KMT backs second 319 committee

Pan-blue camp supporters impersonate President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Lu in a mock portrayal of the assassination attempt on them on March 19 last year as the anti-government rally leaves the Sungshan Tobacco Factory in Taipei yesterday. PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES

Declaring it would continue the pursuit of the "truth" behind last year's assassination attempt on the president and vice president, the pan-blue camp yesterday rallied supporters in a return to Ketagalan Boulevard yesterday on the anniversary of the incident it claims decided the presidential election.

Speaking the "319 Democracy, Peace and Truth" rally yesterday, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) heavyweights called for the establishment of a new committee in the legislature to investigate the matter.

Speaking China's "Anti-Secession" Law, KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) blamed the Taiwanese government's "independence activities" for the tensions across the Taiwan Strait, saying that peace was the common wish of the Taiwanese people.

"It has already been a year. We are here today, not for any one person or party, but to take responsibility for our nation's history on behalf of the people. Political parties, including the KMT and the People First Party (PFP) can, in an unfair and unjust election, lose once. We can be lied to and deceived; this is something we cannot change. But the people and our society cannot afford to lose. We must seek justice for the sake of our nation's history," Lien told supporters.

Thousands pan-blue supporters, backed by gangsters from Mainlander organized-crime groups, staged demonstrations that lasted for weeks in front of the Presidential Office. They were protesting what they claimed to be the suspicious circumstances surrounding the March 19 shooting of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) as well as the subsequent narrow pan-green election victory.

Yesterday, the pan-blue camp criticized the Chen administration for "blocking" its efforts to discover the "truth" behind the assassination attempt.

A committee set up by the legislature last year to investigate the shooting faced many difficulties because the administration refused to cooperate with it, Lien said.

"How is it possible that public servants have the right to deny the requests of an organization created for the people?" Lien asked.

Thus, he said, legislation should be passed establishing a second committee.

Lien the administration and its pro-independence actions had prompted the Anti-Secession Law. However, he said, the Taiwanese people do not want to declare independence and China should understand that certain political figures do not represent the majority.

"Since China has said it hopes to end the standoff across the Strait, we must acknowledge that if we do not declare independence, China will not take military action," he said.

After finishing his remarks, Lien wiped tears from his eyes.

Also at yesterday's rally, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) and Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) echoed Lien's call for a second committee and peaceful cross-strait relations.

"The Legislative Yuan will do its best to find out the truth about the shooting through passing a statute so that the committee may be re-established according to the law," Wang said.

Wang the dissolution of the committee to obstacles such as the Constitutional Court finding an article in its statute unconstitutional, as well as the government's refusal to assist the investigation.

"The committee did not last because of a lack of manpower, resources and finances," Wang said.

Ma, who took the stage immediately after Wang, also called for a second investigative committee.

He said Taipei City Government was the only government body that had provided assistance to the committee during its deliberations.

"Every level of government refused to help the committee, with the exception of the Taipei City Government. The reason why we lent a hand was because we wanted to find out the truth," Ma said.

One leads to another, Ma said. If the shooting had not happened, cross-strait ties would not have deteriorated and China would not have passed the law.

The march began at Sungshan Tobacco Factory at 2:30pm. Sporting national flags, black balloons and headbands saying "Democracy, peace and truth," the marchers walked along Zhongxiao East Road and Renai Road before arriving at the evening rally.

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