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Taiwan Quick Take

■ Religion
Ma to pray for world peace
The Taiwan Catholic Church is slated to sponsor a prayer for world peace April 11, joined by Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) along with 500 Catholic followers. Taipei Diocese Bishop Ti Kang said the Taiwan Catholic community decided to hold the activity to pray for an end to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak, for peace around the world and to spread the church's message that war is not the answer to any problem. The activity will be held during the approach to the Easter holiday, which falls April 20 this year, with Catholic churches and followers around Taiwan praying for God's forgiveness for the world's afflictions and sins, as well as personal pain and mistakes, Ti said, the essence of the prayers.

■ Law
Falun Gong to sue Hong Kong
The Falun Gong organization in Taiwan is suing the Hong Kong government for punitive damages over mistreatment of some of its members when a group of 80 Taiwanese Falun Gong followers were denied entry into Hong Kong earlier this year. Four members from Taiwan and the organization's spokesperson in Hong Kong have hired Hong Kong human rights lawyer Paul Harris to file a complaint against the government of Hong Kong with a Hong Kong court. The complaint is said to prove a woman was injured during the incident and that immigration officers handled the situation inappropriately. The organization demands that the Hong Kong government publicly declare that the administrative decision to refuse entry and the violence used in the incident were violations of the law, and that it pay punitive damages to the four members for being illegally detained.

■ Education
Pact with Malaysia signed
National Cheng Kung University signed an agreement on cooperation with Malaysian New Era College yesterday. The agreement was signed by the university's dean of academic affairs, Su Yen-kun (蘇炎坤) and a representative of the Malaysian college. Witnessing the ceremony were National Cheng Kung University president Kao Chiang (高強) and his Malaysian counterpart. Under the agreement, a student who has finished two years in the Malaysian school can continue to study for two years at National Cheng Kung University and obtain a bachelor's degree. Kao said that his school has always attached great importance to the development of overseas Chinese schools in Southeast Asia.

■ Diplomacy
Pacific islands to get funds
A Taiwanese diplomat yesterday handed over funds to 16-nation Pacific Islands Forum bodies and used the occasion to demand regional support for the nation's World Health Organization (WHO) application for full membership. "I would also like to take this time to seek your support of our efforts to join the WHO," Liu Fu-Tien (劉富添), told a gathering when handing over US$811,000 to eight regional organization representatives. "With the recent outbreak of SARS, it is indeed very crucial that the people of Taiwan not be excluded but be included with the world body to fight against devastating diseases of this nature. Your humble support of our humanitarian request to be included in the WHO again this year will be very much appreciated," he said. Four of the forum members -- Palau, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands -- are diplomatic allies.
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