August 29, 2010
Reported by Lin Yi-ying
Written by Lydia Ma

"Morakot victims living in Kaohsiung County's Namasiya Township have to travel down the mountain to a gas station in Jiasian Township every week to get buckets of gasoline. The trip takes about 5 to 6 hours. Is this another underhanded government tactic forcing us to relocate?" asked Morakot Care Team spokesperson, Mayaw Biho.

Mayaw Biho explained that last year's Typhoon Morakot had destroyed roads leading up to Namasiya and Chinese Petroleum Corporation (CPC) trucks couldn't drive up to the township to deliver gas. Over the past year, more than 1,800 residents had been struggling with securing enough gas to support their livelihoods and their daily needs.

Mingsheng Village (also known as Takanua) residents also say they cannot transport and sell their produce if their vehicles don't have gas. "We ask CPC to do us a favor and transport some gas up the mountain. Otherwise, how will Morakot victims survive without any income?" they said.

Aborigines are mostly farmers and their cars, tractors, and other farm equipment operate on gas. Villagers usually carry big, empty buckets down the mountain every week to get gas, but the cost of making a round trip is more than 6 hours of driving and more than NT$1,000 in gas expenses, culminating in more than NT$4,000 per month.

Instead of these costly trips, residents have been hoping that CPC would drive up the mountain and deliver oil to them instead. "CPC doesn't need to drive a big truck! It can use a small car to deliver gas instead!" they insisted.

"If you love me, please ask CPC to bring gas to Morakot victims!" urged Morakot Care Team. They stressed the increasing likelihood of heavy rains shutting down electrical supply during the current typhoon season. If Aborigines living in the mountains don't have gas to start their generators, they'd soon find themselves between a rock and a hard place.

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