Civic and welfare groups yesterday urged the nation's political camps to calm down and resume dealing with domestic issues.
Representatives for the Parents' Association for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities, the Federation for the Welfare of the Elderly, Youth Policy Youth Power, the Garden of Hope and the Taiwan Labor Front said there had been enough political conflict and that more pressing issues demanded national attention.
"We support the pursuit of justice," said Lin Wan-yi (林萬億), a professor at National Taiwan University's department of social work, referring to the investigation into the assassination attempt on President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and calls for a ballot recount.
"However, too much of the country's resources and time has been placed on the vote recount and assassination attempt. The concerns of the needy that we serve in the community still exist and need to be addressed," he said.
The groups asked both sides to stop arguing and work on achieving a resolution beneficial to all. But they offered no concrete suggestions on how negotiations could proceed.
A written statement passed out at the conference said the groups had been let down by the two parties' inability to cooperate.
"We were already disappointed by the lack of attention given to social issues by the two parties prior to the election," the groups wrote.
"We hoped to regain that focus after the election. Instead, all we've seen is ceaseless political bickering that has only further increased the social problems that non-profit organizations deal with," the statement said.
Citing examples of discord within families, at school and in the workplace arising from heightened political tensions, the groups said that Taiwan was suffering from the current crisis.
"No one trusts each other anymore. Our society is ailing," said Chen Chieh-ju (陳節如), chairwoman of the Association for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities.
The groups blamed the media for fanning unrest and for turning a blind eye to social issues.
"The constant media coverage has made those people already upset by what's going on even more anxious. People are also addicted to post-election media coverage. No one is thinking about social problems and how these should be handled," said Chi Hui-jung (
When asked about the student "hunger strike" being held at Taipei's Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, the groups said they adopted a neutral position.
However, Chen Chieh-ju personally expressed opposition to the students' actions.
"There is no meaning in their protest. If they want to talk, they should be out there talking about issues relating to them. Why are their demands the same as the pro-blue camp's?" she asked.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS