Yesterday was a special Mother's Day for parents of the Hsichih Trio, who spent the day together praying the new government would pardon their children.
The mothers of both Liu Bing-lang (劉秉郎) and Chuang Lin-hsun (莊林勳), as well as the father of Su Jian-he (蘇建和), gathered with others at Taipei's Chinan Church (濟南教會) hoping for an answer to their prayers.
Accompanied by harp music and enjoying the sunshine, the ongoing prayer vigil for the Hsichih Trio marked its 30th day yesterday.
The initiator of the event, the Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR, 台灣人權促進會), vowed the vigil would continue until the three were free.
"As a musician, I figure I can show my concern for the case in a different manner," said harpist Shannon Hsieh (解瑄), chairman of Taipei Harpists Association. "I would like to pay my respect to their [the trio's] families with my music."
Hsieh said the one-hour program, on the themes of love and motherhood, was conceived as a tribute for the mothers of the three inmates now on death row. Classic pieces such as "Songs My Mother Taught Me," "Love Serenade," and the Taiwanese folk song "Wang Chun Feng" (望春風, meaning "Expecting Spring") were performed during the concert.
The three men known as the Hsichih Trio were charged for involvement in the 1991 double murder of a couple in Taipei County's Hsichih.
Their execution, however, has been held back for years because of controversy over how the police extracted evidence from the three men, then 19-years of age.
"I am too old and useless to do anything for my son. So I am grateful for what they [human right groups] have done for us. They are here with us when they can spend this holiday with their families," said tearful Chen Kuei-tan (陳桂丹), mother of Chuang.
The prayer vigil was launched on April 15 in an attempt to petition for a pardon from the incoming President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).
"It should be a day filled with warmth and love. While others can celebrate this day with their children, they [the trio's mothers] can not. That is why we are here with them today," said TAHR chairman Lin Feng-jeng (林峰正).
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
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
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