Myanmar asylum seekers protest government deportation plans

Myanmar asylum seekers protest government deportation plans

2026-04-30

Myanmar asylum seekers and civic groups staged a protest outside the Ministry of the Interior on Thursday morning. They demanded the government to answer questions on its plan to deport asylum seekers from Myanmar who are still in the process of administrative appeals. They say that back in Myanmar, they would face war and imprisonment. They also submitted a petition, urging the ministry to take the matter seriously. Let’s hear more.

Asylum seeker
Myanmar
We hoped there would be a possibility of obtaining asylum, but so far we haven’t received any protection. We get phone calls telling us to return to danger.

Thu Koko
Taiwan Myanmar Civic Association
They are trying to seek temporary refuge while Myanmar is in such a terrible situation. The Taiwanese government often says on the international stage that Taiwan can help. But now? Taiwan can’t help. Taiwan cannot help.

Liu Tzu-kai
NCCU Department of Ethnology
Since the 2021 coup in Myanmar, the country has fallen into a continuously deteriorating humanitarian crisis. The Taiwanese government should not ignore this terrible situation.

Some of these Myanmar nationals in Taiwan previously participated in democratic movements and were targeted by the military junta. Others come from war-torn regions and would be conscripted upon return. And some were trafficked to Taiwan. The Legislative Yuan previously passed a resolution requiring the Ministry of the Interior to uphold the principle of non-refoulement and to work with other agencies to provide care and support for the asylum seekers. At the time, the ministry responded that it would help them obtain legal status in Taiwan and issue them Alien Resident Certificates or permanent residency permits. But in the end, all of the applications were rejected.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#refugee #myanmar #taiwan #asylum #asylumseeker

人權團體盼"庇護緬甸人" 遞請願書反對遣返推回戰火

2026-04-30

週四上午，有公民團體跟尋求庇護緬甸人，群聚在內政部門口抗議，他們質疑政府要把這群尋求庇護，還在行政救濟程序中的緬甸人，遣返出境、推回緬甸的戰火與牢籠，也遞交請願書，希望內政部能正視這個問題。

[[緬甸籍尋求庇護人]]
“希望有尋求到庇護的可能，但到目前為止，我們沒有得到任何的庇護，甚至我們常常會收到電話，要讓我們遣返到有危險的地方。”

[[台緬公民協會理事長杜可可]]
“他們是在緬甸現在很爛的時候，想要尋求避難一下下而已，台灣政府常常在國際舞台講說，Taiwan can help但是現在呢，Taiwan can’t help，Taiwan cannot help。”

[[國立政治大學民族學系助理教授劉子愷]]
“緬甸自2021年政變以來，緬甸陷入持續惡化的人道危機，所以這個嚴重情況，我們台灣政府不容忽視。”

這些在台緬甸人，有的過去參與民主運動，遭到軍政府盯上，有的來自戰火省份，一回國就會被抓去當兵，也有人是被人蛇拐騙來。人權團體跟在台緬甸人不滿，立院第十屆第七會期通過要求內政部，要遵守不遣返原則，還應會同其他機關提供生活照護，內政部當時函覆會幫助尋求庇護人取得在臺合法身分，也會核發外國人停留或永久居留辦法的外僑登記證，但最後卻是將這些申請，通通打回票。

更多新聞內容，請鎖定：
民視台灣台（152頻道）週一至週五晚上9:30
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Driver terrorizes local elementary school skidding at the entrance

A shocking scene unfolded in broad daylight at the entrance of an elementary school in Xiluo, Yunlin. At 9 a.m. Thursday, a driver of a sedan wouldn’t stop skidding in circles, letting ear-piercing sounds rip while little kids where in classes. Although the school did call the police, the driver was already gone when officers arrived. The police still managed to track the driver down by reviewing surveillance footage, and said that they’ll summon the driver to be questioned soon.

A white sedan skidded round and round, going in countless circles and letting out piercing sounds from the tires.

The driver probably wanted to show off their skills, but the entrance of an elementary school certainly wasn’t the most appropriate place.

