Green Groups Storm Formosa Plastics Corporation at Annual Shareholders Meeting - Taiwan's Newspapers Mum

Diane Wilson speaks to reporters shortly before green shareholders and stakeholders burst into the Formosa Plastics Corporation Annual Shareholders Meeting in Taipei yesterday afternoon.


There were cameras everywhere. Reporters, police, security officers, activists all jostled and pushed. TV crews were falling over each other. There were microphones in people's faces. The popping of flashes created an almost strobe-light-effect at times. Even before the Formosa Plastics Corporation Annual Shareholders Meeting was out, news of the storming of the meeting by green activists was being broadcast to the nation on the major news networks. But mysteriously, Taiwan's three major English newspapers don't even give it a mention this morning. Actually, even amongst the the Hanji Chinese language papers only United Daily News seems to make mention of yesterday's events. (Watch a Formosa TV news report in Chinese with some English)

Media scramble to cover events as green shareholders and stakeholders burst into Formosa Plastics Corporation Annual Shareholders Meeting.


Yesterday, green shareholders and stakeholders led by 2006 Blue Planet Award* Winner and international environmental activist Diane Wilson burst into Formosa Plastics Corporation Annual Shareholders Meeting intent on presenting the PVC giant with the infamous Black Planet Award** for their horrendous environmental record***.

Just last week, images of Diane confronting BP CEO Tony Hayward during the Gulf Oil Spill Hearing at the US House Committee on Energy and Commerce were broadcast across the globe by international networks from CBS to CNN.

Wilson yelling "you need to be charged with a crime" at BP CEO Tony Hayward during the Gulf Oil Spill Hearing at the US House Committee on Energy and Commerce - photo courtesy of CODEPINK.


Just the week before, Diane had made international news as she dumped fake oil over herself on Capitol Hill. On Saturday June 19 she was again in the news protesting outside a BP gas station in Washington. CNN announced "BP protester arrested Wednesday back at it on Saturday."

On Tuesday Diane was in Chiayi in southern Taiwan speaking on Formosa Plastics at an event alongside local environmental groups. On Wednesday we believe she was addressing members of the Taiwan EPA. On Thursday she was speaking out against the planned Kuo-kuang Petrochemical Plant in Changhua County in western Taiwan that threatens the critically endangered Taiwan pink dolphins and the Dacheng wetlands (The Dacheng wetlands [also spelled Tacheng] has been listed as an IBA or Important Bird Area by BirdLife International and the IUCN). Yesterday afternoon she stormed the FPG shareholders meeting in front of a legion of reporters to try present the Black Planet Award and today Taiwan's papers have nothing to report. Why? What's going on?

The red sleeved arm of Diane Wilson clutching the Black Planet Award can be seen amidst the struggling activists, reporters and security officials as she tries to present the infamous award to the Wang family and the management of Formosa Plastics.


To understand why Diane and local green groups wanted to present the Black Planet Award to Formosa Plastics yesterday we need to go back to a bus ad campaign last month. When Formosa Plastics failed to attend the recent Black Planet Awards ceremony in Germany, environmental groups in Taiwan attempted to run a bus ad campaign in Taipei announcing that Formosa Plastics had won the award.

The ad read "Formosa Plastics Group wins ethecon Black Planet Award" together with the Hanji Chinese character for "SHAME." The campaign was to run on Taipei buses from 18 May to 17 June. Some of the ads went up a day early. Then, the Hanji Chinese character for “shame” was removed by someone on the first day and all the ads came down on the 18th after Formosa Plastics threatened to sue the bus company and the advertising agent through whom the design and placement of the ads had been booked. A fine example of a corporate giant squashing the freedom of speech and expression. (See FPG bus ad campaign for more)

The Hanji Chinese character for "shame" has been covered on this bus ad. The advertisements were to grace Taipei buses from 18 May to 17 June. The ads were pulled when Formosa Plastics threatened to sue the bus operators.


