Resisting Closure of Lo Sheng:Brief Introduction about Our Struggle
樂生保留自救會／IDEA Taiwan
Feb. 2008
Lee, Tien-Pei (President, IDEA Taiwan)
Historical backgrounds: Sacrifice for “public health”
Lo-Sheng sanatorium (樂生院) was established in 1930 under Japanese colonial rule in the name of Taiwan govern-general of Japan Empire. It reflected the extremely isolation policy of Japanese government in the era.
After WWII, when KMT (China Nationalist Party, 國民黨) requisite Taiwan island, Lo-Sheng Sanatorium was also succeeded by new government. Because of these historical backgrounds, we can see many vestiges of oppression to the people affected with Hansen’s people under different rulers for long days.
In Taiwan, we Hansen’s disease patients/ ex-patients had been deprived our freedom, dignity, health rights, families, homeland, chance for occupation or education, and everything. For instance, I was arrested by police and forced to live in Lo-Sheng in 1949, when I have just entered high school; I grew up and went through 59 years inside the sanatorium. We also had been suffered by violations of human rights, including forcible labor, prohibition of marriage in early days, forcible sterilization, forcible abortion, forced to enroll clinical trials, serious medical malpractice and etc. Whether Japanese imperialism or KMT’s monarchy, the government had promoted the isolation policy for public health in the society and increased discriminations and stigmas, while it had been violating human rights of Hansen’s disease patients/ ex-patients in the Lo-Sheng sanatorium.
The Hansen’s disease prevalence decreased in 1980s, and isolation policy had been flexibly conducted. Hence, it was regardless of Hansen’s quarantine and anti-leprosy issues gradually in Taiwan society.
In that reason and historical context, large percent of the sanatorium residents have not been able to return into society and hard to go back to homeland. Residents and our next generations have lived in the sanatorium and became members of the community. Even now, we are living in Lo-Sheng and there are still about 300 residents.\
Crisis of closure: Sacrifice for “economic development”
In 1990s, government planned on the Taipei subway system (Taipei Mass Rapid Transit System, MRT, 台北捷運系統) and its depot was appointed to cover Lo-Sheng area. It was neglect of civil rights of people diseased by leprosy, and residents of Lo-Sheng were unwitting of their right of abode and health care. Infringement of the policy, “construction then demolition”, it was executed against previous promise since 2001; families were forced to leave sanatorium area by destroyed houses and command of compulsory movement. Therefore, banishment and separation of families put on the stage again.
Social justice has sacrificed by allowable economic development in sequences of extended social exclusion of marginalized people. Thereupon, Lo-Sheng residents had realized that government planned to close the sanatorium and our residency rights and dignity was seriously threatened. Residents have aware of resistance to the closure of the sanatorium and inequity of social justice foot by foot.
At that time, some of ecology activists tried to save old trees in the sanatorium, and some of historians were interested in the buildings of Lo-Sheng. Larger resistant actions started by a small students’ group in 2004, Japanese lawyers came to Lo-Sheng for the court of compensation against Japanese government on the same time. These advocacy actions empowered people affected by Hansen's disease in Taiwan, also promoted stigma elimination campaigns for public awareness.
In 2005, government built “new building” for us to live in, but we found that it is just like a generic hospital, with disregard to every day life of elderly Hansen’s disease ex-patients. Thus we protested against forcible moving, increased support from social organizations. Despite our struggle, even including formal press release of United Nations, the authorities forced elderly and handicapped residents to move into “new building”. As a result a third of the residents lived into the hospital, a third part was evicted from the sanatorium, another third decided to save our “second homeland” and still stay there.
Awareness and struggle for dignity: Save our second homeland
After the judgment on 25th October in Tokyo, which has certified the human rights violations under colonial period, we have truly awaked. We began to recognize that we were sacrificed in the name of “public health” in the past, and will be sacrificed again in the name of “public traffic construction (economic development)”.
We decided to act for promote legislation of the new law. When the bill was submitted in Diet (立法院), we made many proposals referring to the experience of movement and law in Japan. The advocacy of Lo-Sheng sanatorium has been emphasizing on home and history preserving to regain our lost dignity and recognize the true value of human rights of the people affected by Hansen’s disease.
