I first met Scott at the Fred Frontier benefit where he was doing a volunteer performance for missing American Fred Frontier’s family. That was one week before he was officially deported for his political and cultural activities in Taiwan.
[quote]On April 8, 2004 at the Dulan sugar factory cafe, the Taitung County Culture Bureau held a press conference for a folk music performance series in which I have performed and helped organize. The following week, after the event was reported in local media, Ms. Guo Ying-hui, the manager of the cafe, told me a Taitung City police officer surnamed Chen had called to inform her I was under criminal investigation for breach of labor laws. The officer threatened her with a NTD150,000 fine and through her threatened me with a fine and deportation.
I have been a continuous, legally working resident of Taiwan for the past five years, the last two years in Taitung. Although my work permit is not performance-related, I am a composer, recording artist, and writer. My most recent CD,
Exactly what was Scott deported for doing? Based on the ariticle you submitted, I am not sure what caused him to be forced to leave this island. Would you please clarify this for me?
The Foreign Affairs Police have a quota that they have to meet each month. Around 10 persons or so a month for each cop…so that gives them a lot of pressure to find anything to deport you with.
I was questioned about a work permit while making a theft report a couple of months ago. After finding out that I was working legally, the officers explained that they have a lot of pressure from their SUPERIORS to meet a certain quota…something about points.
Stay out of events that have to do with politics or else you’ll get in TROUBLE! Another good reason to boot you off the island. The politics here isn’t that pretty…especially for GUESTS of this country if they should get involved. This is what I’ve been hearing from many people. But on the other hand if you get a Taiwanese passport I guess you’ll be fine…
I have said it before over and over again, and no one pays any attention – foreigners are not allowed to do volunteer activities without a WORK PERMIT.
Indeed, you may feel that such a rule is arbitrary and unfair, but that is the rule, and as of yet no one has been able to get it changed.
I personally have spent a lot of time challenging this rule, but without success . . . . . so far anyway. I have another court hearing coming up in a month or so.
Does anyone support me in my efforts to get these unfair rules changed . . . . . No. People prefer to complain after the fact . . . . “Oh, look Mr. ABC is being deported!!!”
Moral: Know what you are getting involved in. Don’t assume that Taiwan treats foreigners the way your home country treats foreigners.
Why can’t the police just tell foreign volunteers that what they are doing is illegal?
A verbal or written warning in the first instance would save everyone - police and foreingers - a lot of unnecessary hassle.
tinman wrote [quote]What constitutes a volunteer activity?[/quote]
Bloody good question.
Were all the people involved with the Fred Frontier concert/search breaking the law?
How about the foreign volunteers at the Community Services Center in Taipei?
And what about Mark Western’s recent kayaking trip?
I guess it’s mostly a question of how political the activities are, and how many toes you tread on.
Can you please clarify if Scott Ezell was officially deported? Boomer, the quote you posted is the same as an article that appeared in Pots a while back. At that time, Ezell mentioned that he planned to fight the charges (if I remember correctly).
Does this mean that he lost this fight and has been officially deported (and not just charged with something)?
Were all the people involved with the Fred Frontier concert/search breaking the law?
How about the foreign volunteers at the Community Services Center in Taipei?
And what about Mark Western’s recent kayaking trip?
I guess it’s mostly a question of how political the activities are, and how many toes you tread on. [/quote]
My guess is they are, but are overlooked because a lot of the gals there have hubbies who run big companies or are some of the island’s most important foreign investors. In fact, one of the biggest donors to the center is a major weapons company.
That is interesting about Mark Western. Maybe he arranged for some sort of permit. All I know is that this double standard, unwritten bullshit on who can and can’t volunteer has got to end.
[quote=“fee”]Can you please clarify if Scott Ezell was officially deported? Boomer, the quote you posted is the same as an article that appeared in Pots a while back. At that time, Ezell mentioned that he planned to fight the charges (if I remember correctly).
Does this mean that he lost this fight and has been officially deported (and not just charged with something)?
Thanks to anyone who can clarify.[/quote]
Ezell was notified on June 3 that he had 14 days to get ready to vacate the island. But he is fighting the police order with an appeal by his lawyers. Here is a letter being forwarded via email by his friends in Taitung and elsewhere.
