On January 18 I set off with five of my colleagues, respective one Taiwanese co-volunteer, to take part in a sit-in in Pingtung. The sit-in was hold to demonstrate against the building of a High Way that connects the Pingtung area in the West with the Taichung area in the East, which should accelerate traveling between these counties because people wouldn’t have to travel around the south cape anymore. This road however would destroy an old mountain path, called 阿塱壹. The territory around this ancient road includes parts of mountainous and marine landscapes and is home to many different and partly endangered species of flora and fauna, like the seat turtle and the humpback dolphin. To prevent the assent of the government to this project, various representatives of groups, organizations and institutions that engage themselves in environmental protection assembled in front of the city hall in Pingtung to announce their opinions and their vehement disagreement with the opening of a High Way. One of each representative group took turns to declare their will to protect this area and the necessity of preventing the building of the High Way. The whole event was transmitted live on TV and the demonstrators were entertained and encouraged by various musical performances in which the protection of the old mountain trail and the surrounding nature was treated and the beauty of the landscape sung about. The atmosphere was, due to the occasion, from time to time somewhat serious, but mostly cheerful and enthusiastic and it was really evident that the people gathered there cared for this topic and wanted to protect the area and its inhabitants. One of the special moments was as a famous player of the traditional Chinese 月琴 performed some touching songs and another highlight was when representatives of the Paiwan tribe, who lives in the area concerned, stated their opinions and two of them presented each a song in their native tribal language. For me that was the most touching and beautiful moment, as for me it evoked really a feeling of closeness to nature and their home.
Afterwards the representatives of the government`s environmental office and some counselors being experts in environmental protection matters, had a discussion in the city hall. We didn’t attend this meeting, as it was closed for the public, but went to a tour through the so called “Five River District” in Pingtung, which holds a nearly untouched area of wetlands. So we walked a while in the river and the guides pointed out some plants or explained the use of the river mud for tiling roofs. The purpose of the trip was also to shoot some pictures with demonstrating posters in the surrounding of the stream landscape.

As I later learned was the demonstration successful and the undertaking of any artificial constructive measures that intervene in the landscape are forbidden.
阿塱壹 and the creatures in its sourrounding area are safe!
阿塱壹簪！

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