| Lo-Sheng sanatorium was built in 1930 as an Japanese imperialistic design in Taiwan. It is the only leprosy sanatorium in Taiwan. Now it is transforming to a contentious cultural landscape through the going on acute struggle to strive against state’s oppression and local growth machine.
In 1993, disregarding the severe damage to the minority community, natural environment and historical heritage, the Lo-Sheng Sanatorium was chosen as a site of maintenance facility for the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Corporation's planned Xin-Zhuang Line. The plan would terrace the mountainside where the sanatorium has been located since 1930, forcing its residents to relocate. The leprosy patients were never consulted because they were never considered as “resident”. At that time, part of the Lo-Sheng complex was torn down to make way for the MRT tracks. More than 300 residents were facing imminent forced eviction.
In 2004, young social-cultural activists launched the Youth Union for Leprosy Patients' Rights (YULPR), and help the residents to organize the grassroots autonomy-- Taiwan Leprosy Patients' Self-help Organization (TLPSO). Since then, a glocal social-cultural movement unfolded till now. The YULPR and TLPSO articulated the progressive planners and domestic as well as international NGOs to fight for the preservation of the cultural-historical relic.
In 20 July 2005, United Nations had released a formal press “UN EXPERTS EXPRESS CONCERN OVER IMMINENT EVICTION OF TAIWANESE RESIDENTS IN LO-SHENG SANATORIUM”. However, the response from Taiwan government was quite superficial. Regardless of concern from United Nations, the Taiwan government, headed by Premier Su, still insists on the eviction policy.
The Lo-Sheng Leprosarium, enblem of human rights and cultural rights in Taiwan, is scheduled to be demolished by Taiwan Government on April 16, 2007.
Through the fierce struggle both domestically and internationally, including the April 15’s demonstration with over 6,000 attendants in Taipei, the situation became better so far, and LoSheng is able to weather the April 16’s storm.
However, the credit of Taiwanese politician is not good, and the influence from the local interest coalition remains. In order to achieve the goal--preserve LoSheng instead of been evicted/demonished, we are looking forward to build the international monitor/actor networks, the international cosigning action will continue till the end. | Community location is placed at the center of the zip/postal code, city/state, or city/country (not based on street addresses) |