[Letter to the Editors & Reporters at all Taiwan newspapers:
from Scott Ezell,
Dulan Village, Taitung County
On June 3, my employer, Taiwan Colors Music, received notification from the ROC Labor Bureau that my work permit had been cancelled and that I had to leave Taiwan within 14 days. This was unanticipated and shocking. But it was also the culmination of a program of systematic harassment carried out against me by the Taitung police, despite the facts that I have been a legal working resident of Taiwan since 1999 and that I have not been charged with any crime.
The trouble began on April 8, 2004, when the Taitung County Culture Bureau sponsored a press conference to publicize a performance series I
So we are to understand from this that the government of the R.O.C. prohibits foreigners from assisting one another in their times of need.
In this case a missing American citizen or the rights of aboriginals to express themselves and their culture.
I find this appalling to say the least.
Where is Scott Ezell from in the US? I would suggest he make a phone call to his congressional representive ASAP.
I think he comes from California area, and has been in Taiwan for around 7 years or so, Taipei first and then moved to coastal Taitung. Makes records for WIND RECORDS, like that Matthew Lien guy from the Yukon. And I guess Wind Records gives him his work permit. The trouble came when that Top Cop Chen in Taitung went around snooping and basically, it looks like, tried to bait Scott. bY VIDoetaping some benefit shows he did. Big deal! [My guess is there is a very detailed backstory we don’t know about yet. ]
Check the English papers tomorrow, I think the reporters there will be on to the story very very soon, like Taipei Times and Taiwan News. Not to mention APPLE (drum roll) DAILY, although there is no sex scandal here or murder, so they ignore the story.
Hartzell, for once I must agree with you… “that is the rule, and as of yet no one has been able to get it changed.”
So I ask myself should I feel sympathy for those who break the rules and then find themselves in trouble?
Your advice “Know what you are getting involved in” is wonderful, but I don’t think “Don’t assume that Taiwan treats foreigners the way your home country treats foreigners” is actually relevant.
This is Taiwan, not the U.S. therefore I am expected to obey the laws of Taiwan not cry about how unfair they are when compared to those of the U.S.
As for what activities might be illegal and cause trouble for me, I find it quite simple to figure out…who is the employer on my ARC? OK then, that’s the only place I can work period.
No pro bono anything, no searching for missing persons, no participating in rallies for or against anything, no crusades.
I know…this is too simple for most.
Yes, for those with spouses and other types of ARCs I admit it is probably much more complicated and I do sympathize with you but for me it’s pretty straight forward.
In the bad old days, foreigners used to get deported in Taipei for performing live even if they were unpaid. Nowadays people do this all the time without any problem in Taipei at least. My question is what changed? Or does the city of Taipei have a tacit understanding that it will allow foreign musicians to perform if they are unpaid?
Scott made a big mistake when he signed the police statement. This is a routine trick used by the police here. They take you to the police station and threaten you, saying that unless you sign their statement that you will be in a lot of trouble. They then assure that if you do sign, there will be no further action against you and that it is just routine paperwork. Do not believe this and do not sign anything.
This case again highlights the core problem of immigration enforcement here in Taiwan: the police can deport people without being subject to any form of judicial or administrative review.
This is why even those of us who have permanent residence/open work permits should be careful. Remember that in the Chocolate case, Chocolate was allowed to appeal but the judges ruled that the police could still deport him even though his appeal had not yet been heard.
[quote=“Vannyel”]Your advice “Know what you are getting involved in” is wonderful, but I don’t think “Don’t assume that Taiwan treats foreigners the way your home country treats foreigners” is actually relevant.
This is Taiwan, not the U.S. therefore I am expected to obey the laws of Taiwan not cry about how unfair they are when compared to those of the U.S.[/quote]
I think you are missing Hartzell’s implied point . . . . . which is in reflection of the fact that the government here in Taiwan is always stressing that it pays a lot of attention to human rights . . . . . . and of course everyone must remember that the glorious Chinese heritage is 5,000 years old . . . . . and all that . . . . . . but in fact Taiwan is way behind such relatively young countries such as the United States . . . . . .
I am not missing anything…Hartzell is judging an Asian country by Western standards…comparing apples to oranges.
How is Taiwan compared to other Asian countries…Vietnam, Korea, Japan, China, etc.? That’s where the comparison belongs.
And it is not unheard of for governments to stress one thing and in reality do something else…look at the U.S…they stress equal rights…well unless you are gay, a prisoner at Gitmo, have the ‘wrong’ name and try to get on an airplane, etc.
