Families of people killed by Typhoon Nari staged a protest outside Taipei City Hall yesterday morning to ask for compensation for the losses they suffered.
They also requested harsher disciplinary measures be taken against municipal officials.
Led by five DPP city councilors, about 20 families gathered outside City Hall, holding framed pictures of their loved ones and banners expressing discontent with the city government.
"Our appeal is simple: to compensate the victims' families and businesses for their losses, and to take more severe disciplinary action against the municipal officials responsible," said Chang Chuan-min (張權民), convener of the group.
The group clashed briefly with municipal police when they tried to enter the building to demand a meeting with Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
After a few minutes of negotiation between the group and a city official, the city's Secretary-general Chen Yu-chang (
Ma delivered a special report on the city's response to the disaster on Friday. Instead of taking the opportunity to grill the mayor, the DPP caucus walked out of the meeting to lodge a protest against what they called a "hasty" and "perfunctory" report.
Included in the report were the names of 20 municipal officials who were found guilty of negligence and who had been disciplined.
"I thought it was a perfect chance for the DPP caucus to discuss the matter with the mayor on the council floor that day, but unfortunately they gave up," Chen said, addressing the DPP councillors.
DPP City Councilor Yeh Hsin-yi (
"I think the mayor cares only about becoming the next president, rather than the interests of city residents," he said.
Another DPP city councilwoman, Chen Shu-hua (
Chen's call was echoed by Tsai Li-chin (
"I predict there'll be another disaster as deadly as Typhoon Nari next year if Ma is still the city mayor," he said.
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