70,000 gather to tout peace

Chiayi County Commissioner Chen Ming-wen, left to right, Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh, former president Lee Teng-hui, Tainan County Commissioner Su Huan-chih and Pingtung County Commissioner Su Chia-chuan join hands during yesterday's rehearsal for the Feb. 28 demonstration. PHOTO: YANG CHIN-CHENG, TAIPEI TIMES

More than 70,000 people in Tainan County yesterday successfully joined hands to form a 62km-long human chain as a precursor to the upcoming 1-million-person human chain scheduled to be formed on Feb. 28 to demonstrate Taiwanese people's desire for peace and opposition to China's missile threats.

Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), the organizer of the "228 Hand-in-Hand Rally," yesterday participated in a walkabout and motorcade tour to show support and his regard for the people joining the line.

The rehearsal yesterday was led by Lee and Kaohsiung City Mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷).

Addressing the crowd, Lee said "the rehearsal has successfully been accomplished today and we've gained precious experience in how to act when the 1 million people rally takes place on Feb. 28. The efforts off each of you have paid off."

Lee said the event signifies the will of Taiwanese people to counter aggression from China, which has never given up on its desire to possess Taiwan.

"China has never changed in its ambition to consume Taiwan. Therefore, the people of Taiwan should stand up to protect the nation with their own hands and express their will to resist such aggression," Lee said.

The former president said Taiwan needs to be further democratized, which requires a comprehensive recognition from all the nation's people of their national identity.

"Although the martial law period has long been over, psychologically, the people have yet to be rid of the martial law blues. That's why all the people of Taiwan should join together, regardless of ethnicity, gender, age or political orientation, to counter the missile threat from China and to show the world that Taiwan is a peace-loving, democratic country," Lee said.

He urged the people to speak their minds and support the home-grown political power led by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) with all their heart and soul in the coming presidential election.

The rehearsal, held in Tainan County with the backdrop of President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) hometown, received exuberant support from Tainan residents, who lined up along Provincial Highway No. 1.

The event climaxed at 2:28pm, when all the participants linked their hands together and chanted the slogans "anti-missile" and "peace referendum."

As the rally in Tainan County yesterday is a precursor for the upcoming "228 Hand-in-Hand Rally," the organizer plans to hold another rehearsal across five counties and cities in northern Taiwan on Feb. 14.

The event was organized by a national association supporting Chen, which is a joint alliance comprising many private groups and headed by former president Lee.

Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Secretary-General Lin Chih-chia (林志嘉) said although the party has mobilized 200,000 people to participate in the event on Feb. 28, difficulties remain in soliciting enough people for a human chain which is 500km in length from northern Keelung County to southern Pingtung County.

Lin said the organizer was particular concerned about an envisaged gap in the mountainous area of the central Miaoli County, which is populated with Hakka people and has been lackluster in its support of the pan-green camp.

DPP Legislator Tu Wen-ching (杜文卿) is the only legislator rep-resenting the DPP in the constituency in Miaoli, and the party holds no seats on the county council.