School officials dared not get close. Instead, they called the police. The incident happened at the intersection of Yanping Road and Xinxing Road in Xiluo Township, Yunlin, or more precisely, right at the entrance of Wenchang Elementary School. At 9 a.m. Thursday, the driver wouldn’t stop skidding in circles at the entrance, scaring everyone inside and alerting nearby residents.

Local resident
Xiluo Township, Yunlin
It kept going round and round. It was so loud, and really scary. I wondered what that person was up to. They kept at it for a long time.

When the police arrived, the driver had already left, so they reviewed surveillance footage of the vicinity. The car was tracked down and the driver will be summoned for questioning.

Chen Chih-jen
Xiluo Precinct
The case will proceed accordingly with regards to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act, fineable with up to NT$90,000. The police will also summon the car owner concerned for questioning. If the case can be charged with endangerment of public safety, it will be filed with the Taiwan Yunlin District Prosecutors Office.

Fortunately, classes had already started at the elementary school and there weren’t many cars on the road when the stunt took place. The police have already started on the case and will soon deal with the driver accordingly.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#yunlin #shocking #scary #traffic #roadsafety

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Taoyuan night market stand offers novel stinky tofu flavors

One stand at Taoyuan’s Bade Xingren Night Market has reimagined Taiwan’s iconic stinky tofu in all-new flavors. The owner makes salted egg stinky tofu, which has becoming popular for its unique taste and texture. Although he’s successful now, he struggled earning enough to pay rent when first starting the business.

Oil sizzles as a chef deep-fries stinky tofu until it’s a light golden-brown.

To make the sauce, he combines garlic powder with egg yolk, mixing them under heat until it foams. The sauce is poured onto the stinky tofu and topped with egg whites and spring onions, giving the iconic Taiwanese dish an all-new flavor.

Customer
The tofu is soft inside and crispy on the outside. Paired with the salted egg yolk, it’s really unique.

Customer
It’s incredibly special. I actually don’t like stinky tofu, but the salted egg yolk makes it much better.

Customer
The tofu is in small pieces, so it’s crispy on the outside and soft inside. If it’s dipped in the salted egg yolk sauce, it pretty much covers the original flavor.

People can’t stop raving about this salted egg stinky tofu from Taoyuan’s Bade Xingren Night Market. The owner of the stand, Lee Shih-wei李世偉, reimagined this traditional dish in his own unique way.

Lee Shih-wei
Food stand owner
I hit a roadblock when I was working in insurance, so I thought I’d give this a try. At first, I had salty and sweet flavors and also offered a condensed milk flavor. But at that time, I couldn’t even sell one serving a day.

People didn’t seem to like Lee’s stinky tofu flavors at first. He didn’t even earn enough to pay rent the first month. But it’s a good thing he didn’t give up.

Lee Shih-wei
Food stand owner
Egg yolk burns very easily if it gets too hot. So, I had to try lots of times at first, and it would often turn black instead of golden, because I didn’t understand. Then I did some research on Google about how to do it and started practicing. As I got more familiar with it, it started looking better and better. Then customers started thinking it pairs well with stinky tofu, and the stand started getting more popular.

In addition to salted egg yolk stinky tofu, he now offers Thai sweet and spicy, roasted cheese roe, and other unique flavors. Lee has reimagined stinky tofu, giving the classic dish a whole new identity.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#stinkytofu #nightmarket #Taoyuan #saltedegg #saltedeggyolk #tofu #tradition #unique #newflavor

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Why more young people are joining Mazu pilgrimages

Taiwan saw hundreds of thousands of people walk for the goddess Mazu this April in two massive religious events: the Baishatun and Dajia pilgrimages. Over 460,000 people participated in the Baishatun Mazu pilgrimage this year, a record high. More young people are joining annually, enduring blisters and heat as they walk hundreds of kilometers. Let’s get to know some of these young devotees.

