Two days ago, the current President of Taiwan, Tsai, became the first in its democratic history to apologize to its indigenous people. Taiwan has had a history of colonial subjugation, which each colonial power, like China, Holland, Japan and Portugal, brutally violating indigenous people’s existing rights through military might and land looting for the past 400 years.

In this video, Tsai is recorded tendering her apology to those exploited aboriginals. With this, she has become the first leader of Taiwan to do so. She has pledged to restore the lost land rights and protect tribal languages.

It is to be noted that Tsai is the first tribal leader of Taiwan, and the first leader from Hakkaand aboriginal descent to become the President. She is also the second President of the Republic of China (another name of Taiwan) from Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Before being elected as the President of Taiwan, she never served the Mayor of Taipei.

While this apology to the aboriginals is a welcome move, dozens of aboriginals protesting outside the presidential office still believe that her promises were not enough for the restoration of their lost rights and identity.

One of the representatives of the indigenous people says that he hopes that Tsai will fulfill her promises. We quote Namo Nofu, a member of Amis tribe, “For indigenous people, the Republic of China has always been a colonial regime. And what are representatives standing for? They represent accepting the process of being colonized. For us indigenous people, I don’t want to say anything harsh; they embarrassed the indigenous people and lost their own dignity.” This refers to those aboriginals who knowingly or unknowingly helped further the cause of colonialism.

Even in present day Taiwan, indigenous people remain marginalized, with lower wages, higher rates of unemployment and less access to education.

The Logical Indian team hails the apology by Taiwanese President Tsai to the aboriginals and we hope that her promises would bear fruits in future!