Walis Pelin
| Walis Perin | |
|---|---|
| 瓦歷斯·貝林 | |
| Minister of the Council of Indigenous Peoples | |
|
In office 10 March 2005 – 21 May 2007 |
|
| Preceded by | Chen Chien-nien |
| Succeeded by | Icyang Parod |
| Member of the Legislative Yuan | |
|
In office 1 February 1993 – 31 January 2005 |
|
| Constituency | Highland Aborigine |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
8 August 1952 Nantou County, Taiwan |
| Nationality | Republic of China |
| Political party | Democratic Progressive Party (since 2015) |
| Other political affiliations |
Independent (before 1995) Kuomintang (1995–98) (1998–2001) Taiwan Number One Party (Independent) (2001–2004) Non-Partisan Solidarity Union (2004–?) People First Party (2011–?) |
| Alma mater | Fu Jen Catholic University |
Walis Perin (Chinese: 瓦歷斯·貝林; born 8 August 1952) is a Taiwanese aboriginal politician. He served four terms in the Legislative Yuan from 1993 to 2005, each time with a different political affiliation. After losing reelection in 2004 under a fifth political party, he was appointed the minister for the Council of Indigenous Peoples in 2005. He stepped down in 2007, and since then has launched two unsuccessful legislative campaigns, in 2012 and 2016, each time with different political parties.
Walis Perin was born in Nantou County on 8 August 1952 and obtained a bachelor's degree in philosophy followed by a master's degree in theology, both from Fu Jen Catholic University. He served as a Roman Catholic priest until 1986, when he won a seat on the Nantou County Council. Prior to 2008, when the government granted official status to the Seediq people, Wallis Perin was described as an Atayal.
Walis Perin won a seat on the Second Legislative Yuan as an independent in 1992. He ran under the Kuomintang banner in 1995, and won a second term. By 1998, Walis Perin left the KMT for the Democratic Non-Partisan Alliance, but again managed to keep his legislative seat. Walis Perin split from the DNPA to run for reelection yet again in 2001. He joined the Taiwan Number One Party, and was covered in Taiwanese media as an independent. In 2002, Walis Perin and other legislators reestablished a caucus for independents, of which he was named the convener.
As a legislator, Walis Perin worked extensively to protect aboriginal autonomy and culture. He proposed a bill that sought to form an aboriginal parliament and constitution, and has supported initiatives to cut the aboriginal unemployment rate. In further defense of aboriginal rights, Walis Perin has been known to lead protests. He and nine others founded the Non-Partisan Solidarity Union in June 2004. A month later, Vice President Annette Lu commented that aboriginals were not first to live on the island of Taiwan. Walis Perin planned a rally to counter the remark, and also said, "[Lu's] suggestion that Aboriginal people are not native to Taiwan and are outsiders is disrespectful and stems from an ignorance of the culture and history of the indigenous people." Shortly after the incident, it was recommended that the Council of Indigenous Peoples merge with the Hakka Affairs Council and the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission. The CIP and Walis Perin panned the suggestion, and the merger did not occur. In December, running as a Non-Partisan Solidarity Union candidate, Walis Perin was defeated in the legislative elections.
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