While President Chen Shui-bian (
"The event will now be an agricultural festival, consisting of traditional song-and-dance performances and speeches by farmers and fishermen from all over Taiwan, instead of the protest we had originally planned," said Pai Tien-chih (
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
He said that TAFU has also dropped its original plan to let 10,000 farmers and fishermen separate from the main march to protest in front of the Ministry of Finance. "It's not necessary to do this any more," he said.
TAFU expects that some 100,000 farmers and fishermen will attend the demonstration.
"This is justice delayed," Pai said of the government's decision to suspend its risk-control mechanism for the associations. We would have canceled Saturday's march if we had reached an agreement with the government twenty days ago. But it's too late for us to cancel our reservations for buses and orders for lunch boxes."
"Communications between the organization and the Cabinet have greatly improved and I am optimistic that further agreement can be reached on financial-reform issues," Pai told the press.
"Please look at this event with a positive attitude," the organization's press release states.
Pai stressed that TAFU would adhere to its original security arrangements for the event, under which 1,500 wardens from the associations will police the event.
He added that the event would end at 6pm with the farmers and fishermen presenting gifts of their produce to the presidential office.
About 1,600 buses will be involved in bringing demonstrators from Taiwan's 23 counties and cities to Taipei for the event tomorrow.
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