Hard to swallow
Control Yuan President Wang Chien-shien has likened the execution of innocent people to accidentally choking to death on stewed meat (“Taiwan to carry out executions ‘soon,’” (Dec. 20, page 1). Since these are accidents, we do not need to ban either stewed meat or the death penalty.
However, the death penalty is not an “accident”; it is much more like forcing the stewed meat down a person’s throat. It is carried out on people imprisoned with no hope of escape or release. Wang also alleges that people in favor of abolition are not concerned about justice for victims.
This is untrue. Those of us opposed to the death penalty have consistently asked for real concern for victims on a long-term basis. We do not believe the execution of another person can solve all the psychological, financial and moral needs of victims. We also believe that the government’s present system of financial recompense is so bureaucratic that many victims are not interested in making claims.
Wang’s view that human nature is like “serpents and fierce beasts” is at variance with the dominant Confucian culture which follows Mencius. It also betrays a failure to appreciate the background of poverty, broken families and unemployment, which are often the circumstances in which emotions get out of control and fatal incidents occur.
The government cannot be expected to improve everything, but it does have a duty to address the socio-economic environment of the poor. Moreover, that is one of the commitments it has undertaken by ratifying the International Covenant on Socio-Economic and Cultural Rights. Wang’s speech shows a basic lack of appreciation for human rights in general.
Clearly, Taiwan needs to improve human rights education for its leaders and save the country from yet another miscarriage of justice, or perhaps Wang would be content to choke on the meat of the death penalty? The logic of his argument presumes so.
Edmund Ryden
New Taipei City
Against media monopoly
The Taiwanese Human Rights Association of Canada (THRAC) wishes to express our support and admiration for students in Taiwan who are leading the fight against media monopoly by a pro-China ownership group. We call on regulators in Taiwan to reject this takeover by Tsai Eng-meng’s (蔡衍明) cartel.
The domination of Taiwan’s media by a pro-Chinese ownership has frightening implications for the future of Taiwan and should be of grave concern to all supporters of freedom of speech. THRAC is following the situation and is willing to respond to any specific calls to action.
Michael Stainton
Nikki Lin
So Cheng-hian
Austin Yan
Nick Chen
Scott Simon
Taiwanese Human Rights Association of Canada
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
Can US dialogue and cooperation with the communist dictatorship in Beijing help avert a Taiwan Strait crisis? Or is US President Joe Biden playing into Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) hands? With America preoccupied with the wars in Europe and the Middle East, Biden is seeking better relations with Xi’s regime. The goal is to responsibly manage US-China competition and prevent unintended conflict, thereby hoping to create greater space for the two countries to work together in areas where their interests align. The existing wars have already stretched US military resources thin, and the last thing Biden wants is yet another war.
As Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s party won by a landslide in Sunday’s parliamentary election, it is a good time to take another look at recent developments in the Maldivian foreign policy. While Muizzu has been promoting his “Maldives First” policy, the agenda seems to have lost sight of a number of factors. Contemporary Maldivian policy serves as a stark illustration of how a blend of missteps in public posturing, populist agendas and inattentive leadership can lead to diplomatic setbacks and damage a country’s long-term foreign policy priorities. Over the past few months, Maldivian foreign policy has entangled itself in playing