Discrimination During COVID-19
affected by the pandemic.2 However, the package focused mostly on relief
and revitalization for individuals. The community landscape improvement
measure was the only measure that aimed to improve the overall community
infrastructure and environment, 3 and even this should be evaluated for
its effectiveness and goals in accordance with General Recommendation
No. 23 and the Indigenous Peoples Basic Law , which state that community
representatives should be invited to participate in the review of such measures.
4. The NHRC also observes that there were cases of discriminatory acts or
comments against indigenous peoples during the pandemic. In one case,
an indigenous elder who entered a convenience store and who did not
understand the real name registration process (for COVID prevention purposes)
was subjected to verbal abuse by another customer, who said, “(I will) call
the police if you don’t bow 90 degrees...indigenous people think they’re so
much better than everyone else...indigenous people are all spoiled rotten!”
He even videotaped and posted the incident online. Meanwhile, some local
governments oversimplified and blamed the spread of the pandemic on
cultural traditions and customs of the indigenous peoples. Although pandemic
control and prevention policies have since changed, government agencies
should continue to address the policy information gap and the gap in medical
resources between urban and rural areas. The authorities need to formulate
and promote improvement measures to prevent similar situations in the future.
2
The document, which can be found in the Severe Pneumonia with Novel Pathogens section on the Chinese version of
the CIP’s official website, indicates that the planned relief measures included: 1. Financial relief programs: interest-free
measures and interest subsidies; 2. Mobile payment rebates; 3. Community landscape improvements; and 4. Diversified
3
marketing of industries.
See the CIP Relief Package for Severe Pneumonia with Novel Pathogens-Community Landscape Improvements. Proposals
include: 1. Expanding community market locations and surroundings. 2. Renovating public facilities with cultural
implications. 3. Renovating and improving traditional houses. 4. Installing and maintaining trail signs and improving the
environment in recreation areas. 5. Upgrading and making improvements to community landscapes.
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