The Double Ten National Day fiasco -- featuring fist fights, humiliation of the nation's leaders and illegal demonstrations -- was not only an embarrassment to President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) but also a blow to Taiwan's image.
Although most of the nasty behavior displayed by the pan-blue legislators was anticipated, intelligence and security agents nonetheless failed to adequately handle the pan-blues' loose-cannon protests.
Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) handling of the "siege" -- launched by Shih Ming-teh (施明德) and his anti-Chen colleagues -- also demonstrated a lack of leadership and decisiveness.
Regretfully, most media outlets were dumb to or intentionally overlooked Shih's "peaceful" but "revolutionary" approach to deposing Chen, as well as Ma taking advantage of the anti-Chen movement.
All of this political unrest originates from a terrible misunderstanding and the abuse of "people power."
In his campaign to oust Chen for alleged involvement in corrupt conduct, Shih has led more than a month of "red tide" sit-ins and marches and has taken some of his followers on a tour around the country to maintain momentum. Shih has repeatedly claimed that his campaign represents the collective will of the nation.
This "my way or the highway" mentality and practice is hugely disrespectful to the judicial and constitutional systems and poses a serious threat to social harmony and political stability. The pan-blue legislators' free-riding of Shih's campaign further sabotages the democratic achievements that Taiwanese have earned in the past two decades.
Shih's use of "people power" to pressure Chen while rejecting the rights of other citizens to have a government of their choice has deepened ethnic division and partisan differences.
Moreover, Shih's campaign has turned into a political theater highlighting his own "heroism" at the expense of due process, national unity, ethnic reconciliation, economic prosperity and public safety. Shih's incorporation of political pressure on the judicial branch investigating Chen's alleged misuse of funds was an explicit attempt to interfere with the independence of the judiciary.
Shih also has forgotten, or intentionally overlooked, the fact that there is also a large body of public opinion that does not agree with his words or his deeds. It is therefore imperative for all political parties and their leaders to recognize the meaning of "people power" and allow the public will to be manifested in a genuinely democratic manner through respect for democratic political institutions and due process.
Another important lesson to be learned is that while freedom of expression and advocacy must be respected, no politician, party or group should take advantage of this principle to endanger social stability and political order in the country or otherwise seriously infringe upon the rights of other citizens.
Ma's expression of innocence for being dragged into the anti-Chen movement and the limited numbers of police handling the "red shirt" demonstration illustrates his political irresponsibility. As mayor of the capital of Taiwan, it is Ma's duty to provide the majority of its citizens with a free, peaceful and unobstructed living environment to the best of his ability. Ma's fence-sitting will backfire on him if he runs in the next presidential election.
This year's national day will be a day for all politicians of this country to remember. A smart leader is one who knows how to incorporate negotiation and persuasion in decision-making without infringing on the principle of "people power." A good leader is one who is pragmatic in seizing the moment and responding to the public's need for a nation that can put aside partisan disputes.
Liu Kuan-teh is a Taipei-based political commentator.
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