However, it is consistent mood in Hansen’s disease of Taiwan government basic policy that marginalization and discrimination in disease, individual, and social level. Despite of our efforts, government would never change the plan of closing our Lo-Sheng community. In March 2007, Taipei County government (台北縣政府), under authorization by the department of subway construction (台北市政府捷運工程局), forced trough the administrative procedure of eviction notice, disposed hundreds of riot police over residents and supporters strong protest. We immediately petitioned the central government for stopping the construction and reconsider about the alternative plans under the support of many NGOs and students activists. This issue was not only highly publicized by domestic mass medium, but also informed globally through international supporters including IDEA.
After three weeks bruising struggle with the authorities, it finally decided to negotiate with concerned authorities, and began to evaluate the alternative plan. However central government made the decision on May 30th that it will be demolished some of houses and residents’ livelihood. Furthermore, it will not be allowed to stay in most area of the community under construction of depot, until 2012. Residents will be forced to evict. Besides some private sector engineers found more serious crisis that there exists the geological problems and high underground water pressure; it means that if some part of the site is excavated, it will cause consequent damage in the geological condition. The ground of our community could be collapsed. Thus, we have not heard any measures to avoid the crisis till now. Last September, the department of subway construction brought hundreds of riot police again, made a blockade and began to dig near by the main gate of Lo-Sheng.
Call for experience sharing and solidarity:
The ultimate solution of social difficulties for people affected with Hansen’s disease is to eliminate the isolation of physical, mental, and social surrounding. Experiences exchange with advocacy and empowerment of people affected with Hansen’s disease within developing society according to Taiwan experiences in Lo-Sheng. Opinions need to be collected to straighten out the difficulties in social recognition and politic will.
Unisonous appeal to Taiwan government to square up to the human rights of people who were affected by Hansen’s disease:
1. Formal apology and compensation to every victim of foregone false isolation policy.
2. Immediate legislation of “Hansen’s disease human rights protection law” and revising the regarding laws.
3. Entire conservation of the sanatorium that will be intended to guarantee proper treatment for the ex-patients, to memorialize the victims and to promote social education of human rights.
4. Campaign against stigma and social discrimination of the people affected with Hansen’s disease and their families.
2008年1月21日 星期一
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International Workshop & Symposium for Hansen’s Disease/Leprosy Issue, March 2009, Taiwan:
International Workshop & Symposium for
Hansen’s Disease/Leprosy Issue, March 2009,
Ensuring the Rights of the Older Generation Affected by Hansen's Disease/Leprosy. Memorizing Human Rights, History,
Strategy for Registration of World Heritages.
I . THEMED
The Right to Home, The Right to Family, The Right to be Part of History(Strategy for Registration of World Heritages).The Role of Sdates,Medical and Social Work
II. SUMMARIZING
An international conference is being convened by the residents of Lo Sheng in
y Hansen's Disease/Leprosy throughout the World". Participants from at least 10 countries are being invited to come to
Finally, the workshop will look at the importance of preserving historic sites related to the history of leprosy and how places like Lo Sheng can be promoted as important national historic monuments or world heritage sites to ensure that this most important history is preserved in
III. BACKGTOUND
Since the earlier years of last century, Hansen’s disease patients had been segregated due to Colonialism and Imperialism, such as in the
These segregation policies made the public in the world panic and discriminate against leprosy patience’s and their families and affected hundreds of thousands people for over a century, many people lived in stigma without human rights and dignity. This is a dark page in human history.
We discovered that some kinds of those segregation sites even more early than Nazi's concentration camp which UNESCO have designated to be the World Heritage for educating the next generations.
A fames historian, Michel. Foucault had talking about the background and symbolisms of such segregation policies for leprosy in” Madness & Civilization”. It was indicating that the global leprosy segregated sites are very important for the development of human civilization to thinking one more and more again.” What his words also indicating the history and the memory sites are very worth to be appointed to be the World Heritages.
In the 17th world leprosy congress
From 2004 the residents who lived in Lo-Sheng Sanatorium more over one-half scenery in
We believed Lo-Sheng like other HD segregation sites all over the World are all worth to be appointed as World Heritages left to posterity, but unfortunately, at the end of 2008, December 3, there were almost 500 polices began to force to evict the left residents . The two sides deadlocked for 1 hour to exhaust all efforts, at the end, the left residents , about 40 elder persons, had been related to another area at the top edge of the hill slope angle, MAT company made Residents and the left 34 monuments buildings was surrounded by layers of barbed wire. This case is a serious persecution for the leprosy ex-patients, all leprosy elders’ human rights and the right of residence.
