"The government will adequately respect indigenous culture, lifestyles and social customs in the post-disaster reconstruction process, " said Tsai Hsun-hsiung, chairman of the Cabinet-level Council for Economic Planning and Development and head of an ad hoc post-Morakot reconstruction promotion committee.

Speaking at a news conference hosted by the Government Information Office, Tsai said an expert team has carefully inspected 64 tribal villages devastated by typhoon-triggered flooding and landslides in early August, and found that 33 of them are vulnerable to natural disasters and not safe to reside in.

Its inspection also found that 21 other villages are safe and that the 10 others are either partially or conditionally safe, Tsai said.

Relocating villagers to a safe location closest to their original hometown will be the top operational guideline during the resettlement process, the CEPD chief said.

"We fully understand that some tribal people look forward to an early return to their original settlements and that many others are worried about forced relocation to other villages or even farther away townships," he said.

Tsai noted that the Cabinet-level Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP) has stepped up its communication with tribal inhabitants to facilitate the process.

The CIP has so far organized nearly 500 presentations for indigenous peoples on resettlement issues, and if tribes want a re-examination of their original villages, the government will fulfill their wish, Tsai pledged.

He also reaffirmed the government's previous promise that if all damaged roadways are repaired, electricity and water supply is resumed and all other day-to-day safety measures are ensured, displaced indigenous peoples will be allowed to return to their home villages before Christmas.

"The government will definitely make good on its promise on resettlement and exercise prudence in identifying dangerous areas while refraining from forcing indigenous peoples to accept its concepts or plans without prior communications, " Tsai reiterated.

(By Lee Ming-chung and Sofia Wu)