Fierce infighting in the World League for Freedom and Democracy (WLFD), the only Taiwan-based organization accredited as a non-governmental organization (NGO) of the UN, heated up yesterday as two would-be leaders rallied for what they said was their "legitimate" position as president of the league.
During the past week, the league has held two meetings under the same title in Taipei.
The meetings, however, were arranged by two different groups of people who claim to be the legitimate leaders of the league, one headed by the Legislative Yuan's Vice Speaker Yao Eng-chi (
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) delivered a speech at a meeting organized by Chang yesterday, marking the beginning of a four-day conference. Chang said the president's move was indicative of his support for Chang's "legitimate" position as the league's leader.
"Since there's a dispute about the WLFD in Taipei, the one which is recognized and chosen by the president to deliver a speech to is the one which is genuine, real and legal," Chang said before introducing Chen to the platform to deliver his speech, triggering a roomful applause among participants.
Chang also said later that Chen's endorsement of his position could be further evidenced by the president's scheduled tea party this afternoon to welcome the conference's participants.
"The president's endorsement means that we are the legitimate and the real WLFD," Chang said, adding that it's impossible for him to accept Yao's claim to be the new president of the league.
In earlier remarks at the conference, Chang expressed his determination to retain his post as the league's leader.
"Ever since Feb. 22, 1999, when I was unanimously elected to be the president of the current WLFD by all the members present at the WLFD Executive Committee Meeting, I have always remembered the significance of my mission," Chang said.
"Since I was elected to serve a four-year term, I will safeguard the mission and the dignity of the WLFD Charter," Chang said.
To defend his position, Yao held a press conference yesterday afternoon, claiming his position as the president of the NGO was in strict accordance with the league's charter.
"Yao took up the position as president of the league after two-thirds of the members of the WLFD's executive board agreed to the arrangement and after participants in the general conference of the League applauded to support the motion. The process was in accordance with the charter and was indeed legitimate," a press release stated.
Yao claimed Chang and he had agreed to hold the conference separately this year, and Chang would convene all the league's executive board members to settle the dispute after the end of the meetings.
But the strained atmosphere triggered by the infighting among the Taiwanese politicians was in no way diminishing as some participants remained either tight-lipped or reserved in commenting on the dispute.
"I am not sure if there is any dispute. But if there is a dispute, it really should be resolved by you Taiwanese," Ceferino Valdez Peralta, Paraguay's Ambassador to Taiwan, told the Taipei Times, during the meeting.
In his New Year press conference on Monday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Hung-mao (田弘茂), also urged politicians and supporters behind the scenes that were involved in the dispute to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
The league has enjoyed a longstanding government subsidy throughout its 40-year history, and the current fiasco may pose a threat as to where the subsidy should go, further weakening the operations of the organization.
The stated mission of the global organization, comprised of 144 national chapters and affiliated international organizations, is to spotlight and encourage political freedom through the strengthening of democratic principles in all countries.
Rainfall is expected to become more widespread and persistent across central and southern Taiwan over the next few days, with the effects of the weather patterns becoming most prominent between last night and tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Independent meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said that based on the latest forecast models of the combination of a low-pressure system and southwesterly winds, rainfall and flooding are expected to continue in central and southern Taiwan from today to Sunday. The CWA also warned of flash floods, thunder and lightning, and strong gusts in these areas, as well as landslides and fallen
WAITING GAME: The US has so far only offered a ‘best rate tariff,’ which officials assume is about 15 percent, the same as Japan, a person familiar with the matter said Taiwan and the US have completed “technical consultations” regarding tariffs and a finalized rate is expected to be released soon, Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) told a news conference yesterday, as a 90-day pause on US President Donald Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs is set to expire today. The two countries have reached a “certain degree of consensus” on issues such as tariffs, nontariff trade barriers, trade facilitation, supply chain resilience and economic security, Lee said. They also discussed opportunities for cooperation, investment and procurement, she said. A joint statement is still being negotiated and would be released once the US government has made
MASSIVE LOSS: If the next recall votes also fail, it would signal that the administration of President William Lai would continue to face strong resistance within the legislature The results of recall votes yesterday dealt a blow to the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) efforts to overturn the opposition-controlled legislature, as all 24 Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers survived the recall bids. Backed by President William Lai’s (賴清德) DPP, civic groups led the recall drive, seeking to remove 31 out of 39 KMT lawmakers from the 113-seat legislature, in which the KMT and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) together hold a majority with 62 seats, while the DPP holds 51 seats. The scale of the recall elections was unprecedented, with another seven KMT lawmakers facing similar votes on Aug. 23. For a
SOUTH CHINA SEA? The Philippine president spoke of adding more classrooms and power plants, while skipping tensions with China over disputed areas Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr yesterday blasted “useless and crumbling” flood control projects in a state of the nation address that focused on domestic issues after a months-long feud with his vice president. Addressing a joint session of congress after days of rain that left at least 31 dead, Marcos repeated his recent warning that the nation faced a climate change-driven “new normal,” while pledging to investigate publicly funded projects that had failed. “Let’s not pretend, the people know that these projects can breed corruption. Kickbacks ... for the boys,” he said, citing houses that were “swept away” by the floods. “Someone has
RSS