This letter was written during the week of Feb. 28, a day of remembrance and sorrow for all Taiwanese.
As we remember the tragic events of Feb. 28, 1947, the suffering of the victims and the terrible aftermath of continuous oppression, Taiwanese can take great pride in their tremendous achievement in peacefully transforming Taiwan into a thriving democracy that respects human rights.
The people of Taiwan know first-hand the bitter experience of a large nation oppressing a small nation. What better time than this for us, the undersigned foreign residents of Taiwan, to urge the president and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to join the millions of voices worldwide who condemn the use of military force against Iraq?
We call upon the president and the minister of foreign affairs to clearly express Taiwan's reservations concerning a US-led war upon Iraq; to stand up and express in clear terms Taiwan's opposition to the blind US path of unilateralism, a path which must only lead to broken alliances, death, suffering and more poverty in the world.
There can be no justification for a pre-emptive strike that will necessarily result in the deaths of thousands of innocents, either through direct military injury or through destruction of the physical environment and infrastructure.
Accusations of dictatorship in Iraq are no justification, only a thin excuse covering American interests. And such a strike will undoubtedly unleash more anger and attempts at retaliation against Americans and American allies -- among them, potentially, Taiwan.
We would urge the president and the minister of foreign affairs to recognize that kowtowing to the administration of US President George W. Bush does not increase Taiwan's security over the long run. Rather, it must alienate the majority of Americans (and the majority of world opinion) who do not agree with a strike against Iraq in the absence of the approval of the UN.
If Taiwan blindly follows the Bush administration, in contravention of the clear moral imperative to value the lives of all the peoples of the world, it stands to lose much of the legitimacy and world respect it has won through its own struggle for democracy. It stands to lose the power of moral suasion in its own quest for international standing.
Many nations of Europe, Latin America and Africa have shown their opposition to an attack on Iraq. Even Turkey's parliament has failed to approve American use of its territory for an attack, despite huge economic inducements.
Taiwan should likewise show that it is a sovereign nation with a sense of international judgment and justice, and demonstrate that it retains the right to (at the very least) neutrality. Only thus can Taiwan hope to claim its rightful, respected place in the ranks of independent nations -- a goal for which the president, his administration and the people of Taiwan have worked so hard.
We would urge the people of Taiwan in one strong voice to say:
"We stand for peace and multilateral, diplomatic solutions to world crises, not invasion and war -- not for Taiwan, not for Iraq, not for any people of the world."
This is the sincere understanding and intention of the following foreign residents of Taiwan: Linda Gail Arrigo(US), Elise DeVido (US), Lynn Miles (US), Peter Zarrow (US), Teri Silvio (US), Benjamin Carl Ryon (US), Stuart Hamby (US), Scott Simon (Canada),Rosanne Marie Cerello (Canada), Craig Douglas Meer (Australia), Martin Winn (Australia), Benoit Vermander (France), Peter O'Driscoll (UK) and Robin Brooks (UK).
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