「台灣還有多少土地能讓我們這樣做呼籲？」紀錄片導演陳進發昨（7）日對著大批媒體這麼說。由亞都麗緻集團總裁嚴長壽號召文化產業要角，聯合舉辦反建蘇花高的記者會上，包括了雲門舞集創辦人林懷民、原住民音樂家胡德夫、導演侯孝賢等多位重要藝文界與企業界人士，皆呼籲不管是今天的施政者，或未來的執政者，不應以蘇花高為短線操作的工具，對於花東地區的觀光、文化創意發展便宜行事，使之成為選舉的殺戮戰場。
依據環評審查要求，環保署預計3月中下旬再召開蘇花高環境差異分析審查會。嚴長壽表示，在此關鍵時刻，他召集這些關懷台灣的朋友，對政府施加壓力，尤其是監督政府的在野黨，應負很大的責任。嚴長壽說，這些朋友將成立「建設純淨花東義工組織」，募集花東地區的特色與解決辦法，提供政府參考，讓興建高速公路的建設計畫取消，而這樣的努力，到年底立委與2008總統選舉前，絕對不會鬆懈。
嚴長壽表示，這個行動不僅是阻擋蘇花高的興建，更要幫助花東地區的人民，看到更永續的未來，以國際的眼光讓世界看到台灣的特色。而蘇花高的興建，能夠帶來的只有週末假期的道路塞爆，和平日的冷清，而最大的獲益者，就是炒作地皮的建商和砂石業者。他說，要解決花東交通問題，有很多方法，只是看政府願不願意去做。
雲門舞集創辦人林懷民不希望花東成為另一個礁溪、或廬山，他說，過度的開發已使台灣變得醜陋，花東給予我們一些空間，不像台灣西部這麼複雜。如果蘇花高興建，造成生態的破壞，將是對我們心靈故鄉的封殺。
「有一天，我們將找不到自己家裡的門；我們將在自己的土地上再流浪一次，」曾經長期參與社運的原住民音樂家胡德夫表示，高速公路興建，將造成家鄉土地的破碎，他以原住民的身分，呼籲政府停建蘇花高。胡德夫表示蘇花高從開始說要蓋已經過了這麼多年，但相關的觀光配套措施卻根本沒有做。他說，這些錢可以拿來對當地做一些事，包括原住民孩子的教育。
共同參與連署呼籲停建蘇花高的，還包括中華電信基金會執行長徐璐、華碩電腦副董事長童子賢、普訊創投董事長柯文昌，以及荒野保護協會理事長李偉文、作家龍應台、中華電信董事長賀陳旦、新港文教基金會創會董事長陳錦煌、紙風車文教基金會執行長李永豐。
目前一些關心花蓮發展的人士也正進行網路連署，提出「發展花蓮大眾運輸交通工具」、「恢復花蓮海岸」、「發展花蓮社區特色小站」等優先訴求，要求政府停建蘇花高。
Influential people in Taiwan's cultural arts circles and business communities have joined forces to oppose what they call the government’s "myopic" plans for constructing the Su-Hua Highway on the island's undeveloped east coast.
Documentary director Chen Jin-fa addressed a large group of media on March 7 with the question, "How much land does Taiwan have left to save?"
During the press conference, Yan Chang-shou, CEO of the Landis Group of Hotels, called on influential figures in the cultural arts industry to stand united against the Su-Hua Highway.
Cloud Gate Dance Theatre founder Lin Huai-min, aboriginal musician Hu De-fu, and film director Hou Hsiao-shian are among those raising their voices against the proposed highway.
If constructed, critics say the highway would undermine the pristine sightseeing destinations and creative development of cultural heritage sites in the Hualien and Taitung region by opening up the area to floods of weekend tourists.
The approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) between the town of Suao in the north and the city of Hualien is a strip of land with its back to the Central Mountain Range and its face to the Pacific Ocean.
The present highway is narrow, winding and perilous, with a steep drop-off on one side and the constant threat of falling rocks and landslides on the other that is closed by landslides after earthquakes and by waterfalls during typhoons.
Taiwan's Public Construction Commission Chairman Wu Tze-cheng in February called for the public to support the proposed highway.
This issue has turned the region into a fierce battleground for the 2008 presidential election.
Based on environmental analysis survey findings, the Environmental Protection Administration, EPA, plans to convene another Su-Hua Highway environmental impact gap analysis meeting in late March.
The highway opponents say it is essential at this critical conjecture for friends who are concerned about Taiwan to put pressure on the government to stop the highway. It is particularly important for opposition political parties conducting governmental oversight to stand up and shoulder their responsibility, they said.
Yan said that these friends will form a Clean Hua-Tung Construction Volunteer Organization, presenting the government with a report on the unique Hualian and Taitung County features and resolutions for reference with the goal of halting plans for the highway construction.
These efforts will continue intensifying full force throughout the 2008 presidential election campaign.
Yan said that opposition means more than just halting the construction of the Su-Hua Highway. It will also significantly benefit the people of Hualien and Taitung region, he said, "allowing them to actualize more sustainable futures by allowing the world to see Taiwan’s unique qualities from a global perspective."
Construction of the Su-Hua Highway merely will function as a route for weekend and holiday traffic flow, he said, while it will remain virtually deserted during other periods.
The construction engineering companies and the cement industry will be the ones reaping the greatest benefit, said Yan.
Yan explained that there are many ways of resolving the Hua-Tung traffic problems, "It’s just a matter of whether or not the government is willing to take action."
Cloud Gate Dance Theater's Lin, does not want to see Hua-Tung become another Jiaoshi or Lushan. He says that over-development has already tarnished many parts of Taiwan’s natural beauty and splendor.
"Hualien and Taitung counties offer us the freedom of space far removed from Taiwan’s heavily developed western coast," said Lin. "If the Su-Hua Highway is built, it will destroy the natural environment and further uproot the soul of our homeland."
"One day we won’t be able to find the door to our homes, we will once again roam homeless on this land," said Hu, the long-time social activist and aboriginal musician. From an indigenous person’s identity he appeals to the government to stop the Su-Hua highway construction, warning that it will "shatter our homeland."
Hu said that many years have passed since the idea of building the Su-Hua Highway first arose, but the proposed tourism development plans have never been carried out. He said that the highway construction money could be better used by the local communities, for purposes including better education for aboriginal children.
Others who have signed the petition to stop construction of the Su-Hua Highway include Chunghwa Telecom Foundation President Hsu Lu, ASUSTek Computer Vice-President Tong Zi-hsien, Magis Networks Inc. Chairperson Ke Wen-chang, The Society of Wilderness President LE Wei-wen, the writer Long Ying-tai, Chunghwa Telecom Chairman He Chen-dan, Hsin-Kong Foundation Founder and Chairperson Chen Jin-huang, and the Paper Wind Mill Foundation Director Li Yung-feng.
These influential figures concerned about the Hua-Tung Highway issue have also set up online petitions - "Hualien County Mass Transit Development," "Revival of the Hualian County Coastline," and "Hualien County Community Cultural Sites Development." These are relevant issues that further support and put pressure on the government to stop construction of the Su-Hua Highway.
◎ 本文英文版與ENS合作刊登，刊載網址：
http://ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2007/2007-03-26-06.asp
