: 

Property owners want law change

Activist accuses MOI of censoring

Taipei ignores protest over urban renewal project

The urgent appeal is endorsed by the following NGOs:

Taiwan Urban Renewal Victims Association

The Organization of Urban Re-s

Taiwan Watch Institute

Taiwan International Workers Association,

Taiwan Association for Victims of Occupational Injuries

Taiwan Association for Ocean Affairs

Youth Labor 95 Union

SanChong Community University

Raging Citizens Act Now

Photosynthetic Humanity Education Workshop

Oz Theatre 

National Federation of Independent Trade Unions

Lab .TCHENOGRAMME

Green Citizen’s Action Alliance

Greenink

Gorilla Guerrilla for People

Gender/Sexuality Rights Association Taiwan

Environmental Jurists Association

Concern Alliance for Filipino Chinese

Collective of Sex Workers and Supporters,

Center for the study of sexuality, National Central University

Center for Social GIS, Soochow University

Catholic Scalabrini International Migration Network-Taiwan

Career Foundation

Atelier3rd

Think Centre , Singapore