David on Formosa

Conditions for foreign workers may not have improved much since the Thai workers rioted in Kaohsiung back in August, but the political shockwaves are now being felt. Much of the poor showing by the DPP in the recent local elections can be attributed to the corruption and mismanagement of the DPP government that was exposed in the wake of the riot.

The woes of foreign workers have continued and another incident involving Filipino workers at the Formosa Plastics Group in Yunlin County received detailed coverage at POTS Extra (see more links below). It has also been discussed in this thread on Forumosa.

On Sunday a protest of foreign workers sought to again raise issues related to the exploitation of foreign workers in Taiwan. The protest was held the day after International Human Rights Day. The Taipei Times reports on the protest here. The Bangkok Post carried a three paragraph report and photograph of the protest from Associated Press.

It is a shame that the DPP have lost touch with their grass roots since coming to power. Many of the leading figures in the DPP have spent time in jail and campaigned for basic democratic and human rights in the dangwai movement that later formed the foundations of the DPP. The DPP, despite its rhetoric, cannot claim to have made significant improvements in human rights since it came to power.

Links to stories from POTS Extra

• Will Formosa Plastics get away with it?

• Thai labor: widgets or workers?
• Cheated, beaten, and forcibly removed