Fri, Mar 19, 2004 page1

• Breaking News President, vice president shot on campaign eve

  • By Lin Chieh-yu / STAFF REPORTER
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  President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮)were shot yesterday afternoon while leading a motorcade in Tainan City butwere assessed to be in good condition after being sent to the Chi mei

  Medical Center in adjacent Yungkang City, Tainan County.

  The government immediately called a national security meeting at the Presidential Office to activate emergency security measures, including the convening of a special Cabinet task force and the upgrading of military

  readiness.But today's presidential election and referendum will proceed as normal.

  “The presidential election and the referendum will be held in accordance with the original schedule on Saturday. We hope that everyone in the country will keep calm and proceed with voting normally to strengthen Taiwan's

  democracy,” Premier Yu Shyi-kun said at the conclusion of the one-hour meeting.

  Yu also said that because Chen was not seriously hurt, he would be fully capable of continuing with his presidential duties.Initial reports of the shooting emerged at 2:15pm, but both the government and the DPP at first would not confirm them.

  Chen's top aide, Secretary General to the President Chiou I-jen (邱義仁),then held a press conference at 3:30pm, saying that the president and vice president had been injured, but that fortunately their lives were not in danger and that both were conscious.

  Chiou said the shooting occurred at 1:45pm, when Chen and Lu, standing side-by-side on a jeep in a Tainan City motorcade, were struck by bullets as they passed near the intersection of Wenhsien Rd and Chinhua Rd cross-road, and thousands of supporters crowded as well as the firecrackers

  spreading everywhere, none of security guards found the gunshot.

  “The vice president first felt sharp pain on her right knee, then the president felt that his right stomach was wet,” said secretary general to the president Chiou I-jen (邱義仁), “he lift his jacket then found blood.”

  Chiou said that security guards escorted Chen and Lu to the hospital, while the public didn't aware of the gunshot event, but there was a clear bullet hole on the windscreen of Chen's jeep.

  “The National Police Administration and Minister of Justice have organized a special task force to take charge in the investigation.

  “As to those issues, including that who or what institute made the crime,how many bullets, or was there any witness, the government has no any concrete answer for the time being,” Chiou said.

  Questioning by the media about the president's protective measurement, Chiou admitted that both Chen and Lu didn't wear bullet-proof vests yesterday,stressing that the entire national security system will be reviewed.

  Shocking by the event, the DPP and the KMT both decided to call off all campaign activities, especially those night rallies, to prevent from arousing the public's emotional action.

  “We ask all supporters to keep in calm and not to show any irrational behavior,” said DPP campaign headquarters chief Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄).

  Chang said that the part condemned the violence and hope that the government can arrest the person who committed such a crime.

  KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰), the pan-blue camp's presidential candidate,expressed his concern to Chen and Lu, saying that he and his party hope them

  passed the accident.

  “We also expect that the government give the public a clear fact about the gunshot event as soon as possible,” said Lien.

  Supporters from the pan-blue and pan-green camps gathered to sing and pray for the peace of the country. Chen's wife Wu Shu-chen (吳淑珍) and family members also went to the Presidential Office for listening to briefing.

  “Thanks god, my husband is alive, I don't care about whether he wins the election is not, I just want he to be ok,” said Wu, quoting by Yao Chia-wen (姚嘉文), the President of Examination Yuan, who accompanied with Wu at the Presidential Election yesterday afternoon.

  During the press conference after the high-level national security meeting,Premier Yu Shyi-kun announced that the entire government is operating in normal situation since President Chen can fully take charge in his administration.

  “The emergency mechanism we have adopted at the moment include that the abinet has set up a task force to cope with all possible developments, the military and police department strengthen their duty,” said Yu.

  Minister of National Defense Tang Yao-ming (湯曜明) also vowed that the military is well-prepared to handle with any kind of situation, especially China's action.

  “We have closely monitored the Taiwan Strait and South-East coast of China,and so far there is nothing strange,” said Tang.

  The National Security Bureau, which is the government department to shoulder the responsibilities of all candidates and the head of state's security,

  expressed regret to fail ensure the president and the vice president's security, saying it will review all security efforts“Our top priority is to arrest the suspect, and we will absolutely shoulder all responsibilities of our inadequate performances,” said National Security Bureau Deputy Director Wang Chin-wang (王進旺) at the press

  conference.

  Asking by the media to introduce the course of the event, Yu and Chiou both stressed that the government needs times to allow further investigating.

  Foreign media also concern whether there is any international leader expressed concern on Taiwan's president gunshot incident, Minister of Eugene

  Chien (簡又新) said that many foreign countries' ambassadors,representatives, and Taiwan's allies have contacted the government to

  express their bless to Chen and Lu's health as well as Taiwan.

  “Such as American Institute in Taiwan Director Douglas Paal has already contacted with us to express sympathy and solicitude for the incident,”

  said Chien.

  As to whether the gunshot will affect Taiwan's democracy, Chien said that since Taiwan is still a young democracy, we hope the election be be held peacefully and, “we do not want to be punished by that event at the democratic moment.”

  After the medical treatment under the Chimei hospital's special team and three doctors of the president's medical task force, President Chen and Vice President Lu took the administrational chartered-plane back to Taipei around 7:30 p.m. and they retuned to residence for more rests.
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