People have the freedom not to be persecuted by dams.
People against dams, stand up!
Oppose dams for our dignity and survival.
Oppose dams for people's freedom.
Oppose dams for earth's justice.
Stand up for nature's peace.
Let the rivers run!

-- Meinung Anti-dam Declaration, March 14, 2000

Four days before Taiwan elected its new President in March 2000, a group of environmental and social activists gathered in Meinung -- a rural town in Southern Taiwan. They were there not to discuss the election, but to take part in a world-wide action against dams - the "International Day of Action Against Dams and for Rivers, Water & Life". In 1997, environmental activists from more than 20 countries in Asia, Europe, and North and South Americas gathered in Curitiba, Brazil. They declared March 14 of every year as the International Day of Action Against Dams. Since then, environmental and anti-dam groups around the world have been observing this day in their own unique ways.

Prayer at the Bak-gung Shrine

This year, organized by Meinung People's Association, local residents and activists from various parts in Taiwan joined together in a prayer in front of a local Bak-gung (earth god) Shrine along the Meinung River. Holding incense sticks, they prayed for the well being of the future generations and the defeat of government's proposal to build a 147-meter tall and 220-meter wide dam, only 5 kilometers upstream from the center of the Meinung township and 1.5-km from the nearest village.

Since 1992, the local community has been fighting the proposed dam. The dam would flood an area known as the Yellow Butterfly Valley and posed a threat to community where 95% of its residents are of Hakka descent. The project has been questioned for its location in a geologically unstable area. With storage capacity at 328 million cubic meters, the dam would flood 6.4 square kilometers of extensive forest area that provide diverse terrestrial ecosystem for rare and endangered species including Maroon Oriole (Oriolus traillii), Hawk Eagle (Spiaetus nipalensis) and India Pitta (Pitta brachyura). Studies have identified 85 families, 253 species of plants, 110 species of butterflies, 6 species of amphibians, 11 species of reptiles, 7 species of mammals, and more than 80 species of birds in the valley.

Following the prayer, representatives of environmental groups from different parts of Taiwan together with Meinung activists formed a circle around the old banyan tree behind the Bak-gung Shrine. They have brought with them water from their own regions. In a ritual designed to symbolize solidarity and stewardship, each person gently poured the water on the roots of the old banyan tree.

Regional Environmental Alliance

The gathering of the numerous activists from different regions and different ethnic communities was an indication of the Meinung Anti-dam Movement's remarkable achievement over the last 8 years. It succeeded in mobilizing a regional alliance to resist not only the Meinung Dam but also other similar projects in the region. In 1993, in anticipation of the government's plan to build another large dam - Machia Dam - in the neighboring county that would flood aboriginal villages, the Meinung activists assisted the indigenous Rukai people in those communities to resist the dam. The project has since been stalled. In 1995, the Meinung activists went to the coastal villages in Chiku to help local people organize against a steel and petrochemical complex - Binnan Industrial Complex -- that would destroy the local fishery and aquaculture production as well as requiring massive inter-basin transfer of water.

The building of large dams in Southern Taiwan reflects the contradiction between the region's limited water supply and the growing heavy industries. Despite the government's concern of water shortage, proposals for large petrochemical development known for its high water demand continue to win support of the government largely because of the perceived economic benefit. It was estimated that 80% of the water from Meinung Reservoir would supply the region's heavy industries including the proposed Binnan Industrial Complex.

Active Fault Confirmed!

Following the ceremony at the Bak-gung Shrine, a Meinung-born professor of Earth Science from Kaohsiung Normal University was asked to present the finding of the latest geological survey at the site of Meinung Dam. Pointing to a map showing fault lines near the Meinung Dam site, Professor Sung confirmed a wide speculation among the local residents that an active fault lies directly underneath the proposed dam. "The worry is real." "Meinung people have the right reason to oppose building of the dam", said Prof. Sung. He continued, "The government can't use the fact that the project was proposed in 1990 to escape the requirement for doing a proper environmental impact assessment under the 1994 law."

After the presentation, the crowd watched a large red balloon being released into the sky. The balloon slowly rose to 147 meters from the ground, the height of the dam if it is built. "Can you imagine a 50-story tall building in this rural area? Having the dam will be like having ten 50-story tall buildings in a row", said Chung Tieh-min, a retired teacher and a senior leader of the anti-dam movement.

Under the red balloon, the event continued with reading of the Meinung Anti-dam Declaration by one of the movement leaders, Chung Shiu-mei. As she read the declaration in front of Meinung's most famous landmark - the East Gate Tower, scrolls of banners with text of the declaration rolled down from the historic gate. Chung has been a leader of the anti-dam movement since its beginning. In addition to serving as the Secretary General of the Meinung People's Association in its early years, she has also played a critical role in organizing the regional alliance and helping other organizations in the region. Chen Jia-wang, a senior leader of the Anti-Binnan movement said during the event, "I am thankful that Shu-mei has contacted and helped us many years ago with our movement." "This is why I am here today."

