Editorial: The unkindest cut of all

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) is in hot water -- and the temperature is rising fast. The opposition alliance appears ready to raise its recall motion at the legislature. Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers have been trying to cook up a Taiwanese version of "Monicagate" by hinting that Chen may have had an affair with his translator. But the cruelest blow has been delivered by former DPP chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德), who has tendered his resignation from the party.

Shih is the second former DPP chairman to quit the party, following Hsu Hsin-liang (許信良) last year. His resignation will certainly have an impact on the DPP's public image and internal unity.

Shih has been called "Taiwan's Nelson Mandela." He was jailed as a political prisoner for 25 years, compared to Mandela's 26. But since emerging from prison, the two men have faced very different political destinies. Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize, was elected president of South Africa and gained international renown. Shih reached his highest political level with the chairmanship of the DPP, which he resigned in 1996 to take responsibility for an election defeat.

Though a leader of the "tangwai" (黨外) movement -- the predecessor of the DPP -- Shih has drifted away from the the party in recent years. A staunch believer in Taiwan independence, Shih nevertheless proclaimed that the DPP, after coming to power, need not declare independence. He was fiercely criticized within the DPP for advocating the withdrawal of Taiwan troops from Kinmen and Matsu, and reconciliation between political parties. But the DPP later adopted these policies. Last September Shih wrote to then party chairman Lin I-hsiung (林義雄) about wanting to quit the party, but Lin managed to persuade him to stay.

After Chen's election victory in March, Shih advocated building a coalition alliance in the Legislative Yuan. He also sought the speaker's position to stabilize the foundation for the DPP government. But Chen rejected his proposal and instead agreed with the KMT to have incumbent speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) stay on. Relations between Shih and Chen have been icy ever since.

Shih's recent disagreement with Chen has centered around the president's perceived ineptness at governing and his lack of respect for party elders. Shih has deplored the fact that the DPP, even after coming to power, has continued to resort to mass activism to resolve political disputes. He also recommended that Chen ask former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) to help resolve the current political impasse. Above all, he has recommended that Chen abide by Taiwan's semi-presidential system, give the premier's post to the KMT and build a majority alliance in the legislature. For his efforts, Shih has been ostracized by the DPP.

Given the DPP's current size, no individual member's departure -- even a former chairman -- is likely to shake the party's foundations. But the departure of a symbolic figure such as Shih is a sign of serious problems in the party's internal power structure and communication channels, as well as its lack of tolerance. The DPP cannot afford to ignore these structural problems because these are the same problems that have caused the enmity between the political parties and across the Taiwan Strait.

Chen is now facing tremendous challenges from both within and without. If he cannot persuade Shih to change his mind or weather the bite of a scandal released by his own erstwhile supporters, then it would be very difficult for him to fight the opposition alliance's recall bid. But before he does all these, Chen needs to calm down and think hard: What exactly went wrong to lead to such a string of disasters?