In spite of continuing demonstrations in the north, life in the south was back to normal yesterday. Local governments in the south adopted a low profile and carried out regular tasks as usual.
In Kaohsiung, Deputy Mayor Lin Yun-chien (林永堅) yesterday hosted a meeting to examine the results of a city-wide community-based cleanup project which had been launched on March 8.
City health officials said that a resident returning from India on March 15 had been diagnosed with a fever at Kaohsiung International Airport in Hsiaokang District. The resident was sent to a hospital nearby for examination and appeared to be healthy.
PHOTO: CHANG CHUNG-YI, TAIPEI TIMES
In the city, some street vendors supporting the green camp said that they felt energetic and happy to work because incumbent President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) had won the election.
Kaohsiung County Commissioner Yang Chiu-hsing (楊秋興) said yesterday that it was time to go back to a normal daily life.
As for manifestations of the pan-blue camp's anger with the presidential election results, frustrated pan-blue supporters in Kaohsiung yesterday accused the local government of intending to destroy some ballots from the presidential election in a waste incinerator. But the accusation turned out to be an unfounded rumor.
Yesterday, suspicious pan-blue supporters gathered in front of a waste incinerator in Sanmin District, claiming that some ballots were on a garbage truck with ZN569 number plate. The venue was immediately closed off by the police.
Prosecutors checked the truck and found instruction leaflets for the presidential election. In addition, there was some used stationery and envelopes, prosecutors said. There were no ballots on the truck.
The examination was witnessed by officials from the city's election commission, Kaohsiung Deputy Mayor Lin Yun-chien and the press.
"Burning all materials pertaining to electoral affairs rather than recycling them is to avoid causing troubles," Lin told suspicious residents.
Lin urged citizens to accept the results and show understanding for public servants, who had worked very hard for days.
According to Lin Ching-jing (林清井), an official from the Kaohsiung City Election Commission, all ballots have been strictly accounted for and it would be impossible to be found somewhere else.
Later, the city's Environmental Protection Bureau, which manages waste treatment, issued a press release condemning the irrational response of pan-blue supporters.
"The accusations, which are lacking evidence, have already affected the normal functioning of public affairs," the statement said.
Environmental officials said that they might consider asking the pan-blue camp to assist with handling the transportation of garbage related to electoral affairs.
Meanwhile, People First Party (PFP) Legislator Chiu Yi (邱毅) kept mobilizing supporters to go to Taipei to lend their voices in support of demonstrators in front of the Presidential Office.
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