Hope diminishing for pardon of Hsichih Trio

As the campaign to grant clemency to the "Hsichih Trio" enters its 100th day today, campaigners have expressed their frustration with what they say is public indifference and the new president's failure to respond to their calls.

When Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) was elected president on March 18, the campaigners who have long sought clemency for Su Chien-ho (蘇建和), Liu Bin-lang (劉秉郎), and Chuang Lin-hsun (莊林勳) -- -- three death row inmates convicted of the 1991 murder of a couple living in Hsichih -- were very excited.

Their hope was that the new president, who had said he wanted to use his knowledge of the law for the public good, would be more sympathetic with the situation of the trio and consider pardoning them.

However, as the campaign for a pardon enters its 100th day today, campaigners have started to consider ending their daily vigils, just as they have been forced to halt several similar campaigns in the past.

The campaign, featuring prayer vigils outside a Taipei church, was launched on April 15 by a human rights alliance with a petition to President Chen to grant a special pardon to the Hsichih Trio after his inauguration.

The campaign started in a buoyant mood. Many people showed their support for the three death row inmates, and every day between 5pm and 6pm, a group of people could be seen walking around the church, one of the planned rituals of the vigils.

The campaign was put into the media limelight during the 100 days when the Taiwan High Court granted a retrial of the high-profile case, which was followed by a prosecution appeal against it.

The parents of the three convicted men have tried to participate in the daily vigils as much as possible, despite the length of the journey from their homes in Keelung city and Taipei county.

Two executive officers from the headquarters of Amnesty International (AI) also joined a prayer vigil during their short stay in Taiwan in late May.

That marked the height of the campaign so far, but ardor was dampened by the campaigners' growing frustration with diminishing public concern and President Chen's apparent unwillingness to grant a pardon.

The president was said to have tried to gather information on the case via a senior lawyer, but he does not seem prepared to consider issuing a pardon or commuting the death sentence handed down to the three, campaigners have told the Taipei Times.

Hopes based on rumors have risen repeatedly only to be dashed by reality. For example, it was recently reported that the president, under great pressure from AI and other international human rights organizations, was very likely to commute their death sentences and resolve the controversial case.

These reports were based on the fact that the president recently ordered the Ministry of Justice to examine the possible consequences of a clemency.

Yen Ta-ho (顏大和), vice minister of justice, however, dismissed the reports as fabricated and explained that the president has ordered the examination only as a response to an initiative proposed by the legislature, which recommends the president grant clemency.

"So far, we haven't seen anything to suggest that the president himself is thinking of granting a pardon," Yen said.

On the morning of March 24, 1991, Wu Ming-han (吳銘漢) and his wife were murdered in their home in Hsichih between 2am and 4am, stabbed 79 times.