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110 Taiwan Development Perspectives 2009
ment also designates the original inhabitants of Taiwan
as “indigenous peoples,” the goal they had strived for
more than 10 years to achieve.
These constitutional amendments are regarded as
an important watershed for the indigenous rights
movement. They provide a constitutional basis for laying
down a new policy for indigenous peoples. The
Council of Indigenous Peoples was organized as an
agency directly under the Executive Yuan in December
1996. Subsequently, city and county governments set
up separate bureaus to provide service and care for indigenous
peoples within their respective jurisdictions.
All this is a far cry from the near-neglect of indigenous
peoples after Taiwan’s retrocession in 1945
when a provincial government was organized to rule
the island. One of its departments, the department of
civil affairs, had the jurisdiction over the “mountain
area” where the Mountaineer Compatriots lived. A division
under the department, the fourth one, was in
charge of indigenous administration. That low-level
administrative system remained unchanged for four
decades, making it impossible to adequately promote
the wellbeing of indigenous peoples in Taiwan. It was
not until 1985 when the Ministry of the Interior established
a “Shan Bao Work Review Group.” Two years
later, in 1987, a Mountain Area Administration Division
was established under the Department of Civil Affairs
of the Ministry of the Interior. The affairs of indigenous
peoples were administered at the highest level of government
for the first time since Taiwan’s retrocession.
As urbanization continued apace in Taiwan, many indigenous
peoples left their tribal villages for big cities
to make a living. Taiwan’s two special municipalities,
Taipei and Kaohsiung, also established Shan Bao divisions
under their respective bureaus of civil affairs in
1988.
In answer to the repeated calls for elevation of the
level of administration, the Taiwan Provincial Government
upgraded its Mountain Area Administrative Division
to the rank of bureau. A Taiwan Provincial Shan
Bao Bureau” was inaugurated in 1990. But the organization
was still under the Department of Civil Affairs of
the Taiwan Provincial Government.
The two special municipalities took a large forward
step in 1996. An Indigenous Peoples Commission
was organized as an agency directly under control of
the Taipei Municipal Government in March. Kaohsiung
followed suit by creating its indigenous peoples commission
in December. The elevation of the level of administration
makes it possible to better conduct indigenous
affairs. All new agencies, including the Council of
Indigenous Affairs under the Executive Yuan, were
headed by political appointees. They were all indigenous
tribesmen. It is no exaggeration to say 1996 was
the year when indigenous peoples started to be their
own masters. They are able to make decisions on how
to manage their own affairs.
I made a five-point recommendation in an article
published immediately before my departure for the
United Kingdom in February 1993 to pursue studies
toward a doctorate. In the article, titled “Comprehensive
Shan Bao Policy Reform to Usher in a New Era for
the Indigenous Peoples,” I recommended:
That an ethnic minority commission be established;
That more indigenous people be invited to join in
the administration of their affairs;
That indigenous people be asked to join the Cabinet;
That laws be enacted for protection of the rights
and benefits of the indigenous peoples; and
That an autonomous community be set up for the
indigenous peoples.
The first four points recommended have been carried
out one by one in Taiwan with success. The last
one was included in the Kuomintang platform for the
presidential election of 2008. It is believed that President
Ma Ying-jeou will have an autonomous community
created for the indigenous peoples in the near fu-