Members of the Nuke-4 Referen-dum Initiative Association (核四公投促進會) have marched around the nation for a decade in their farmers' leaf hats and white T-shirts. Their processions and rallies will continue, for the group still pursues its dream of a non-nuclear homeland.
The association members, most of whom are middle-aged or older, yesterday celebrated the group's 10th anniversary and recalled their march around the country to protest the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, which they see as a serious environmental threat.
The association founder, former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Lin I-hsiung (
On July 12, 1994, the Legislative Yuan allocated funding for the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, and on the same day Lin started a hunger strike to demand a referendum so the electorate could vote on the potentially destructive power plant.
Lin's action moved over 100,000 people to sign a petition for the referendum within six days. To continue this momentum for a non-nuclear homeland, the Nuke-4 Referendum Initiative Association was established.
On Sept. 21, 1994, starting from Lungshan Temple, Lin led about 100 volunteers to set out on a journey on foot around the nation. Covering 50km per day in 15 hours or so, the marchers persisted to demonstrate their commitment to a referendum to stop the construction of future nuclear plants.
The association undertook other marches in 1994, 1997 and 2002, and their efforts educated many voters.
"Our difficult march not only awakened people's consciousness about referendums, but also educated the people of Taiwan the value of non-violence," said the group's leader, Iap Phok-bun (葉博文).
"This form of protest is more difficult and less effective than demonstrations. It tested participants' physical strength and perse-verance," Iap said. "But only by doing so could we touch the public and make them identify with our appeals."
The association also launched a movement to urge politicians to honor their promises, since the association was frustrated by lawmakers and officials who broke their promises to the group's lobbyists, office director Wu Chien-kuo (
"We also witnessed the inefficiency caused by redundant legislators, and therefore we decided to promote halving the number of legislative seats," Wu said.
This March , Lin launched a 240-hour relay hunger strike in front of the Legislative Yuan to promote this issue and in August the constitutional amendments were passed to halve the legislature.
Wu said the group will continue to seek revisions to the Referendum Law (
"No matter how hard it is, we will do it. As long as it becomes the people's will, no one can ignore such a strong request," Wu said.
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