Hundreds of thousands cheer for the Baishatun Mazu as she arrives at Beigang Chaotian Temple. The goddess and her devotees walk over 300km in this annual pilgrimage, and in recent years, more young people have been taking part in the tradition.

Chang Po-cheng
High-school student
I draw the Baishatun Mazu every year and this year was my fourth time. This time, I focused more on the details of the patterns on her clothes.

Chang Po-cheng’s desk is covered with images of Mazu. He uses his drawings to make badges and keychains, and has even held a Mazu culture exhibit at his school. Spending most of his time in a stressful academic environment, he finds the pilgrimage the best way to calm down and reflect.

Chang Po-cheng
High-school student
With so many people following, the pilgrimage is really about upholding a belief and conviction. It’s more like giving yourself a chance to relax and reflect. You just know Mazu is ahead, and the palanquin is coming, so you have to keep moving, keep moving, keep moving. For me, it’s a way to find some inner calm.

Young people can find peace and a sense of community from their faith. In addition to joining as pilgrims, another young believer set up a stinky tofu stand along the route.

Ko Chin-lung, who acts in traditional opera, has participated in the pilgrimage for eight years.

Ko Chin-lung
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This journey was something I wanted to experience, so even though I was physically exhausted and in pain, I was limping, and my feet hurt a lot, I still felt it was worthwhile.

Through online posts and social media, Mazu is connecting with the younger generation.

Hsieh Jui-lung
Temple culture research center director
There’s no distance or barrier between people, and everyone helps and encourages each other. For younger people, they think it’s something hard to find in modern Taiwanese society, so it’s slowly becoming a popular custom.

Whether they come to find peace, community, or test their physical fitness, young people are joining these traditional pilgrimages in their own ways, keeping the tradition alive.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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#Mazu #BaishatunMazuPilgrimage #pilgrimage #religion #festival #tradition #youthparticipation #faith #youth

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Baseball star tracks down father-in-law’s rescuers offering covetable gifts

Remember our story from exactly a month ago, about how an employee at a newly opened baseball stadium got slapped by a spectator? Well, thankfully, there’s now a heartwarming tale from that very night. On March 29, when a couple that had watched the game was on their way home, they encountered an elderly man that needed help. They noticed that an old man had a vertigo attack and collapsed on the ground bleeding. Without a second thought, they stopped and called the ambulance. It turned out that the elderly man was the father-in-law of former 7-Eleven Lions player Tapang Kolong. On Thursday, with help from users of Threads, Tapang Kolong met the husband and promised to offer him and his wife some autographed gifts from his baseball equipment brand and VIP tickets to a game in gratitude.

Retired 7-Eleven Lions baseball player, Tapang Kolong, also known as Deng Zhi-wei, looked for his father-in-law’s lifesavers on Threads. The father-in-law had an emergency on the evening of March 29, after the debut game of the team’s new home stadium in Tainan, which Tapang Kolong participated in.

Tapang Kolong’s father-in-law had gone out on his own when suddenly, he had a vertigo attack. He fell on his head and couldn’t get up. Fortunately, two passers-by noticed and went over to help call the ambulance. They were wearing the 7-Eleven Lions’ jersey, meaning they were at the baseball game. Now that the father-in-law has recovered, Tapang Kolong wanted to find the two Lions fans and thank them personally. The search wasn’t difficult, because one of them had posted about the incident the day after. The fan even wrote that he was almost sure that the son-in-law of the elder man they rescued was indeed Tapang Kolong.

Tapang Kolong extends a hand in greeting and presents the fan with an autographed baseball. The fan is a real estate agent who had gone to the game that evening with his wife, and on their way home noticed that an elderly man had collapsed. They did not imagine that it was Tapang Kolong’s father-in-law.

Su Yu-fan
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He had collapsed and there was blood. My immediate reaction was to stop the car, get out and help. At the time Tapang Kolong wore a face mask. I though he looked familiar, but it wasn’t a convenient moment to confirm that it was him, so I kept it as a little secret to myself.

