TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Legislative Yuan voted on Friday to amend the law governing the Council of Indigenous Peoples, an agency under the Executive Yuan.
A third reading of amendments to the Organization Act of the Council of Indigenous Peoples, put forward by KMT Legislator Sra Kacaw (鄭天財) and independent Legislator Ciwas Ali (高金素梅), passed the floor vote, reported CNA. The amendments, which passed in a vote of 58 to 45, will significantly alter the structure of the council.
First, the amended law stipulates the chairpersonship of the council, although not having a fixed term, must rotate between a Plains Indigenous person and a Highland Indigenous person. Second, membership of the council will consist of 19 to 29 members, up from the current number of 16.
The approved members of the council, except the chair and up to three deputies, will have fixed terms of two years, but may be reappointed following each two-year term. Additionally, the new law stipulates that all council members must leave their positions when a new chair takes office.
Further, except the chair, other members of the council, who currently make a monthly salary of NT$100,000 (US$3,080) will no longer be paid for sitting on the council, according to the amended law. This measure was met with strong disapproval by the Council of Indigenous People.
In a press release following the amendments’ passage, the council said the new amendments will seriously harm the rights and interests of Taiwan’s Indigenous peoples. The council declared its intention to petition the Constitutional Court for a review of the amendments.
The council currently consists of 16 members, with each member intended to represent one of the 16 officially recognized tribes of Taiwan. Increasing the size of the council to as many as 29 members is a subtle nod to the 10 ethnic groups that lack official recognition, and three others that are recognized locally but not at the national level.
Members of the KMT who pushed for passage of the amendments were critical of the current makeup of the council, which they claimed was disproportionately shaped and influenced by two legislators from the DPP, Wu Li-hua (伍麗華) and Chen Ying (陳瑩). Between them, they were reportedly responsible for nominating 14 members of the 16-person council, per UDN.