Lin Shu-ling


Lin Shu-ling, is an Amis woman from the Tse-tung buluo, in the Fushan Village, Beinan Township, Taitung County, Taiwan. As a traditional custodian of the land on which the Taitung Miramar Resort was built, she was a leader of the community movement against it, and became a voice for indigenous land rights in Taiwan.
In 2018, Lin announced her intention to run as a plains aborigines candidate in the Beinan Township representing the New Power Party in the November 2018 Taitung County Government elections. However, in September 2018, she was disqualified by the Taitung Election Commission due to having a conviction for "public abuse". She has appealed her disqualification to the Central Election Commission.

Taitung Miramar Resort protest

After receiving an eviction/demolish order for her grandmother's house, Lin began protesting the Miramar Resort project on Shanyuan/Fudafudak beach.
Lin formed alliances with civc groups including Taiwan Environment Protection Union, Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, and Citizens of the Earth, as well as surrounding Amis buluos. The Miramar situation is unresolved, having evolved into "a landmark case".

Legal proceedings

In 2008, Lin became a plaintiff on a series of Citizen Litigation suits first launched by Chen Bo-chou and then Thomas Chan challenging the legality of the resort's EIA and building permit. Despite winning this, and all subsequent cases related to the Miramar project, appeals by the Kuang Li-chen and Justin Huang administrations extended the process to eight years. Construction continued while appeals were pending.

Community involvement

Described in a CNA report as "the soul of the Miramar protest movement", Lin was a founding member and spokesperson for Fan Fan Fan, a local arts community activist group, which staged rallies and concerts with performances by Taiwanese indigenous and indie acts. She also participated in a month-long camp-in on Shanyuan/Fudafuduk beach in 2011. In 2013, FFF undertook a 300 km walk from the site of the Miramar construction to the Presidential Office Building.

Current status

Although the Supreme Court rulings have prevented Miramar from opening, it stands fully built on the beach. Lin continues to campaign for the resort to be demolished. She supports calls for an investigation to determine whether Miramar/Durban Development should be held liable for restoring Shanyuan/Fudafuduk beach to its pre-Miramar state. Lin is promising greater scrutiny of the current Arbitration Tribunal process involving Magistrate Justin Huang and convener, Deputy County Magistrate Chen Chin-hu , and Miramar owner, Huang Chun-fa, and a mediator. They are meeting to reach agreement on a compensation amount to be paid to Miramar Resort Ltd. Lin is campaigning for a postponement of that process pending an investigation.

Political career

In August 2018, Lin announced her intention to run as an aborigines plains representative in the November 2018 Taitung Government election. According to Lin's campaign website, her focus is to revitalize the culture of local communities while also working to enshrine the legal recognition of traditional lands.
Lin rejected the Taitung County Government discourse that resort developments solve problems of employment and cultural cohesion. She proposed to increase youth access to small-business courses and encourage youth feedback regarding cultural values and appropriate development.
Lin has also promised to "demand transparency regarding government spending", and ''“guard public money".

Disqualification from running for political office

In October 2018, six weeks before the election, Lin was banned from running for office by the Taitung Election Commission on the grounds that she had a conviction for public abuse.
The case against Lin was triggered by a dispute over a private construction on government/indigenous land in April 2018.
For this she was fined NT$3000, although it seemed to be a minor matter for her. Six months later, with Lin already registered as a candidate and campaigning for the November 24 elections, she was informed of her disqualification due to her conviction in the above case. According to Lin, neither the prosecutor nor her lawyer made her aware of any potential ban.
Lin requested the TEC’s decision be reviewed by the Central Election Commission. She received a reply from the TEC, signed by Deputy Magistrate Chen Chin-hu, who is also Director of the TEC, saying her disqualification from the Taitung County Council elections had been upheld. Lin is exploring other options to have the decision overturned, saying, "Until a final decision is made, I will continue campaigning."

Personal life

Lin runs a small business with her mother, Da Panay, raising goats and cropping hibiscus. They live together with Lin's grandmother, Miarde, who grows artemisia, at Shanyuan/Fudafuduk.