Chen doubts Lien's reform stance

Premier Yu Shyi-kun, third right, listens as President Chen Shui-bian, left, delivers a speech during a ceremony at the Democratic Progressive Party's headquarters yesterday. The ceremony, commemorating former DPP chairman Huang Hsin-chieh, marked the opening of an exhibition of photos and papers documenting Huang's dedication to the pro-democracy movement. PHOTO: CNA

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will not allow the pan-blue camp's "new thieves" to dominate constitutional reform in the legislature, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday, three days after the pan-blue-controlled legislature passed a controversial referendum law that all but prohibits votes concerning national sovereignty.

He compared legislators of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-People First Party (PFP) alliance to members of the Legislative Yuan before it was reformed in the early 1990s who were elected from China but refused to give up their seats. At the time, these lawmakers were described as "old thieves."

"In April 1991, our former party chairman Huang Hsin-chieh (黃信介) once led the national movement of pushing for complete parliamentary reform," Chen said. "He had even been put in jail for leading a march advocating `people directly electing the president, opposing constitutional amendments by those old thieves (總統直選、反老賊修憲)' to awaken the public," Chen said.

"Since the DPP opposed those `old thieves,' the party will not be willing to see the `new thieves' dominating constitutional amendments," Chen said at a ceremony marking the fourth anniversary of the death of Huang.

In connection with the memorial service, an exhibition of photos and documents featuring Huang's dedication to the pro-democracy movement during Taiwan's martial law era is being held at DPP headquarters.

When reviewing the historical photos of democratic events Huang was involved in, Chen focused on one showing Huang and other DPP heavyweights holding a big banner during a march on Taipei City to advocate direct elections for the president and opposing "old thieves" amending the Constitution.

Before 1992, the Legislative Yuan and the National Assembly -- the main organ that amended the Constitution -- were organized to represent the entire Republic of China, and the majority of members were elected from China before 1949.

Chen that drawing up a new constitution was the DPP's fundamental policy and the party would not trust the pan-blue camp, who had been an obstacle to the DPP's democratic reform efforts over the past few decades but now had the audacity to proclaim their devotion to constitutional reform.

"We don't want constitutional amendments as advocated by the opposition camp," Chen said. "What the DPP wants is to formulate a brand new constitution that fits Taiwan's present reality and strengthens its young democracy."

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) had little to say about Chen's accusations about KMT lawmakers, but went on the offensive over Chen's threat to hold a referendum on March 20 regarding as yet undefined sovereignty issues.

Lien that the KMT-PFP alliance would make no further response to Chen's referendum plan if the president retracts the proposal. He said that the pan-blue camp would not fall for the trap set by Chen and reconsider the Referendum Law (公民投票法) passed last week in the legislature.

Speaking a crowd gathered at a KMT-PFP alliance campaign rally last night at Panchiao Stadium, Lien accused Chen of using radical rhetoric with animosity. Lien warmed him to "abide by the rules of the game" and not provoke Beijing with the hope of getting elected on the back of Beijing's menacing responses.

Quoting terms in the recently passed Referendum Law regarding a "defensive referendum," under which "the president is entitled to initiate a referendum on national security issues when the country faces external threats to its security and changes in its sovereignty," Lien questioned Chen's proposal by asking, "Has [our country's] status quo changed?"

"Chen has no reason -- except for his election campaign -- to cross the red line of the international community, force Taiwan to face Communist China's military threat and generate an excuse for China to attack Taiwan by force," said Lien, who is challenging Chen in the presidential election to be held on March 20 next year.

"It is harder to guard against the president than against a thief," Lien said.