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Hundreds demand peace in Taipei protest

More than 500 representatives from over 30 social groups across the nation yesterday take part in a protest next to the American Institute in Taiwan to object to a US-led war against Iraq. Demonstrators say they fear innocent Iraqis will be killed and are opposed to US unilateralism. PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES

More than 500 locals and expatriates took to the streets of downtown Taipei yesterday morning to protest against a US-led war on Iraq, echoing other peace rallies around the globe this weekend.

Holding placards reading "War is not the answer," and "Bombing solves nothing," demonstrators gathered next to the Taipei office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT).

Speaking at the rally, blind aboriginal poet Monaneng (莫那能) said he was disgruntled at the government's support for the US over the Iraq crisis.

"At the moment, I feel ashamed of being Taiwanese because our government is supporting an act of aggression," the poet from the Paiwan tribe said.

"A war can kill many people and cripple others. It's detestable for Taiwan to support others' acts of aggression today, especially when Taiwan was once invaded by Japan," he said.

Hundreds of protesters in the demonstration, organized by more than 30 labor, civic and human-rights groups, shared Monaneng's sentiments.

"I am not only against the war, but also the unilateralism of the foreign policy of the US. And the war is the result of that," said 25-year-old Belgian Jo Swinnen.

As Swinnen's friends back at home were to join the anti-war protest in Brussels, his friend Abram Sitzer from California joined him in the demonstration next to the AIT.

Sitzer said the US should not go to war against Iraq without the endorsement of the international community through the mechanism of the UN, saying unilateralism would backfire in the long run.

"I just want to make sure if there is a decision to go to war, it should be a global decision and it should go through the UN," Sitzer said.

"I think it [a US go-it-alone war] is going to get eaten from the inside. It's going to lose a lot of domestic support ... if there isn't international cooperation for a war," he added.

Jordanian Aga Ziad, 39, said a US-led war in Iraq, regardless of the precision of the US "smart bombs," can still kill Iraqi civilians and worsen the already turbulent situation in the Middle East.

"We'd like to have peace in the world," Ziad said.

The two-hour rally, under the gaze of local police, was peppered with speeches, anti-war chants and songs reminiscent of the anti-Vietnam-war protests in the 1970s.

Local celebrities and activists at the protest included Hsia Chu-joe (夏鑄九), a professor at National Taiwan University; former DPP legislator Chien Hsi-chieh, now executive director of the Peacetime Foundation of Taiwan; feminist Josephine Ho (何春蕤) from National Central University; and Lin Cheng-hsiu (林正修), director of the bureau of civil affairs at the Taipei City Government.

The key organizers of the rally included the Taiwan Association for Human Rights, the Labor Rights Association, the Awakening Foundation and the Taiwan Anti-Imperialist Students Organization.

Although some participants said they were disappointed with the turnout for the protest compared to demonstrations elsewhere in the world, others said at least an anti-war voice was being heard in Taiwan.

"As anti-war protests gather momentum around the globe, Taiwan should not be left behind. We need to let our voice be heard," NTU professor Lee Ben-nan (李炳南) said.

The Taiwan Association for Human Rights calls for a peaceful end to the Iraq crisis.
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