Before April,2009 It will be in urgent once again, the authorities of central and local governments remain will build MRT on our sanatorium and continue to destroyed 9 buildings, Lo-Sheng maybe will disappear at that time.
Moreover, there are also have more and more eviction cases happened in other countries with HD ex-patients all over the world, such as
We think just through” International Workshop & Symposium “we can appeal to more of the international social supports and let UNESCO, WHO, ICOMOS to note those crisis recently.
IV. OBJECTIVES
1、 Invite HD ex-patients who continued engaged the topics, such as
2、 Invite international organization who concerned the topics, such asWHO, UNESCO, ICOMOS, NIPPON FOUNDATION, ILA, IDEA, ILEP, CHORE.etc to be the participators and to be the organizers of this program.
3、 Collaborative partnerships in favors of World Heritage conservation, talking about what will we do to follow-up after the workshop & Symposiums to connect a Global Network in future.
III. Conference Agenda (The draft)
Time：6-11, Marcn,2009, Taiwan
Tursday, 5th, March, 2009 site：Lo-Sheng Sanatorium
1300-1500 Hrs Pre Congress Workshop for The Participators
Friday, 6th, March , 2009
900-1030Hur Congress Inauguration Hall-1
Moderator:
Lee, Ten-Pei, President of IDEA.Taiwan
Chiu, Y.L. Fred, Co-host, IHRMT
Suggested Presenters:
a) Preventatives from government,
b) Yukio Nishimura, ICOMOS former Vice-President.
c) Lim Doo-sung, Members of Parliament, Soth
d) Neil Abercrombie,
e) Shyu Jong-shyoung, Lin Shu-fen and Tien Chiu-chin, Legislator.Taiwan..
f) Lei Qian, the former Legislators.
g) Chou,fu-tzu,lyrics Poet singer, resident in losheng,
h) Other inviting…
1030-1230 Hur The Right to Home Hall-1
Discussion of the right of the older generation of people affected by leprosy to remain in the places that have become their homes. The right not to be uprooted yet again from home.
Suggested Presentaers:
a) Lee, Ten-Pei, director of IDEA.Taiwan– Resisting Closure of Losheng Sanatorium in
b) Michihiro Koh – General Secretary, Zen Ryo Kyo, Japan – speaking about what they are doing in Japan to ensure they can remain in the places that have become their homes
c) S.K. Jung –
d) Malavika Vartak – COHRE- The right to housing in United Nations Convention.
e) Dr.
f) Mahmud Mahmudov –
1400-1700 Hrs The Right to Family Hall-1
The Restoration of Family Ties: Discussion of how it is important to try and encourage the restoration of family ties with the elderly residents of leprosy communities around the world. How the preservation of history can also result in the restoration of family ties, which is an important component of getting rid of stigma.
Moderator:
Suggested Presenters:
a) Miyoji Morimoto, IDEA
b)
c) Lu Johnson,resident in losheng,
d) Shulinlin& Lee minin –Families in Lo-Sheng past, now and future.
e) Anwei Law – The restoration of family ties in different parts of the world as an important means of getting rid of stigma and ensuring the right to family.
f) Sigurd Sandmo, Norway – Curator, The Leprosy Museum, Bergen, Norway – how they are preserving the history of leprosy in Norway and how this is also helping with the restoration of family ties.
1030-1700 Hrs The Role from Medical, Social works Hall-2
open secessions/ Call for Papers
Moderator:
Suggested Presenters:
States
a) Takuda, representative of Japan Lawyer’s Group for Leprosy.—States have a legal obligation to protect the ex-patients affected from Hansen’s disease.
b) Doo-Sung
c) Xuzhong Xiong, Qiu Jin Tian,Taiwan,–About the significance and practice in
d) X,
e) Others inviting or Call for Papers
Medical
Religions engaged in care of leprosy ex-patients in the near future direction of reform
f) Dr. Michel chan,IDEA
g) Inviting….
Social works
Youth union for HD Human Rights in
h) Inviting….
Saturday ,7th, March , 2009
0900-1600 Hrs The Right to be a Part of One’s Own History Hall-1
Discussing the possibilities with regard to preserving different leprosy communities/facilities around the world as part of the history of leprosy and the history of social justice in general. Discussion of how a movement can be created to ensure that some leprosy sites become World Heritage Sites.
