TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Indigenous groups protested plans to make the Council of Indigenous Peoples' (CIP) committee member roles unpaid on Wednesday (Nov. 4).

CNA reported dozens attended a protest against the proposed legal amendments outside the legislature. They were joined by DPP Legislator Saidhai Tahovecahe (伍麗華) who said the change would strip the CIP’s committee of its power as fewer would be willing to serve as members.

KMT Legislators Sra Kacaw (鄭天財) and Ciwas Ali (高金素梅) drafted the changes to the Organization Act of the Council of Indigenous Peoples. If they pass, all CIP committee members except for the CIP minister would be unpaid and the minister’s position would rotate between highlands and lowlands Indigenous constituencies.

Sra said in October the amendment was proposed because the CIP has filled its committee with political appointees who do not represent Indigenous communities. TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) echoed this and added that he believes committee members’ salaries are a poor use of government funds.

Former CIP committee member and Paiwan National Assembly Chair Tjivuluan Paracasaw (曾華德) said at the protest the CIP's committee represents 55 settlements and 700 villages. He said many people are needed to assist the CIP minister in administrative tasks relating to these groups.

Tjivuluan said committee members often travel to rural locations at their own expense and deserve reasonable salaries. He warned that if there are no members on the committee the CIP minister would be unable to lead the organization.

Taiwan Indigenous Association of Truku Youth Chair Yabung Haning said the committee is important for communicating between local communities and the central government. She said the only way the central government can understand grievances raised by Indigenous groups is through committee members.

The Thao National Assembly said in a statement that it opposes the amendments and will launch a campaign to remove the legislators who proposed them.

Saidhai also criticized the plan for the CIP minister’s position to rotate between the highlands and lowlands Indigenous constituencies on Friday (Nov. 20), per LTN. She said the lowland-highland distinction is a relic of Taiwan’s colonial past and Indigenous groups should be distinguished by their cultures rather than location.