Print

Mail

wiki links

Analysts say scuffles show Taiwan's weaknesses

"I think it [the clashes] serves as a lesson to all politicians that they should be more sensible in what they do and say to avoid similar scuffles from taking place."

Emile Sheng, political science professor at Soochow University

In view of the violent tussles that took place yesterday morning at CKS International Airport, political analysts said that Taiwan's politicians should be more "sensible" in their rhetoric and conduct to prevent more ugly incidents from occurring.

"Politicians across the spectrum should be more sensible in everything they say and do to prevent things like this from happening," said Soochow University political science professor Emile Sheng (盛治仁), alluding to Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan's (連戰) trip to China.

Ironically, the trip which Lien has billed as a "journey of peace" created a melee before he even got on the plane.

"I am not singling out Lien as the one who should be responsible for the scuffle," Sheng said.

"In fact I don't think he should be, since he had already communicated with the government, and everyone seems at ease with him making the journey to China," said Sheng, referring to the phone conversation between President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Lien on Monday.

In the 11-minute phone call, Chen reminded Lien that he couldn't sign agreements on his own, while Lien reassured the president that he would not undercut the government's authority.

"Nonetheless, it is clear that Lien's trip to China was the core factor that sparked the scuffle," Sheng added. "I think it serves as a lesson to all politicians that they should be more sensible in what they do and say to avoid similar scuffles from taking place."

Taking the scuffle yesterday as an example, Sheng said that the situation had been "exploited by politicians who are fanning the emotions of their supporters for their personal political gain."

Looking at yesterday's scuffles from a broader perspective, Ku Chung-hwa (顧忠華), a political analyst and a sociology professor at National Chengchi University, said that they suggest that Taiwan still has a long way to go before it can call itself a mature democracy.

"The event showed that people in Taiwan still need to learn how to express their views and how to accept views that differ from their own in a mature and non-violent manner," Ku said.

Yesterday's "regrettable events" suggest that there is a lack of outlets in Taiwan's public sphere where people can voice their views calmly and reasonably, Ku said.

He said that "instead of learning to listen to one another and seeking similarity amid their differences," what often happens is that people who share the same ideology simply stir up each other's emotions through TV call-in programs.

But Ku was optimistic about Taiwan's journey along the democratic path.

"Unlike the old days during the martial-law era when one single incident could easily lead the government to clamp down with force and more tightly control people's right to express their views, I think Taiwan's democracy is progressing to the point where it can absorb political clashes," Ku said.
This story has been viewed 3071 times.