Yesterday, calling for "truth, democracy and peace," pan-blue supporters took to the streets. Although some people claimed they were protesting China's "Anti-Secession" Law, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (
Although the truth behind the shooting incident has not emerged in its entirety, prosecutors and police have pinpointed Chen Yi-hsiung (
The pan-blue camp is unhappy with both the process surrounding last year's presidential election and its outcome. They filed lawsuits to have the election and its results invalidated. Both lawsuits were defeated in the courts, and the verdicts are now being appealed. The pan-blues do not trust the judiciary, but they still have to appeal through that same judiciary. This is as contradictory as accepting Chen Shui-bian's (
A year after the election, the majority of Taiwanese accept the legitimacy of Chen's presidency. They are looking to the future, and the numbers participating in yesterday's demonstration were far lower than last year's post-election demonstrations. People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (
Moreover, the KMT's actions have taken place under the shadow of war that has been cast by the enactment of the Anti-Secession Law, with its direct reference to the use of "non-peaceful means" against Taiwan. The KMT refuses to stand shoulder-to-shoulder against this external threat by participating in the upcoming March 26 rally, but instead organized its own rally yesterday in which it sought to stand against the president.
This was a serious political miscalculation. The March 26 rally is intended to announce to China and the world that the sovereignty of Taiwan and the power to decide the fate of Taiwan lies with the Taiwanese people, that this issue transcends party and ethnic differences and relates directly to the welfare of the Taiwanese people. For this reason, everyone should participate in it.
The KMT has said that it refuses to participate in the March 26 rally because this might lead to an error of judgement on the other side of the Strait as a way of drawing support to their March 19 rally, as well of upholding their position of not endorsing the legitimacy of Chen's presidency and not giving any assistance to the pan-green cause.
Its real purpose is to pave the way for KMT Chairman Lien Chan's visit to China in June. The fact that the KMT is unwilling to offend China in any way is perfectly obvious. When faced with a foreign enemy, the normal response is to put aside prejudices and fight the common foe, but the KMT's politicians have shown themselves to be selfish and to place the party's interests above that of the country.
Resolving these internal disputes is Taiwan's most urgent task.
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