Charoen Pokphand's Western Taiwan chicken farms produce foul-smelling wastewater; Hualien residents strongly protest the plan to build plants in the east; CP apologizes for the pollution and hopes Hualien residents will give it a chance

Charoen Pokphand (CP) plans to build six large-scale chicken farms in Hualien, triggering a march of a thousand people in opposition. Residents opposed to the plants allege that CP has yet to resolve numerous pollution problems caused by its chicken farms in western Taiwan, and is now trying to force its way into Hualien, demanding that the company "get out at once." Today (5/27), the CP Group held a press conference at the Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel, publicly apologizing for the pollution incidents and emphasizing that CP has developed "waste recycling and reuse" technology and will fulfill its corporate responsibilities in the future.

Hualien residents opposed to CP's plant construction gathered again today to head north and protest. Residents stressed that although the county government and the company have repeatedly emphasized that the procedures are legal, Hualien residents cannot accept such rough treatment when they were kept in the dark beforehand and lacked communication afterward. A representative of a Changhua environmental group also attended today, saying, "CP Group's equipment has malfunctioned many times, causing wastewater mixed with sludge to overflow, producing a foul odor and breeding disease vectors and rodents." The representative argued that CP is unwilling even to improve its wastewater treatment equipment and has repeatedly let things slide, and suggested that Hualien should carefully evaluate the plant construction proposal.

Hualien residents head north to protest against CP; environmental groups from Taipei and Changhua join forces in support, accusing the company of pollution

Lisin of the Fenglin self-rescue association, speaking at the venue, said that the elderly of the Cinagroan tribe are very worried about why the pure land where they have lived for generations should be trampled by a conglomerate. She further asked: "CP is willing to hold a press conference in a five-star hotel, yet unwilling to listen to the voices of Hualien residents? CP's Yunlin and Changhua plants have repeatedly failed, so asking Hualien residents to accept CP's claims is utterly unconvincing."

Huang Yajing, a resident of Fengping Village in Shoufeng, made a bitter accusation: Fengping Village had CP secretly start construction of a plant without its knowledge, and residents once mustered as many as ten attempts to block CP's construction, but ultimately gave up resistance because they were fighting alone. She stressed that the self-rescue association at the time compromised out of helplessness and was forced to sign an agreement with no legal effect. Drawing on Fengping Village's painful experience, she urged: "Hualien residents must unite and must not be picked off one by one."

Lahok, a young person from Guangfu Township in Hualien, speaking on behalf of the Mafor tribe, said, "The site CP has planned for its plant is only separated from the tribe's living area by a single bridge. If a similar pollution incident occurs, it will have a huge impact on the tribe's life." She believes CP did not communicate in advance and lacks basic respect, and that the tribe's young people have already begun to awaken and will absolutely oppose it to the end.

Changhua youth accuse CP of causing foul-smelling pollution in western Taiwan that remains unaddressed to this day

Namoh, a young Amis person living in northern Taiwan, stressed in the tribal language: "The area where CP plans to build its plants is the land of the Pangcah (Amis) people. It is a conglomerate introduced by the Republic of China system that does not respect the existence and traditional rights of Indigenous peoples on this land." He demanded that CP and the Hualien County Government must comply with Article 21 of the Indigenous Peoples Basic Law, with the tribe exercising the right of "consultation and consent."

Invited by the self-rescue associations of three townships, Li Yuxiang, a youth representative of a Changhua environmental group attending the event, stated: "CP Group cuts corners even on wastewater. Since 2017, its wastewater treatment plant equipment has malfunctioned many times, causing wastewater mixed with sludge to overflow, producing a foul odor and breeding disease vectors, rodents and other problems." He argued that CP is unwilling even to improve its wastewater equipment and has repeatedly let things slide, and suggested that Hualien should carefully evaluate the plant construction proposal.