Thus, yesterday Diane was in Taipei to present the Formosa Plastics Corporation with the 2009 ethecon Black Planet Award. Annually, the German-based foundation, ethecon, presents the renowned Blue Planet Award for outstanding commitment to the conservation and the preservation of our Blue Planet. Each year they also present a more sinister award, the infamous Black Planet Award to those who have committed themselves to the destruction and downfall of our Blue Planet in an outstanding way.

In a news conference outside the shareholders meeting Wilson told reporters that she and other green stakeholders "hope to confront" Formosa Plastics over "their social and environmental destruction of Taiwan and the United States and across the globe. And we also hope to influence the shareholders in this meeting." After the press conference Diane and Co did just that and stormed into the meeting. Shortly thereafter they sat down on the floor and were then evicted by police and security.

Diane Wilson being carried out of the Formosa Plastics Corporation Annual Shareholders Meeting by police and security officers.


Now after all yesterday's action why is there no mention of this in today's papers? The reporters were certainly there and it was interesting enough for news channels to broadcast just minutes after the event. One can't help wondering, like in the pulling of the bus ads, did Formosa have a hand in keeping the papers mum?


Watch:
Footage of Diane Wilson being evicted from Formosa Plastics Corporation Annual Shareholders Meeting. The news conference outside the meeting and activists entering the meeting is also shown.

View more footage.

Local Hanji Chinese news footage.

Also see:
Greens storm the Formosa Plastics Annual Shareholders Meeting to present the Black Planet Award

Update: Environmental Groups Confront Formosa Plastics Corporation at Annual Shareholders Meeting

Black Planet Award for FPG.

Ethecon Black Planet Award:- Dossier on FPG

Click to view the open letter to the Formosa Plastics Group.

Breaking News: Greens storm the Formosa Plastics Annual Shareholders Meeting to present the Black Planet Award



*The German-based foundation, ethecon, presents the renowned Blue Planet Award each year for outstanding commitment to the conservation and the preservation of our Blue Planet.

**Each year ethecon also presents a more sinister award, the infamous Black Planet Award to those who have committed themselves to the destruction and downfall of our Blue Planet in an outstanding way. The winner of last year's award went to Formosa Plastics.

***Before yesterday's Formosa Plastics Annual Shareholders Meeting green shareholders stated they would be pointing out the groundwater contamination levels around FPG’s PVC factory in Kaohsiung’s astounding feat of achieving more than three hundred thousand times the legal standard, the soaring cancer rates around FPG’s Sixth Naphtha Cracker offshore facility in Yunlin County, central Taiwan, and how FPG is going to deal with competition from the Kuokuang Petrochemical Park planned for neighboring Changhua County, as well as environmental and safety concerns over its plant in Point Comfort Texas.


Also see:
Formosa Plastics on fire again

Yet another FPG related fire

Update: Environmental Groups Confront Formosa Plastics Corporation at Annual Shareholders Meeting

Activist Diane Wilson of CODEPINK talks to reporters today at a press conference before the Formosa Plastics Corporation's Annual Shareholders Meeting in Taipei. PAN Hansheng, Co convener of the Green Party Taiwan and lawyer Robin Winkler of Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association look on.


Diane Wilson, co founder of Codepink the US activist organization, and a fourth generation shrimper from the Texas Gulf Coast was ejected from the annual shareholders meeting of the Taiwan PVC giant Formosa Plastics Corporation today. After the meeting she said she was denied an opportunity to present Chairman LI Chih-tsun, members of the Wang Family and the executive management of Formosa Plastics with the Black Planet Award from the German foundation “ethecon”. The 2009 award was given to Formosa Plastics et al. for the dubious distinction of having the worst environmental and social record of all companies in the world.

Diane Wilson, who has been visiting Taiwan worker and environmental justice groups during the past week was supported by about twenty five activists in her action. About a dozen of the activists had proxies or shareholder status, and Diane, who also had a proxy was told that her proxy had not been validated in accordance with new regulations. Observers of the companies screening procedures observed numerous irregularities, so were somewhat surprised that such a hostile attitude was taken towards Diane and others who accompanied her.

