Chen, Lu and Hsieh snub pro-independence activists

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) and Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) have decided to turn down invitations from pro-independence groups to take part in a series events organized to mark this year's 228 Peace Memorial Day.

"I am not sure whether it has anything to do with the Bian-Soong meeting," said secretary-general of the Northern Taiwan Society, Chet Yang (楊文嘉), referring to Thursday's meeting between Chen and People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜), whose party favors Taiwan's eventual unification with China.

A 10-point conclusion was produced following the meeting, which included Chen's reiteration that he will not promote Taiwan's independence or change the country's official name during his term in office. The joint statement irked many pan-green supporters, who berated Chen for surrendering to pro-unification forces.

Stating that the organizers respected the decision made by Chen, Lu and Hsieh, Yang said he would "for now withhold any critical comments with regard to their decision."

Titled "228 Free Taiwan Global Action" (自由台灣全球行動), an array of events have been jointly sponsored by groups including the Northern, Central, Southern and Eastern Taiwan Societies, as well as the Taiwan Professor's Association and a number of other pro-independence organizations.

The highlight of the events will be the gathering of a crowd holding light-emitting objects at numerous designated points nationwide and around the world on the night of Feb. 28 to express Taiwan's determination to safeguard its freedom and protest against China.

Invitations had been sent out to Chen, Lu and Hsieh, as well as heads of all political parties, to take part in these events, including one staged last night at the square in front of the Red Chamber in Taipei City to activate a 9m tall "E-Wish Tree" and a specially designed phone-booth that was installed at the square to allow people to record their opinions about China's proposed anti-secession law.

Scheduling conflicts were the other reasons cited by these politicians for their unavailability Yang said, adding that at one point a query was made about whether slogans such as "rectification of the country's name" and "constitution reconstruction" would be called out during the events.

While Chen, Lu and Hsieh chose to distance themselves from these events, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and his Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) counterpart Shu Chin-chiang (蘇進強) showed up at the event last night, along with Senior Presidential Adviser Koo Kwang-ming (辜寬敏) and pro-independence veteran Peng Ming-min (彭明敏).

Yang stressed that the events would not be affected by the absence of Chen and Lu and other political heavyweights.

"Whether an event is successful or not isn't measured by the attendance of political big guns," said Northern Taiwan Society chairman Wu Shuh-min (吳樹民).