Moderator:
Anwei Law
Alice Ru-hua Chiu,Co-host, IHRMT
Suggested Presenters:
a) Yukio Nishimura, ICOMOS former Vice-President–How a movement can be created to ensure that some leprosy sites become World Heritage.Sites.
b) Cristiano Torres, MORHAN,
c) Henry Law,
d) Dr. Arturo Cunanan, Philippines– Efforts regarding the preservation of the history of Culion
e) Yu, Chao-ching&Liu, John K. C–Efforts regarding the preservation of the history of last communities, Lo-Sheng Sanatorium,
f) Representative from
g) Professor
h) Representative from
i) Rlene Santos Steffy, Guam – Efforts regarding the preservation of the history of leprosy in Guam, Tinian and
j) Deirdre Prins-Solani or other representative from
k) Pam Parlapiano – Preserving the history of the people through dignified photographs
Sunday,8th, March , 2009 site：Lo-Sheng Sanatorium
0900-12000 Hrs summation and recommendations
The Role of Leprosy-focused Organizations in Ensuring that the History of Leprosy is Preserved for the Education of Present and Future Generations.
Moderator:
Anwei Law
Lai, Tse Chun
Suggested Presenters:
a) Dr. Marcus
b) Douglas Soutar, U.K. – General Secretary, ILEP – how can ILEP be involved in ensuring that the history of leprosy and those affected by the disease can be preserved.
c) Kay Yamaguchi, Sasakawa Memorial Health
d) David Hall, Executive Director, The Leprosy Mission
e) S.K. Jung and Anwei Law, IDEA.
f) Othes Inviting…
1500-2000 Hrs A Memorial Concer
Monday 9th~10th, March , 2009
Visit Historical Sites (13-14, March, 2009)
Wensday11th , March , 2009
Have a press Conference for Hansen’s Human Rights Day In the Legislative Yuan.
Ending
Sunday1th-11 th, March , 2009
Exhibition
Wish you can bring your Photographs and Records about HD Human Rights movements happened in your country for us to exhibit in Lo-Sheng HD Human Rights Museum…
IV. ORGANIZERS
IDEA Taiwan & IDEA International
V. CONTACT PERSONS:
IDEA
International coordinator：
Lai, Tse-Chun(賴澤君)<sawalai@gmail.com>
Soda Masato(宗田昌人)<changrenf.masato@gmail.com>
Tel：+886_968464099
Tel/Fax +886_86775887
Address：
Lo-Sheng Sanatorium
796 Jhong jheng Road
Solidarité Internationale pour la Défense de Lo-sheng- 楽生院を救え！国際連帯 - 搶救樂生國際鬥陣
http://blog.roodo.com/hansentaiwan
TYULR(
http://www.wretch.cc/blog/happylosheng
VI. Call For Papers
Call for Papers include all topics
Sent to us<idea.taiwan@gmail.com>
VII. CO-HOST ORGANIZERS
Invite you to attend to be the Co-host organizer of this program
□Yes. □ No.
Organization：
Representative：
E-mail：
Tel/Fax
Contact：
Address：
Introduction：
VIII. PARTICIPANTS
We will invite HD ex-patients who continued engaged the topics, such as Brazil, India, the Philippines, Malaysia ,South Korea, Japan, Hawaii US,UK, Norway, Portugal, Nigeria, Sudan.etc we know. We also will invite international organization who concerned the topics, such as WHO, NIPPON Foundation, ILA, IDEA, CHORE.etc to be the participators and to be the organizers of this program.
The participants will also include site managers and experts from each State, as well as international experts in heritage management and new technology application.
You will attend:
□Yes. □No.
Organization：
Representative：
E-mail：
Tel/Fax
Contact：
Address：
Introduction:
IX. Fund-raising
About the fund-raising , we plan to if possible the air tickets and hotel findings will cost by the participants yourselves, except air tickets you also need about $50 U.S. dollar one day for hotel in
If couldn't, we will make fund-raising at least about US.$ 30000 from Taiwan or other sponsors to support the lectures , maybe 10 persons in workshop at that time.
□By myself □Need grants
Contact：idea.taiwan< idea.taiwan@gmail.com>
X. Reference
http://www.idealeprosydignity.org/
http://www.leprosyhistory.org/
http://www.leprosy-ila.org/aboutus.php
http://www2.pref.shimane.jp/ginzan/e/news/n160206.html
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