Huge turnout expected for anti-nuclear rally

Organizers hope that 100,000 people will turn out in Taipei today to demonstrate against construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant (核四).

But, aside from opposition to the power plant, the demonstrators have a far from unified agenda.

Some anti-nuclear activists are expected to be harshly critical of the government and President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) for allowing a resumption of the plant's construction after it was halted in October last year. There is also expected to be a large contingent from the DPP anxious to deflect this criticism onto the opposition parties, whose support for the plant in the legislature forced the government to reverse itself.

Activists from the Nuclear Free Country Action Alliance (非核國家行動聯盟), the main organizer of today's "224 Anti-nuclear Demonstration" (二二四反核大遊行), said yesterday that they welcomed all anti-nuclear people and groups.

"We will tolerate all anti-nuclear opinions delivered by participants. As long as they call for a referendum on the plant," said Kao Cheng-yan (高成炎), a leader of the demonstration.

Demonstrators will be led by anti-nuclear groups, which will walk at the beginning of the line. The second and third groups will be composed of residents from not only Taipei City but also other counties. DPP supporters will be placed in the last group of demonstrators.

One of the highlights of today's demonstration will be an exchange of A-bian campaign caps for T-shirts (扁帽換T恤) with slogans saying "Referendum on the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant (核四公投)" and "The People Decide (人民做主)."

"DPP supporters should abandon their obsession with certain political figures and learn to decide essential public policies on their own," said Shih Shin-min (施信民), chairman of the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union.

Anti-nuclear activists said that they were utterly unsatisfied with Premier Chang Chun-hsiung's (張俊雄) decision to resume the construction of the plant.

"We hope the demonstration will not only express our unhappiness but also inspire more people to rethink existing energy policies in Taiwan," said Chen Yi-shen (陳儀深) of the Taiwan Association of University Professors.

Chen, also one of the leaders of the demonstration, said that anti-nuclear sentiment would also be expressed through art, including the singing of anti-nuclear songs and the use of laser lights to project anti-nuclear slogans on the Presidential Office building.

In addition, activists from the alliance yesterday denied that the DPP had become deeply involved in the activity.

"DPP [members] did attend our strategy meetings and have mobilized party members to join us. But the DPP will be only one of four groups in the line," said Kao.

Opposed to the DPP's involvement, 30 students from seven universities burned the DPP party flag and those of the other three opposition parties in front of the party's national headquarters yesterday.

"The DPP is no different from the other parties -- dominated by selfish political figures who care about nothing but elections," said Chu Wei-li (朱維立), spokesperson for the students.