by Brian Hioe

語言:
English
Photo courtesy of the International Monitor Formosa Alliance

New Bloom editor Brian Hioe interviewed American activist Diane Wilson, who is nearing day thirty of a water-only hunger strike against the actions of Taiwanese company, the Formosa Plastics Group (FPG). Pollution from a FPG subsidiary-owned steel mill in Vietnam led to fish die-offs in 2016 in what some have termed Vietnam’s largest ecological disaster in history, affecting fishing villages along more than 200 kilometers of coast. Wilson is on hunger strike to call attention to Formosa’s refusal to answer for the fish die-offs.  

Brian Hioe:  Could you first introduce yourself for those that don’t know you? How did you first become involved in demonstrating Formosa and what keeps you going?

Diane Wilson:  My name is Diane Wilson, I am a fourth generation fisherwoman, shrimp boat captain, and a mother of five. My family has lived in this area on the mid Texas Gulf Coast for 130 years. I became involved in Formosa Plastics in 1989 when they made their bid for a new plastic expansion right on our home bays. It was the biggest plastic expansion in Texas’ history. I have a deep abiding love and connection with the bay and I started fighting Formosa’s expansion to stop their destruction of our bay. I had heard what they did in Taiwan and I was fighting to make sure it didn’t happen in Texas. I have fought Formosa for 35 years and what keeps me going is my connection with the bay. I believe it is alive and it feels to me like my grandmother. So I feel like I am fighting for family.

Diane Wilson (second from left) visiting the Formosa Plastice Factory in Point Comfort before conducting the hunger strike. Photo courtesy of the International Monitor Formosa Alliance

BH:  What are you attempting to draw attention to with your current hunger strike?

DW:  I believe in the power of hunger strikes to move things. I have did many and I have witnessed it. My intention is to force FPG in Taiwan to respond to the demands of the victims of the 2016 disaster that wiped out the fisheries and devastated the lives of thousands. The intention is to bring international attention on FPG’s callousness and disregard for humanity and the environment.

BH:  What have reactions to the hunger strike been to date? From general society? Local politicians? From Formosa itself?

DW:  Formosa Plastics, Texas said that they honored my right to protest but Formosa Plastics, Texas is not Formosa Plastics, USA. My response was that when I and Waterkeeper filed a citizen clean water suit against Formosa Plastics, Texas and Formosa Plastics, USA, it was Formosa Plastics, USA that negotiated the whole settlement and then called to FPG in Taiwan and got it okay. So I think these three companies—FP Texas, FP USA, and FPG, Taiwan—are pretty well connected.

Globally, we have 12 different countries that have shown their support for the hunger strike and many NGOs that have helped spread the word of the strike. Local politicians? I think they are pretty quiet because if they speak up they are afraid they will loose their contracts or good favor or donation from Formosa. Calhoun County still has too much fear from Formosa to speak their mind. But I do get workers and citizens who speak to me privately that they like what I am doing.
Photo courtesy of the International Monitor Formosa Alliance
BH:  Formosa is, of course, a Taiwanese company, but there has been relative lack of action regarding its actions globally from the Taiwanese public. What would you say to the Taiwanese public about why they should care about Formosa?

DW:  I remember when I went to Taiwan during the first Desert Storm. I was totally blown away by the courageousness and passion that the Taiwanese activists had for their environment. It inspired me in my activism, so I’m astonished with the question. The Taiwan people were my role models. I just know Formosa Plastics Group , wherever they are, have to be made accountable. If not, they will destroy. In Texas, in Louisiana, in Vietnam, and in Taiwan. Right now, we have banded together, USA, Taiwan, Vietnam.  We will fight to make FPG accountable. No more!

BH:  Lastly, is there anything you would like to say in closing to readers?

DW:  I wrote a letter to the Chairman of Formosa Plastic Group, Jason Lin. I said I couldn’t believe he thought a future could be created for FPG by wrecking the communities where they did business.  That was not a future. Eventually those practices would bring Formosa Plastics Group down. Below is the letter i wrote to Chairman, Taiwan, Vice President, FP USA, and plant manager, Point Comfort, Texas:

Dear Mr. Chairman,
I don’t know what you are doing today, but I’m on my 18th day on a water-only hunger fast and sitting in the ditch in front of Formosa Plastics, Point Comfort, Texas. I can see the reactors and the administration building from where I sit. I have been in this ditch for 18 days. The reason you well know. On May 31st, we spoke before your officers and shareholders in about us concerns and our issues in the communities we call home.

After our talk, you promised to get back to us soon. You did not. Then more recently, in September and before we had a congressional briefing about the situation with your company in Vietnam, we sent you a letter and let you know what we were going to do at the briefing. We also let you know that if we didn’t get a response that we would be launching a global hunger strike. Again, you did not, and we launched our global hunger strike in front of your subsidiary Formosa Plastics, Texas. Currently, we have over 12 countries who have joined the strike.

The purpose of this hunger strike is very upfront and valid. We want Formosa Plastic Group to be accountable for their destructive business practices, and, in particular for this hunger strike, to be accountable for the 2016 Formosa Ha Tinh steel factory discharge that devastated the fisheries and the lives of thousands of fishermen in Vietnam. I know Formosa Plastics likes to tout how sustainable and green they are becoming. I see the zero emission trucks go by. I have seen the articles written by some engineers and lawyers bragging about Formosa Plastics, Texas sustainability. That is not right.

I talk to your workers. I know what goes on inside the plant and I am a plaintiff in the lawsuit that found Formosa Plastics Texas guilty of 2,500 Clean Water Act violations in 2019. It was our Consent Decree that monitored Formosa Plastics, Texas and found them violating the Clean Water Act 537 times and penalized them 13.3 million dollars. If your company truly wants to paint yourself as sustainable and a good corporate citizen, then you will first have to be responsible for all the damage you have done in Vietnam and compensate the fishermen. Until then it is all just talk, talk, talk.

We will continue this global strike and I, personally, will remain in front of your Gate 3 in Point Comfort, Texas until we have a genuine response from you all. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Diane Wilson,
San Antonio Bay Estuarine Waterkeeper
International Monitor Formosa Alliance (www.4IMFA.org)
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