Ten years ago, a movement called the Lily Student Campaign (
"We've realized our dream. From now on, we need to create a new dream among the younger generation to improve Taiwan," said Chung Chia-pin (
Over 70 prominent members of the movement -- which is widely acknowledged as having been the most influential student activist alliance in Taiwan -- gathered yesterday to bask in the triumph of Chen's victory and reminisce about their early days.
In particular, members spoke about their one-week rally at the CKS Memorial Hall in March 1990, where more than 10,000 students gathered to protest the slow pace of political reform since the lifting of martial law in 1987.
"Ten years ago we never considered the possibility of an alternation of political power in Taiwan. But it happened," said Jou Yi-cheng (
Jou said almost all of the party's young members and those who had served on Chen's campaign team were members of the so-called "lily generation."
"The dedication of those students and socio-political activists has had an immense impact on Taiwan's democracy," Jou said, adding that their legacy has been carried on by the new generation of youth activists.
During that eventful week 10 years ago, students presented an appeal of four basic points to President Lee Teng-hui (
The first two appeals have seen implementation, and the third is in progress.
The fourth -- disbanding the National Assembly -- appears within days of being realized.
"Disbanding the National Assembly is not only a dream now," said Chung Chia-pin, a student activist in the 1980s who was elected to the Third National Assembly in 1996.
"To win a seat and thereafter [work to] abolish it was our motivation for participation in the Assembly," Chung said.
"We've almost realized our dreams. The next step is to help the younger generation to create other dreams for Taiwan," Chung said.
"The Lily Student Campaign was not one occasion -- it was like a relay baton passed down from our predecessors," added Chiu Yu-bin (
Chiu recalled an incident when students were collecting donations from the public at the CKS Memorial Hall.
An elderly veteran wanted to donate a lot of jewelry, telling them these were all his valuable possessions.
"We almost kneeled down to beg him to rethink. But he insisted, saying amid tears that he had been hoping for national reforms all his life. He said that it was the only thing he could think to do at the time," Chiu said.
It was a formative event in his life, Chiu said, as he felt the burden of responsibility that came with being a political activist and he sent the veteran home with his valuables.
"The Lily Student Campaign should be held up as an example for the younger generation to understand that with imagination comes the possibility of social reform," Chiu said.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source
SHOT IN THE ARM: The new system can be integrated with Avenger and Stinger missiles to bolster regional air defense capabilities, a defense ministry report said Domestically developed Land Sword II (陸射劍二) missiles were successfully launched and hit target drones during a live-fire exercise at the Jiupeng Military Base in Pingtung County yesterday. The missiles, developed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST), were originally scheduled to launch on Tuesday last week, after the Tomb Sweeping Day holiday long weekend, but were postponed to yesterday due to weather conditions. Local residents and military enthusiasts gathered outside the base to watch the missile tests, with the first one launching at 9:10am. The Land Sword II system, which is derived from the Sky Sword II (天劍二) series, was turned