Robin Winkler, an American born Taiwanese and founder of Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, pointed out that the meeting should be open to all “stakeholders” rather than just shareholders, particularly those such as Diane Wilson who are bringing a very important message for the company. The shareholders should have the right to know.

The group of “green shareholders” forced their way into the meeting, the security for which Formosa Plastics was reported to have said was the strictest in 56 years of shareholder meetings. Security personnel subsequently forcibly ejected Diane Wilson, her lawyer Severia Lu, and Robin Winkler from the meeting.

The green shareholders remaining in the meeting included PAN Hansheng, Co convener of the Green Party Taiwan, objected to the second item on the agenda pertaining to the distribution of profits. He pointed out that the company faced huge potential exposure due to the recent disclosures of groundwater contamination at the Renwu PVC Plant in southern Taiwan, and the potential consequences (carbon tax and a pending carbon reduction law) for their CO2 emissions (some 27% of Taiwan's total), and pending legal and financial exposure for their failure to behave in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

Regarding the Black Planet Award and concerns over their environmental and social record, Formosa had issued several press releases prior to the meeting. However attendees in the meeting noticed a number of discrepancies between the contents of those press releases and the statements of Chairman Li made during the meeting – in particular their knowing failure to disclose toxic leaks in the Renwu PVC Plant Representatives of several groups stated they will be following up with Taiwan's corporate and securities authorities.

The environmental groups speaking during the meeting also emphasized that there must be no sacrifice of workers rights in order to live up to the company's environmental responsibilities and called for health tests to be conducted on all current and former workers.

Environmental groups were also happy to have media coverage of their objections to Formosa's practices with forty to fifty cameras (television, video, and still) and hourly reporting from the major networks starting from 1530, while the meeting was still in progress.

There was a strong police and security presence at the meeting.

Green shareholders and stakeholders sitting in during today's Formosa Plastics Annual Shareholders Meeting in Taipei. Many were later forcibly removed from the meeting.

Green shareholders and stakeholders press conference before the Formosa Plastics Corporation's Annual Shareholders Meeting in Taipei.

The Shame FPG ad from the recent bus ad campaign that was silenced when FPG threatened to sue bus companies.

Security personnel at today's meeting for which Formosa Plastics was reported to have said was the strictest in 56 years of shareholder meetings.


Also see:
Black Planet Award for FPG.

Ethecon Black Planet Award:- Dossier on FPG

Click to view the open letter to the Formosa Plastics Group.

Breaking News: Greens storm the Formosa Plastics Annual Shareholders Meeting to present the Black Planet Award

Green Groups Storm Formosa Plastics Corporation at Annual Shareholders Meeting - Taiwan's Newspapers Mum

Breaking News: Greens storm the Formosa Plastics Annual Shareholders Meeting to present the Black Planet Award

Activists sitting on the floor during today's Formosa Plastics Annual Shareholders Meeting in Taipei.


About an hour ago international activist Diane Wilson supported by a legion of a local activists stormed the Formosa Plastics Annual Shareholders Meeting in an attempt to present the Black Planet Award to the group. Details remain sketchy at this point but here's what is known.

Earlier today Green Party Taiwan and Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association sent out a press release (see below) saying that Green Shareholders would join the Formosa Plastics Annual Shareholders Meeting being held in the Sunworld Dynasty Hotel in Taipei today. Green Shareholders would be calling on the Wang Family to consider FPG’s environmental devastation while wrangling over the FPG’s founder Y.C. Wang’s Fortune. The press release outlined some of the FPG's horrendous environmental record and went on to say that international activist Diane Wilson would present FPG with the 2009 ethecon Black Planet Award.

