Who’s really to blame?
After Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林) returned home, there was deep disappointment. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government, which oppressed the public during his visit, is blaming the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for the protests, and the DPP is blaming the protesters and the KMT. What is this nation coming to?
The DPP should not be pushing the blame on the protesters. As people who had to fight for their rights in their own country, they should be supporting them.
The DPP should shoulder full responsibility for the protests, and proudly so. It is very disappointing to see the DPP join the blame game and let down the hardworking protesters — those who trust the DPP to save the sovereignty of this country. How many people will join the demonstration against the pandas if the DPP is pushing its own supporters away?
Is Taiwan too busy trying to save face to protect its own people? Will Taiwanese sacrifice their human rights, their democracy and their own country just for a better economy?
Under police orders, Taiwanese didn’t even have the right to hold up their own nation’s flag, and some had their flags confiscated. People were beaten to the ground with sticks for simply standing in the way of the police.
All the people wanted was to express their own opinion in a land of freedom of expression. Is this a crime?
In Chinese eyes it is. Beijing thinks we need to kowtow and follow its orders as a precondition to talks on improving cross-strait relations. No politics involved this time? How about the signing of the panda agreement?
Even the foreign press is disappointed with the abuse of human rights in Taiwan, but who is supporting the protesters? The DPP? No. The Sunrise store owner? No. She blames it on the police and the protesters. So who supports the protesters except for the protesters themselves? Should we be trying to save face by blaming them or trying to save our country by joining them?
For once, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was right on one point: “You can’t just mobilize a crowd to attend a rally and then say the protesters were not your people when violent incidents occur. Is that being responsible? I don’t think it’s appropriate.”
Taiwanese should proudly join the protesters.
Take a look at protests around the world. Taiwanese protests are harmless compared with the protests even in Europe. Six hundred thousand people protested peacefully, and what did they get in return? Seven thousand police officers and the government’s refusal to offer more rally permits. The KMT government listened, but apparently not in a supportive manner. So it is only natural for the average citizen to respond in the manner the protesters did.
Why did DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) order the protesters to leave at 5:30pm when they were simply protecting their own rights?
Alex Raymond
Kaohsiung
Ma has lost his mandate
When Ma was elected president with 58 percent of the vote he was given a powerful mandate by the Taiwanese public. He promised to “move Taiwan forward.” He had the opportunity to heal divisions in Taiwanese society.
Instead, it seems he is taking the country in the opposite direction. His actions are creating further divisions. He is setting back the cause of reconciliation.
The president has ultimate responsibility for the country’s national security. In the past week he has acted in a manner that shows a reckless disregard for that responsibility.
The actions of police in seizing Republic of China flags while allowing the display of the flag of communist China sent a powerful message to Taiwanese. The country’s sovereignty was under threat as the government sought to kowtow to China. Taking to the streets to peacefully protest was the only avenue people had to express their concerns.
Setting up barbed-wire barricades created a situation in which police and protesters were unnecessarily put at risk. That Ma went ahead with his meeting with Chen shows a distinct lack of judgment.
It is essential that Ma publicly apologize for the incidents that took place last week.
He must also ensure that there is a proper investigation into alleged human rights abuses.
If Ma cannot confirm his commitment to uphold human rights and safeguard Taiwan’s sovereignty, then he has lost his mandate.
He is no longer the people’s president.
David Reid
Sindian, Taipei County
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