Fighting Dams with Creativity

Following the reading of the declaration, a wooden board attached with colorful balloons filled with water was rolled out in front of the event's participants. They were invited to a game of balloon shooting. "We are here today to prick the myth of dam building!" one activist exclaimed. The balloons symbolized the government's arguments for building the dam.

Over the years of struggle, the Meinung activists have effectively educated the local residents about the negative impacts of dams. In addition, scholars and experts sympathetic to the movement have undertaken efforts to develop alternatives to the proposed Meinung Dam. Alternatives including groundwater storage basin, recharge and retention ponds, and cleaning up of the Kaoping River -- the main source of water supply for the Kaohsiung area -- have received endorsement by local county and city governments. A small-scale system is now being implemented in Pingtung County.

The red balloon, watering ceremony and the shooting game demonstrated the creativity that has been an important part of the Meinung Anti-dam Movement. Throughout the past 8 years, the Meinung activists have over and over again reinvented and expanded the form of social and environmental movement in Taiwan. In 1995, Meinung activists organized the first annual Yellow Butterfly Day Festival. Modeled after traditional ceremony, the annual event successfully integrated environmental and cultural values. Each year, it attracted hundreds of people.

To widen its appeal and inject deeper social and cultural meanings into the movement, activists including Chung Yung-feng and Lin Seng-shiang began to write folk songs about the experiences of the movement and the aspirations of Meinung people. In 1999, before the review of the Meinung Dam budget at the National Legislature, a collection of the songs recorded in a converted farm building was released in a CD, called "So Let Us Sing the Mountain Songs." The music expressed the social and cultural dimensions of the movement and energized the protesting crowds outside the legislature. After numerous rounds of votes, a compromised budgetary package was passed with portions directly related to Meinung Dam eliminated, a hard-won achievement in the face of ruling Kuomintang Party's dominant majority at the legislature.

A Referendum on the Dam

In the midst of the heated presidential election, the event did not escape some comments on politics. "With exception of Lien-Hsiao, the Kuomintang candidates, all other candidates are in support of us", said Chung Tieh-min. He continued, "the fact that a local environmental issue can draw attention in presidential election means our movement is legitimate."

During this election campaign, all major candidates have visited Meinung to lure support of the Hakka voters. President-elect Chen Shui-bian was the first to throw support for the anti-dam movement when he visited Meinung after his defeat in the Taipei mayoral election in 1998. Independent candidate James Soong also later proclaimed his opposition to the Meinung Dam, although some local activists questioned his record as the Provincial Governor in promoting large-scale infrastructure projects. Even Lien's camp has downplayed his support for the dam. Because of the candidates' different stance, this year's presidential election was widely seen as the town's referendum on the dam. The election result in Meinung with wide support for Chen demonstrates Meinung residents' strong resistance to the proposed Meinung Dam.

Sending off the Bamboo-leave Boats

The event approached its conclusion by turning the attention back to the river with another ceremonial ritual -- sending off boats made with small bamboo leaves in the Meinung River. The participants were instructed on how to make the boats with bamboo leaves, as Charles Sung, another Meinung activist and schoolteacher, explained the meaning behind this act. Shortly afterwards, one by one, each participant walked toward the edge of the river and gently placed his or her boat in the river. Under a large yellow banner that read "Let the River Run", the crowd watched as the river currents carried the small bamboo-leave boats into the distance. In the words of Sung, "let us put our experiences and wishes on these bamboo-leave boats, and hope that they can overcome all obstacles and eventually flow all the way into the ocean and reach their destinations."

After the final ceremony, the activists and local residents joined together for a rare opportunity to discuss concerns and reflect on the current work. Chang Cheng-Yang, the Secretary General of Meinung People's Association first expressed gratitude for the participation of outside activists. The outside activists representing the various organizations in the region then each spoke on further collaboration among the different groups. One special guest at the event that day is a Rukai villager from Mao-lin, the site of a newly proposed dam, considered as the alternative to Meinung Dam. In addition, activists from the Anti-Naphtha Cracker No. 8 Self-help Association in Chia-yi were also present. The proposed Naphtha Cracker Complex No. 8 was originally proposed for Pingtung County. But because of the opposition of the county government, the developers were forced to seek an alternative site in coastal Chia-yi County. The growing family of activists present that day shows that environmental movement in Taiwan can move beyond NIMBY-ism. In the words of Chung Shu-mei, "the anti-dam movement in Southern Taiwan has transcend gender, territorial and ethnic boundaries." Like a flowing river that carries the bamboo-leave boats, the anti-dam movement in Southern Taiwan carries not only the hope of an individual town but also the aspiration of people across regions.

Contact Information:
Meinung People's Association
Chang Cheng-Yang, Secretary General
#12 Fu-An Street, Meinung, Kaohsiung, 843, Taiwan
Tel: 886-7-6810469, 6810371; Fax: 886-7-6810201
E-mail: mpa@listserv.nsysu.edu.tw

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