At 1330 activists gave press conference. Then, shortly after the start of the annual shareholders meeting activists including Diane Wilson burst into the meeting. It is understood that they sat on the floor and were eventually carried out of the meeting. The protest was witnessed by many journalists and was filmed by several news crews. What remains to be seen is if Formosa Plastics will wield their powers of persuasion as they did in the Black Planet Award bus ad campaign to silence the news. We'll be watching the news channels with interest.



Press Release:

25 June 2010 for immediate release

Green Shareholders to Join Formosa Plastics Annual Shareholders Meeting: Call on the Wang Family to Consider FPG’s Environmental Devastation While Wrangling Over the Dead Man’s Fortune

Time: 25 June 2010 1330 press conference, 1400 shareholders meeting
Place: Sunworld Dynasty Hotel, 2F No 100 Tunhua S Rd Taipei (northeast corner of Tunhua and Nanjing intersection formerly Asiaworld)


As international society attaches more and more importance to corporate social responsibility the appearance of “green shareholders” has become a common phenomena. During Formosa Plastics’ 2000 Annual shareholders meeting, FPG’s founder Y.C. Wang engaged in a heated debate with these green shareholders but within one week of the meeting the infamous mercury-tainted toxic waste [that Formosa had attempted to illegally ship to Kampuchea] was taken from the Kaohsiung Harbour to FPG’s factory; while at the 2006 shareholders meeting the main topic was the failure of FPG’s steel plant project to make any headway with the environmental impact assessment.

This year the green shareholders will point out the groundwater contamination levels around FPG’s PVC factory in Kaohsiung’s astounding feat of achieving more than three hundred thousand times the legal standard, the soaring cancer rates around FPG’s Sixth Naphtha Cracker offshore facility in Yunlin County, central Taiwan, and how FPG is going to deal with competition from the Kuokuang Petrochemical Park planned for neighboring Changhua County, as well as environmental and safety concerns over its plant in Point Comfort Texas.

More than ten victims of FPG’s polluting plants at home and abroad have obtained shares or proxies in order to have standing to attend the shareholders meeting. Among these stakeholders the two who have drawn the most attention are LIN Jin-lang, an aquaculture farmer trying to make a living next to the Sixth Naphtha Cracker in Yunlin County, and fourth generation shrimper and environmental activist Diane Wilson who has witnessed the ravaging of her home and devastation of the fishing industry by the neighboring FPG plant in Point Comfort.

Media reports on 24 June stated that “Formosa Plastics is geared up in full battle array in what is the highest level in its 56 year history”. The green shareholders believe that they and proxies of green shareholders should all be able to join the meeting and have taken a vow to fight to the death to get Diane Wilson into the meeting so that the Wang family and the management can confront the social and environmental devastation they and their companies have wrought on Taiwan and around the world and to also make the shareholders aware of the dangers of investing in FPG..

Diane, surrounded by a group of local Taiwan activist “unreasonable women” will present the 2009 “Black Planet Award” that the German Foundation ”ethecon - Foundation Ethics & Economics” in Berlin Germany gave to FPG last year. The award was for the particularly dismal and irresponsible performance in the areas of environmental and social responsibility by the recipients, the family of Y.C. Wang, the Chairman of Formosa Plastics Mr. Lee Chih-tsun, and all executive management of the Formosa Plastics Group.
After 20 years, Formosa Plastics retains its position as “leader of the Earth’s social and environmental poisoners and polluters”.

We welcome all media and other interested parties!

Participants: Calhoun County Resource Watch and Injured Workers United, Yunlin County Shallow Waters Agua-culture Association, Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association Taiwan, Green Party Taiwan, Green Formosa Front, Mercy on the Earth Taiwan, Taiwan Environmental Action Network, Taiwan Academy of Ecology Taipei Branch, Changhua Environmental Protection Union

Press contacts: Green Party Taiwan PAN Hansheng 0935295815,panhan3@gmail.com

Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association Janis WANG 02-2382-5789 jwang@wildatheart.org.tw



Update: Environmental Groups Confront Formosa Plastics Corporation at Annual Shareholders Meeting

Also see:
Black Planet Award for FPG.

