By Loa Iok-sin / Staff Reporter
Longtime immigrant rights advocate Lorna Kung (龔尤倩) and five
immigrants who call themselves “unqualified citizens” yesterday
announced their intention to run in the coming legislative elections and
started a campaign to collect signatures, hoping to raise awareness
among the public and in the government about immigrant rights.
“We’re here collecting signatures and asking for support at St Christopher’s Church [in Taipei], because we think immigrants and migrant workers need representatives who can speak for them in the legislature,” Kung said. “Immigrants and migrant workers live in Taiwan, they make a contribution to this country, they pay taxes. Therefore they should have the right to speak for themselves in Taiwanese politics.”
While Kung is a Republic of China (ROC) citizen who was born in Taiwan and meets the criteria to become a legislative candidate, the other five do not qualify as candidates, according to current laws.
The five immigrants are Tran Thu Lieu (陳秋柳), a spouse of Vietnamese origin who came to Taiwan eight years ago and has obtained ROC citizenship; Carlos Go (吳自安), an “ROC national without citizenship” born in the Philippines and who eventually obtained citizenship after staying in the country for 11 years; Harry To Hu (呂廈利), another “ROC national without citizenship” who holds an ROC passport, but not an ROC ID card; Tony Thamsir, an Indonesian living in Taiwan who has an Alien Permanent Resident Certificate; and Wena-Ari Wu, an Indonesian who came to Taiwan as an immigrant spouse five years ago and now holds an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC).
“We’re here collecting signatures and asking for support at St Christopher’s Church [in Taipei], because we think immigrants and migrant workers need representatives who can speak for them in the legislature,” Kung said. “Immigrants and migrant workers live in Taiwan, they make a contribution to this country, they pay taxes. Therefore they should have the right to speak for themselves in Taiwanese politics.”
While Kung is a Republic of China (ROC) citizen who was born in Taiwan and meets the criteria to become a legislative candidate, the other five do not qualify as candidates, according to current laws.
The five immigrants are Tran Thu Lieu (陳秋柳), a spouse of Vietnamese origin who came to Taiwan eight years ago and has obtained ROC citizenship; Carlos Go (吳自安), an “ROC national without citizenship” born in the Philippines and who eventually obtained citizenship after staying in the country for 11 years; Harry To Hu (呂廈利), another “ROC national without citizenship” who holds an ROC passport, but not an ROC ID card; Tony Thamsir, an Indonesian living in Taiwan who has an Alien Permanent Resident Certificate; and Wena-Ari Wu, an Indonesian who came to Taiwan as an immigrant spouse five years ago and now holds an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC).
