Sun, Nov 24, 2002 - Page 1 News List

Taipei sees biggest demo ever

GRIEVANCES Some 120,000 farmers and fishermen marched through the streets of the capital yesterday to raise government awareness of their growing problems

By Tsai Ting-I  /  STAFF REPORTER

Following the demonstration, both the Presidential Office and the Executive Yuan issued press releases emphasizing the government's intention to redress farmers and fishermen's grievances.

"As a farmer's child, the president is impressed by the farmers' and fishermen's democratic demonstration. The government will react to farmers' and fishermen's requests with sincerity and action," a Presidential Office press statement said.

The demonstration took nearly two months for TAFU to organize, in consultation with numerous labor groups including the National Teachers' Association (全國教師會) as well as the Committee for Action for Labor Legislation (工人立法行動委員會).

"The turnout for this demonstration is impressive, especially after the government has attempted to get them not to come, using all kinds of measures," said Cheng Tsun-chi (鄭村棋), director of Taipei City's Bureau of Labor Affairs, who has been involved in Taiwan's social movements for two decades.

Yan Jian-sian (顏建賢), secretary-general of TAFU, meanwhile, said "We will come back here every year, if the government doesn't react to our requests in the right way."

This story has been viewed 4177 times.
TOP top