Ethecon Black Planet Award:- Dossier on FPG

Click to view the open letter to the Formosa Plastics Group.

Green Groups Storm Formosa Plastics Corporation at Annual Shareholders Meeting - Taiwan's Newspapers Mum

Event: Evening with Chen Yue-hsia, Chen Yu-fong & Diane Wilson on Protecting the Environment!

Tommorow Evening With Chen Yue-hsia and Chen Yu-fong on Protecting the Environment!

"Grassroots Avant Gard Warriors for the Land” Seminar and Discussion" – Free of Charge

Time: 22 June 2010 (Tuesday) 1900-2130

Place: Chiayi University Auxilary Primary School, No. 46 Linsen E Rd, Chiayi City (next to the Yushan Hotel at No 410 Gonghe Rd).

Host: WUN Lu-bin (Robin Winkler)

Panelists:
CHEN, Yue-hsia, CHEN Yu-fong 'advocates of environmental land ethics'
Diane Wilson (long time US environmental activist, representing Texas Injured Workers Alliance).
-What brings a woman shrimper across the ocean to confront Taiwan’s Petrochemical Empire?
-During this visit to Taiwan by environmental activist Diane Wilson we are especially honored to host her along with leading Taiwan environmental and land ethics advocates CHEN Yue-hsia and CHEN Yu-fong for an evening of dialog on western and eastern environmental philosophy, an evening of resonance between the mountain forests and the coastal seas in what we hope will bring new perspectives to Taiwan’s environmental movement as we continue the battle for the land!
(Interpretation provided)

Rundown:
-WUN, Lu-bin: Lead in and Introductions to tonight’s guests (10 min).
-Diane Wilson: How a Texas Fisherwoman Finds Herself in Taiwan Up Against Formosa Plastics [with interpretation] (30min).
-CHEN, Yue-hsia and CHEN, Yu-fong: Grassroots Battles - Past Present and Future (80 min).
-Discussion
The discussion may continue afterwards at the Yushan Hotel

This is a free event open to the public!

Sponsored by Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association Taiwan and the Chiayi Hongya Culture Association (No. 116 Changrong Str, Chiayi City).

For additional information or questions please call Sec Gen GUO Ying-liang (0929531800) or Yu Guo-sin (0929536133).


Map to get to the event

All Welcome!

The site can accommodate 200 people.


就在明晚陳月霞與陳玉峰老師在嘉義市現身為環境保護開講!


「草 根先鋒開講，為土地而戰」嘉義座談會 免費開放!

時間：99年6月22 (二)下午19:00~21:30

地點：嘉義大學附設小學廣賢廳

嘉市林森東路46號....近共合路410號之玉山旅社
主 持人：文魯彬
與談人： 陳月霞老師、陳玉峰老師（環境土地倫理提倡者）

Diane Wilson (美國資深環 保運動人士、德州工傷聯盟代表)

＊ 本活動將安排現場口譯

＊ 一個西方捕蝦女漁民為何跨海來到台 灣、卯上台灣石化王國？在美國環保運動

人士黛安威爾森來台之際，很榮幸請出台灣資深草根運動與環境倫理先鋒陳月霞與陳玉峰老師

，一場西方與東方的環境哲學對話、一場海岸與山林的情感共鳴

，希望為台灣當前環保運動夥伴們帶來一些新思維、繼續為土地而戰！

＊
議程:

－、文魯彬：引言與介紹今日重量級與談來賓10min
二、Diane Wilson：一個女漁夫為何跨海來台卯上台塑（現場口譯） 30min
三、陳月霞
http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/tawd2
、陳玉峰：草根運動、過去現在和未來的戰事　　80min
四、來賓對話
五、會後可以至玉山旅社續談.


免費開放!

＊ 主辦單位:台灣蠻野心足協會、嘉義市洪雅文化協會(嘉市長榮街116號)
有任何問題請洽0929531800郭盈良總幹事或0929536133余國信


演講地點在嘉大附小 交通路線 如圖


歡迎到來!

