Hi everyone! My name is Lisa Zaretskaya. I would like to draw your attention to my 6^th report related to Nuclear Waste in Lanyu (Taiwan).

Last week, with students from Tamkang University, continued our ecological marathon. The second lecture was devoted to nuclear waste in Taiwan. The student, whose name is Sofia, told us about the problems of the Orchid Island in Taiwan. For the Tao Aborigines who are native to Orchid Island, however, fate is not as easy to accept. Since 1982 the Taiwanese government has imposed a fate of radioactive nuclear waste on the Tao - originally without their knowledge or approval.  

The Tao have been fighting to remove the nuclear waste for over three decades, but the site and the waste still remain. Located a two-hour ferry ride from Taiwan?s southeast coast, Orchid Island — known locally as Lanyu - houses nearly 100,000 barrels of radioactive waste from power plants on the mainland of Taiwan.

It serves as a sore point of contention among the indigenous Tao towards the Taiwanese government. Many problems about the invisible health effects, such as leukemia, as well as a future nuclear accident, such as the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan – especially with the aging barrels rusting in a highly humid environment. Last year in August, Taiwan?s newly elected president, Tsai Ying-Wen promised to remove the nuclear waste site on Orchid Island shortly after making a formal apology to all aboriginal groups in Taiwan for centuries of discrimination and injustice. Seeking to continue forging a stronger Taiwanese identity separate from China, the Tsai administration sees the reconciliation and inclusion of aboriginal groups as part of the process. Skepticism among the Tao, however, remains. For the Tao on Orchid Island, retaining their culture, removing the nuclear waste, and ensuring their health and safety all remain an uncertain fate.

 Thank you for your attention. Our marathon will be continued??