A military-support civilian group has misappropriated state funds and violated its own charter by becoming a tool of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) lawmakers said yesterday, calling on the government to revoke the group’s status as a charitable organization.
According to its Web site, the Friends of Armed Forces Association (FAFA) was established on Oct. 31, 1951, to encourage cooperation between the military and civilians, improve the morale of soldiers, promote public charities and support a strong national defense.
TSU Legislator Lai Chen-chang (賴振昌) told a news conference in Taipei that the association is a typical example of the way the KMT has manipulated public assets and civic groups for its own political and business interests.
“Originally it was set up by the government to solicit public and corporate donations for the armed forces. It was later changed to an incorporated foundation, removing it from the government’s supervision and scrutiny,” Lai said.
“Most of its executives and board of governors are affiliated with the KMT, and also serve as executives for KMT-established women and youth political organizations,” Lai added.
Lai said the government should revoke the association’s status as a charity and place it under government administration to ensure financial accountability of the group’s businesses and buildings.
TSU officials said that for 34 years — from 1955 to 1989 — the then-KMT government required all companies and individuals engaged in importing goods to make a “donation to the armed forces” of 5 percent of their import transactions.
They said most of the money went to the FAFA, the National Women’s League of the Republic of China (ROC), which was established by former president Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) wife, Soong Mei-ling (宋美齡), in 1950 and other KMT auxiliary organizations.
About NT$100 billion (US$3.19 billion) was reportedly raised through the mandatory donations, some of which was illegally appropriated by a number of high-ranking KMT members, while the rest went to the FAFA, the National Women’s League and other KMT organizations, the TSU said.
TSU Legislator Chou Ni-an (周倪安) said the FAFA, along with the Ministry of National Defense, operates several hotels and catering services across the nation, including the Taipei Hero House.
“The FAFA rents out these buildings to companies operating businesses, but at very low prices. The Ministry of National Defense and FAFA are selling public assets and properties on the cheap by colluding with certain companies and people with connections to turn a profit,” Chou said.
She said KMT officials illegally altered the charter of the FAFA foundation to make it owned and operated by the KMT, even though it received a large amount of public assets.
“Our government must audit the accounts of the FAFA and return it to government administration,” Chou said.
The charity’s Web site says that it operates four hotels — in Taipei, Taichung, Kaohsiung and Hualien — which were originally established for soldiers and government officials, but are now open to the general public.
It also operates the Taipei Hero Restaurant and 21 Military Service Stations nationwide.
Under its Army Awards Program, it organizes visits to military units for local government organizations and companies.
It also provides support and relief services for military personnel and their families.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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