現場可容納200人!


下方附有陳月霞老師提 供的文章:

Lawmaker rejects calls to protect ‘Matsu’s fish’

Today’s Taipei Times carries an article titled Lawmaker rejects calls to protect Matsu’s fish. According to the article, “Despite calls to save humpback dolphins living off the nation’s west coast, several lawmakers from the region asked environmental protection activists yesterday not to interfere with economic development. The article goes on to say that Non-Partisan Solidarity Union Legislator Yen Ching-piao had said “Although environmental protection is crucial, it is more important to carry out a policy that helps local development.” Clearly to these legislators, economic development is held above all else.

The construction of the Kuokuang Petrochemical Park will create a barrier in the middle of the unique Taiwan pink dolphins range which is confined to the inshore waters of the central-western Taiwan coast. The Kuokuang Petrochemical Park will effectively divide the dolphins’ home range into two parts and will thus divide the population of dolphins into two separate smaller populations. With a total population of around 60-70 animals now being split into two this will inflict such a devastating blow to these unique dolphins that it would be impossible for the dolphins to recover. The unique Taiwan pink dolphins were listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) in 2008. The critically endangered category is just one step away from extinction. Both local and international cetacean experts have warned that the dolphins are doomed if the construction of the Kuokuang Petrochemical Park goes ahead.

While legislators, the EPA, Kuokuang Petrochemical Technology Co (see: Kuokuang rejects ‘eco-corridor’) and a host of others argue the merits of constructing an “eco corridor” that will possibly serve as a link between the northern and southern areas of their divided habitat we need to note that the opinion of credible cetacean experts is that a corridor won't work and that a similar corridor failed in Hong Kong.

The financial benefits of the Kuokuang Petrochemical Park can only but be seen in the short term and will benefit only a few elite. Will it be relevant in a world 50 years from now. I doubt it. The Kuokuang Petrochemical Park project will see Taiwan’s CO2 emissions increase by six to eight percent. At a time when the world is trying to decrease their carbon emissions Taiwan is forging ahead with a project that will increase its CO2 emissions by a whopping 6 percent at the minimum. While they about it they will doom the Taiwan pink dolphins and pump horrendous quantities of toxins into the surrounding water, air and soils. Ultimately who is going to pay for this mess? It will be the citizens of Taiwan, both human and non human.

Taiwan doesn't need the Kuokuang Petrochemical Park. Taiwan needs responsible government, and sustainable economy and environment. Taiwan needs pink dolphins, clean air, clean water and a future for all its citizens.

Update: FPG Bus ad campaign

On May 24th we carried a post about the Formosa Plastics Group (FPG) being awarded the Black Planet Award by the the German-based Foundation Ethics and Economics (Ethcon) and how a bus ad campaign run by local activists to make people aware of this had allegedly been tampered with and then pulled due to pressure from FPG. What follows is an update we received from the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association on the fate of the bus ad campaign. It would appear to be yet another tragic example of the alarming erosion of the rights of free speech and expression that has characterised Taiwan under the Ma administration.



Taiwan versus Formosa Plastics Ad Campaign 18 May to 17 June 2010

The ad:
9.8 m x 1.39 m



1. White Hanji Chinese character on red background: “SHAME”

Orange horizontal Hanji next to SHAME character: Formosa Plastics Group wins ethecon “Black Planet Award”

Orange slanted vertical Hanji to the right of the three children: “Return our clean soil, air and water”

Three white lines of horizontal Hanji running next to the right of the slanted vertical orange Hanji:
-Pollutants in Groundwater of Formosa Plastics Group Renwu Plant Exceed Legal Standards by 300,000 times;
- FPG Responsible for 1/4 of Taiwan’s Carbon dioxide emissions, a million people taking the bus won’t save us;
- As the World’s Largest PVC Producer You Are Affecting the Endocrine and Reproductive Systems of Children All Over the Globe
Last line is in brackets [Global Action Alliance for the Truth about Formosa Plastics Group], followed by a link to a blog http://www.fpgtruth.org/

2. Some of the ads went up a day early. The Hanji character for “shame” was removed by someone on the first day;




all the ads came down on the 18Th after Formosa Plastics threatened to sue the bus company and the advertising agent through whom we booked the design and placement of the ads.

