Break through martial law in Taiwan waters! Canoe rowing uprising, demanding the implementation of "lifting the ban on mountains and seas" to revitalize water sports

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Taiwan is rich in lakes and ponds, but it has been in a state of martial law for a long time. Apart from special applications, it is difficult for ordinary people to get close to. Taiwan enthusiasts can only "sneak into the water" for developed canoe sports in foreign countries, and folk water sports have been depressed for a long time.

On October 22 last year, the Executive Yuan announced the lifting of the ban on mountains and seas, amending the State compensation Law, opening up mountains, forests and waters, and advocating a forward movement towards mountains, forests and waters in the spirit of "opening up in principle and prohibition with exceptions." However, the present situation of the implementation of the policy is just the opposite. from the central to the local authorities, water management is carried out on the basis of "prohibition in principle and opening to the outside world", which has not changed so far.

Li Yuanzhi, a canoe coach with more than 20 years of experience, gathered hundreds of canoes to challenge the ban on water activities in the spirit of "testing the law." On January 4, this group of proponents went to Longtan Lake in Ilan to launch canoes to challenge the ban on water activities. Upstream and downstream reporters also went there to learn on the spot what would happen when launching in the safe waters of the territory.

Li Yuanzhi, who initiated the Ocean National authenticity Society. (photo / Lin Jiyang) dawn raid like a pirate

In the early morning of January 4, the sun rarely appeared in northern Taiwan, and a group of canoe enthusiasts (hereinafter referred to as the "Action team") gathered on the banks of Longtan Lake in the lagoon of Ilan according to the time they had contacted beforehand. The lake was as calm as a mirror, surrounded by green mountains and blue skies. It is an ideal lake for boating, and there are three Wu Sha Guozhong light boat trainers rowing briskly in the lake. It is particularly ironic compared to the sign that "activities in the waters are prohibited without permission" by the lakeside.

When the action team inflated eight canoes and SUP (vertical rowing) and was about to launch, an administrator wearing the identification card of the Industrial, Commercial and Tourism Department of Ilan County Government rode a bicycle to the parking lot and was in a hurry to dissuade people from entering the water. "what unit are you? You can't row here. " "in the lake is the light boat team from Wu Sha State Middle School. They have permission to practice here, and you can't go into the water!" "do you have an application? ⋯⋯"

Ignoring the dissuasion of the administrator, the action team insisted on going into the water with a smile, and the reporter took Li Yuanzhi's boat and continued to paddle toward the middle of the lake. The administrator was amazed as if he had been attacked by pirates, and even murmured to himself, "Strange?" Do you have an application? It's impossible! " The administrator kept calling for help and used mobile phones to search for "illegal certificates" from the action team.

The administrator kept going back and forth to dissuade the actors from going into the water, on the one hand, they took photos to search for certificates and called for outside help. (photography / Lin Jiyang)

In the process, proponents and people of the trail movement around the lake preached the concept of "lifting the ban on water" and stressed that in calm and safe waters such as Longtan Lake, the management of water activities banned by the government of Ilan County was still too harsh. hinder the development of legitimate water leisure sports. Many people expressed their support and agreed with the idea, "Yes!" There is nothing wrong with the lake being so calm and beautiful. Why is it still forbidden to enter the water? " "it's not reasonable to go into the water everywhere in the lake!"

Photography / Lin Jiyang police came to the scene to crack down on water-separated fighting, and the two sides had two stalemates by the lake and on the shore.

After launching, the action team made a detour along the shore, and as soon as it arrived at the opposite bank (near the entrance square), it was met with police officers who rode motorcycles to support them. when the police saw the situation, they immediately turned off and reprimanded angrily: "those who row in the water immediately stop their movements and immediately land on the shore!" However, the proponents insisted on a detour for a week.

After a week of detour, the action team returned to the lakeside water, and two police officers and two handsome caretakers of the Industrial and Commercial Tourism Department also came to the shore. One of the police officers once again severely ordered the proponent: "Please stop boating immediately and get ashore immediately!" Members of the panel once again shouted the slogan "lifting the ban on maritime states and waters" in response and expressed their demands for action.

After the action team landed, the police immediately came forward to check the identity of each participant, including the reporter, was asked to provide identity card number and household registration address. At this time, the proponents pulled out a cloth prepared in advance, stressing that the launching action required the legitimate rights and interests of citizens and appealed to the Ilan county government to implement the "opening of waters." there was a stalemate between the two sides.

The official document of the county government emphasizes that you need to apply before you can enter the water.

As the police stated that the police were not law enforcement agencies in the waters, they only assisted in the search for evidence, and the representatives of the Industrial, Commercial and Tourism Office of the Ilan County Government coordinated with the proponents. Proponents said: "the Executive Yuan has announced the lifting of the ban on Shanhai a few days ago, and boating in Longtan Lake is not deliberately provocative or illegal, but hopes that the waters of Ilan can cooperate with the policy to lift the ban as soon as possible, so as to provide people with a reasonable rest space for water sports."

On the other hand, the representative of the Department of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism displayed a piece of official document from the county government by mobile phone, emphasizing that "in accordance with the regulations on the Autonomy of ship Operation and Management in the Scenic spot of Ilan County," the representative of the Department of Industry, Commerce and Tourism should submit an application in accordance with the law and obtain permission to launch activities. " However, the member of the group replied, "it will not pass if you apply according to your method." The two sides disagreed and there was another stalemate.

In the end, it seems that after talking on the phone with their superiors, the managers indicated to the action team that they hoped to apply next time and finally put an end to the standoff and confrontation on shore.