Taiwan Aboriginal Village Targeted for Nuclear Waste Disposal

Because failing to sell its nuclear waste to North Korea and China. (What the hell do these two countries want this staff? making nuclear weapons?) Now, the goverment of Taiwan is seeking a burial place at home. The top choice is a poor aboriginal community, Nantian village in Taitan county, the Southeastern of Taiwan.



When it comes to nuclear waste, most people say, "not in my back yard." However, most residents of Nantian village favor building a low-level nuclear waste dump which is five kilometers away.



Taiwan has many barrels of low-level waste that mostly consist of contaminated clothing, boots and mops used by the workers at the island's three nuclear power plants. Engineers at Taipower, the eletricity monopoly, say time for the harmful radiation to decay will take around 100 years. (That's terrible.)



One of the company's chief engineer says, "Based on the design of the storage containers, once the nuclear waste is contained, it's harmless." (Most people know she is lying... I am sure she won't be willing to live next to the containers.)



Three fourths of the Nantian's residents are Paiwan aboriginals, who harmed the land and fished the water in Taiwan long before Han Chinese immigrants. Aboriginals have been lack of educational opportunities, and suffering greater unempolyment than Han chinese for many years. (Why hasn't Taiwan's goverment been able to solve this problems for years?) Critics say the disposal plans are just the newest form of discrimination against them.



Nevertheless, the villagers have a various idea; about 60 percent of them support the dump because of jobs and money brought from it. The Chief of Nantian village says representatives from the power company visit often and make presentations to promote the facility.



As a matter of fact, Taipower told the residents the waste dump will emit less radiation than the background radiation from nature. (In here, I am not sure what the background radiation from nature means.)



Taitung County is well-known for its organic vegetables and hot springs. Nonetheless, residents earn only $650 a month on average, half the Taiwan norm.



If chosen for the nuclear waste dump, Taitung County will receive $155 million called "Friendly Neighbor" payment. It's not clear how much money the villagers would receive.