3. Taiwan’s Publications Act was abolished more than a decade ago. There are however some holdover regulations (i.e., administrative provisions without any legal/statutory basis) that the city government sometimes uses to pull ads. In practice the vast majority of ads go up without any review, but technically (albeit without legal basis and likely unconstitutional) the ads should be reviewed. Thus the city government was able to escape blame, the bus company simply refused to run the ads and the advertising agent was unable to find any other bus company to apply for approval with the city.

4. We are currently attempting to run the ads in the southern Taiwan city of Kaohsiung.


Also see:
Green Groups Storm Formosa Plastics Corporation at Annual Shareholders Meeting - Taiwan's Newspapers Mum

Greens storm the Formosa Plastics Annual Shareholders Meeting to present the Black Planet Award

Update: Environmental Groups Confront Formosa Plastics Corporation at Annual Shareholders Meeting

Black Planet Award for FPG.

Ethecon Black Planet Award:- Dossier on FPG

Click to view the open letter to the Formosa Plastics Group.

Formosa Plastics on fire again

Yet another FPG related fire

Urban Nomad Film Fest: Free! Outdoors! Taichung!

BRING THE PICNIC BASKET:
MOVIES ON THE GRASS IN TAICHUNG THIS SATURDAY

Saturday (6/12) 6:30pm at the Taiwan National Museum of Fine Art


FEATURE FILM: Sharkwater(14 Film Festival Awards)
SHORT FILM: Taiwan's Critically Endanged Pink Dolphins
OUTDOOR CONCERT: The Farmer's Youth Militia (activist-folk)


EVENT DESCRIPTION: We're starting off with folk music at 6:30pm. The Farmer's Youth Militia (well, that's one possible translation of 農村武裝青年) is a central Taiwan folk ensemble of guitar, cello and other players that uses their music to bring attention to a variety of issues in Taiwan, including the plight of the Taiwan pink dolphins, a critically endangered unique population of pink dolphins with fewer than 100 animals remaining off Taiwan's West coast. These dolphins are also the subject of the first short film, "Taiwan's Critically Endangered Pink Dolphins" (they really are pink!), and conservationist and legislative aide Chen Bin-heng will also give a short talk on current activist projects. Urban Nomad director David Frazier will also be there to introduce the feature, Sharkwater, a film by Canadian free-diver Rob Stewart that's won multiple awards in Europe & North America and will not only entertain you, it will give you the low down on how the Taiwanese mafia is running the international illegal trade in sharks fins.


Time: 6/12 18:30 ~ 21:30
Place: National Taiwan Museum of Fine Art, #2 Wuquan St, Taichung

Event info
Urban Nomad


*In the event of rain, screenings and performances will take place in the museum's Lecture Hall. Hope to see you there!

Ma’s Gang Ramps Up Taiwan’s Emissions, Turns a Blind Eye to Biodiversity and Health Concerns be Damned: “There Ain’t No Stoppin Us!”

A press release sent to us this morning by the Matsu's Fish Conservation Union (MFCU).


MFCU Press Release:
For Immediate Release

Ma’s Gang Ramps Up Taiwan’s Emissions, Turns a Blind Eye to Biodiversity and Health Concerns be Damned: “There Ain’t No Stoppin Us!”

