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Pan-green camp stunts promote march

Democratic Progressive Party Chairman Su Tseng-chang yesterday shows off the bike he will ride in today's mass march and rally against China's ``Anti-Secession'' Law. Su suggested that people taking part in the march dress casually. PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES

Today's mass protest against China's "Anti-Secession" Law was a focus of attention in the legislature yesterday, with pan-green legislators dressing up to urge the public to attend the march and pan-blue legislators voicing their criticism about the rally.

Pan-green lawmakers also handed out "peace candy," held a mock banquet and shouted slogans in the legislature's assembly hall.

Attention-seeking activities began yesterday morning with the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) inviting reporters to a mock feast of dishes whose names sounded similar to those of China's top leaders, including President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), Premier Wen Jiabao (溫家寶), former president Jiang Zemin (江澤民) and former premier Zhu Rongji (朱鎔基).

As part of the pan-green camp's efforts to encourage a huge turnout today, female pan-green legislators handed out "peace candy."

Meanwhile, their pan-blue colleagues were busy criticizing the event.

"Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) taking to the streets [today] -- that demonstrates that he does not have the ability to handle cross-strait relations," Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Su Chi (蘇起) said.

"The president has made a date with the people to meet on Ketagalon Boulevard."

Su Tseng-chang, Democratic Progressive Party chairman

"All the people are paying for Chen to take to the streets. The supposed 2 million people march, will cost more than NT$1 billion," KMT legislator Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔) said.

At a press conference yesterday afternoon, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislative caucus showed off the placards and buttons it has made for the rally.

In addition to miniature flags, march participants will be provided with blow-up batons in green, red, blue, white and orange printed with the slogan "Democracy, Peace and Defend Taiwan."

The colors, the caucus said, were chosen to show that not only "green" Taiwanese, but all the Taiwanese people, are standing up for the rally.

Highlighting organizers' hopes that the rally will draw widespread international attention, the placards were written in English, Japanese, French and Chinese.

DPP Chairman Su Cheng-chang (蘇貞昌) said that during the march, participants would be lead in singing five songs, including We Shall Overcome in English.

Su, however, refused to say which of the 10 march routes President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) would take, due to security concerns.

The rally, Su emphasized, is about the people, not the president.

"However, the president has made a date with the people to meet on Ketagelan Boulevard. Everyone should come in person to hear and see for themselves," said Su, who appeared at the press conference dressed in his "protest battle gear," which included a digital camera, his personal recorder and a digital camera phone so he could record today's events.

With good weather forecast for today, the DPP caucus urged participants to dress suitably and bring plenty of water.
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