Tapang Kolong
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The night it happened, we were all in a panic and didn’t think to ask for our lifesavers’ contact. People on social media are so helpful. They helped me track him down within an hour. I’m also a bit embarrassed that I could only find our lifesavers in this way.

Tapang Kolong is now a baseball coach at a local school. He’s also launched a baseball equipment brand, which offers several baseball bats he designed. To express his gratitude to the couple, Tapang Kolong offered them VIP tickets to a game, and a baseball and bat autographed by a Lions player of their choice. Netizens are all delighting in this heartwarming encounter between a star and his fans.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Lai tried to fly to Eswatini via Europe: Bloomberg

And more details are coming to light regarding the abrupt cancellation of President Lai Ching-te’s trip to Eswatini last week. The visit was called off after three countries off the coast of Africa revoked overflight clearance for Lai’s plane due to Chinese pressure. According to Bloomberg, Taiwan tried to find an alternative route to Africa via Europe and asked allies such as Germany and Czechia for permission to transit. But neither country gave approval. In the case of Germany, the country was pressured by China to reject the request. It was also worried that Lai could get stuck in Germany if more countries in Africa decided to block their airspace.

On Monday, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung posted photos from Eswatini, where he inspected the work of a Taiwanese medical team. He made it to Africa smoothly, yet President Lai Ching-te’s scheduled trip last week was abruptly canceled.

Lai has been due to visit Eswatini, but one day before his departure, three island nations off the coast of Africa revoked overflight clearance for his plane. According to Bloomberg, Taiwan then tried to find an alternative route via Europe, and requested European countries for clearance. Beijing allegedly caught wind of this and preemptively instructed Germany to refuse Taiwan’s request. The country was reportedly worried that other countries in Africa would ultimately revoke their clearance for Lai too, leaving the president stuck in Germany. The country allegedly did not respond to Taiwan’s request, and neither did Czechia, which has frequently held exchanges with Taiwan’s legislature in recent years.

Karen Kuo
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Beijing pressured three countries that we would be flying over, including Mauritius and Madagascar, to suspend the overflight permits we had obtained. We are very grateful for all the assistance that our many allied countries lent us.

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Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson
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Had China not intervened, I believe all democratic countries would’ve stood with Taiwan. The EU condemned the matter immediately. There’s no need to put a wedge between Taiwan and its democratic allies.

China’s attempts to suppress Taiwan continue, posing problems even when the president is trying to visit a diplomatic ally.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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Oncologist James Yang is an internationally renowned cancer expert. Suffering a serious illness as a child inspired him to become a doctor and help patients maintain a normal lifestyle. At the end of last year, he invited Terry Lin to sing at the National Taiwan University Cancer Center lobby, spreading joy to patients through music.

Terry Lin’s voice soars through the melody, filling the space with music.

Beside him in the blue suit jacket is none other than National Taiwan University Cancer Center superintendent and renowned cancer expert James Yang. He sings skillfully, making the highs and lows of the melody sound easy. Few people know that the doctor suffered a serious illness when he was young.

James Yang
Cancer expert
Medicine wasn’t so advanced in the ’70s, so they didn’t know why I was sick and couldn’t figure it out. But I saw the doctors in the hospital. What’s most important is that I saw their work and I wasn’t scared. I thought it was something that I could do too. After I got better, I changed my career goal when I was in high school.

Now an established doctor, Yang’s own experience with illness helps him relate to his patients. He chose to put on a concert in the cancer center’s lobby not only because it has incredible acoustics, but also to give patients stuck in the hospital a chance to hear live music.

James Yang
Cancer expert
We put on a concert with patients and medical staff, usually at the end of the year. We look forward to this event every year.

Yang advocates for cancer patients, helping them to live normal lives and stay optimistic. He also reminded people of the best ways to avoid cancer.

James Yang
Cancer expert
Air pollution, cured foods, or foods that haven’t been stored properly are all related to cancer in some way.

Yang recommends eating three meals a day, ensuring normal rest, and getting screened regularly. Prevention is key when it comes to cancer, so taking care of yourself is most important.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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