Press conference sponsored by the Matsu’s Fish Conservation Union (MFCU) in front of the Taiwan Environmental Protection [sic] Administration

9 June 2010 1:30 pm
83, Zhonghua Rd. Sec. 1, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City
台北市中正區中華路1段83號


A mega petrochemical project of the Kuokuang Petrochemical Technology Co. (KPTC) which in the words of its major shareholder, China Petroleum is being built “to facilitate the vertical upstream, midstream, and downstream integration of oil refining and petrochemical production。。。 as part of a Petrochemical Technology Zone Joint Investment Plan。。。 including the construction of an oil refinery, olefin center, aromatic hydrocarbons center, mid- and downstream petrochemical derivatives plants, co-generation facilities, and industrial harbor.

Originally slated for Yunlin County, next to the infamous Formosa Plastics Offshore Island facility, a more welcoming Chinese KMT local government in Changhua County will host this project that will see Taiwan’s CO2 emissions increase by six to eight percent and at the same time spell the death sentence for a population of critically endangered pink dolphins (Indo Pacific humpback dolphins Sousa chinensis). When MA and Co. get their gang in gear, whether it is climate change or biodiversity, they have got what it takes to be a model for environmental idiocy. The target site for the project also happens to be Taiwan’s cancer corridor, which will be sure to earn MA et al. more high marks for “giving a damn” about the people of Taiwan.

The occasion for this press conference is the unprecedented speed with which Taiwan’s “Mr. EB” (environmental bonehead) and EPA boss, Stephen Shen, can suck up to short term business interests and get those pesky environmental impact assessments out of the way.

In early May, shareholders of Kuokuang complained about delays in the approval for their project to Vincent Siew, No 2 environmental gangster who also happens to be the Vice President of Taiwan. Smiling Vincent, as he is fondly known in the business community got to work, EB and Premier Wu Den-yi slapped some folks around in the Executive, and it looks like all those irritating obstacles will magically disappear. Hey, this is starting to feel like the good old days of martial law – laws? process? who needs em?

Those shareholders, which include China Petroleum, Far Eastern Group, Dairen Chemical and others of the Chang Chun Group, China Man-Made Fibre Corporation,Tung Chemical Corporation, and Fubon Financial can’t really be blamed for taking advantage of what appears to be a fire sale by the Taiwan government of water, land, government services and everything they can get away. No, those companies are just doing their jobs and will no doubt be expected to boost the Chinese KMT candidates chances at the upcoming polls, because after all, those corporations and local gangsters that will benefit from all the pork flowing from the project really know how to get out the vote.

In fine form, the EPA has scheduled three “specialist meetings” in two days (dolphin impact, water resources, health risk assessment) and will conclude the circus with a fourth meeting that is scheduled for the entire day on Friday 11 June. This meeting, the subcommittee charged with screening the case before submission to the plenary EIA committee is chaired by Mr. “Good Intentions” and environmental policy advisor for the Ma-Siew Presidential campaign Professor CHIANG Pen-ji. The committee will be under great pressure to accept the proposal (with conditions of course!) so that a plenary EIA meeting can be held and the government can clear the project by the end of June as promised by VP/EB smiling Vincent.

Please come and join members of Taiwan’s “sustainable economics” community stage a demonstration in front of the EPA on 9 June 2010 as the “experts” prepare to listen to a representative from the Industrial Development Bureau tell us how they are making Taiwan safe for the future. There will be something worth photographing during the demonstration.

For more details contact: John Tsai 0919-589513

Ethecon Black Planet Award:- Dossier on FPG

The smokey FPG plant at Mailiao, Yunlin County on the Taiwan west coast


Click to view the 2009 ethecon Black Planet Award Dossier on the Formosa Plastics Group.


Also see:
Black Planet Award for FPG

An Open Letter from Taiwan Civil Society to the Formosa Plastics Group

Update: FPG Bus ad campaign

Greens storm the Formosa Plastics Annual Shareholders Meeting to present the Black Planet Award

Update: Environmental Groups Confront Formosa Plastics Corporation at Annual Shareholders Meeting

Green Groups Storm Formosa Plastics Corporation at Annual Shareholders Meeting - Taiwan's Newspapers Mum

Formosa Plastics on fire again