Human rights in China were now reminiscent of the darkest days of Taiwan's past and should serve as a warning to the public what it would be like if the Chinese Communists were to ever control Taiwan, Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said yesterday.
Referring specifically to the persecution of followers of Falun Gong, Lu issued the warning while attending an exhibition on White Terror persecution during Martial Law.
The period of Martial Law began on May 19, 1949 and ended on July 15, 1987, one year after dissident Cheng Nan-jung (鄭南榕) launched a campaign to end Martial Law.
`Black day'
Recalling the 38 years that started with the "black day of May 19," Lu pointed at a photo at the exhibit showing herself and Council of Labor Affairs Minister Chen Chu (陳菊) in prison, saying that she had been luckier than many other human-rights activists in Taiwan.
Those "dark years" were brought about by a "foreign regime" and a "defeated regime," she said, referring to the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) of that era.
Lu said that if Taiwan was unfortunate enough to be ruled by a foreign regime again, it would be even more disastrous.
Lu raised the "failed negotiations" between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
`Harsh warning'
"This should serve as a harsh warning to those advocating another round of KMT-CCP talks, as they only show us the prosperity of Shanghai but not the sufferings of Falun Gong believers in jail," she said.
All the dark days that Taiwan experienced are now being repeated in China, she said.
"If the `red regime' should reach its hands into Taiwan, we cannot be sure that what happened in the past will not happen again," she said.
The vice president called Cheng's 1986 campaign the "green day of May 19," and said she hoped that the "green period" would never be replaced by a "red day of May 19."
Green is the main color of the Democratic Progressive Party logo.
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White Terror exhibit unveils part of the truth
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