CNA, with Staff Writer
The group sponsoring a campaign to depose President Chen Shui-bian (
Ho Teh-fen (賀德芬), spokeswoman for the anti-Chen Shui-bian campaign launched by former Democratic Progressive Party chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德) condemned former DPP legislator Lin Cheng-chieh's (林正杰) attack on Contemporary Monthly editor-in-chief Chin Heng-wei (金恆煒) during the Formosa Television talk show The People Talk on Thursday night, saying that the "Depose Chen" group deplores any kind of violence.
Ho said Lin was not a staff member at the campaign headquarters and that his act of violence had nothing to do with the campaign. She said that he will be barred from the sit-in, scheduled to be launched in front of the Presidential Office at the start of next month.
According to Ho, Lin suggested that a team of bodyguards be organized to protect Shih during and before the sit-in. Ho added that Lin's suggestion was immediately rejected by the campaign's organizers.
"We condemn any act of violence. Any individual intending to take part in the sit-in protest must abide by our rules and discipline. We have stepped up personnel training to maintain order and discipline at the sit-in site after the protest begins early next month," Ho said.
Shih's camp yesterday also issued guidelines for its upcoming sit-in campaign next month. The exact date on which the sit-in will start has yet to be finalized by the group.
The guidelines stated that all participants must maintain a friendly attitude at all times; must show sympathy and compassion toward government officials or those who are against the rally and must not challenge government officials or those who are against the rally so unnecessary arguments or conflicts can be avoided.
The guidelines also asks participants not to fight back if they are attacked or challenged; not to carry any weapons or any items that could be used as weapons, follow the leadership and withdraw from the rally if they do not agree with the leaders.
Participants must not resist law enforcement officers unless fellow participants are humiliated or their human rights are invaded, the guidelines said.
"The leader [of the sit-in event] will only be replaced if an accident happens, such as being arrested, assassinated or so on," said Ho, adding that there will be a second-in-command who will take over should that happen.
Along with the guidelines, participants must also sign a card with a vow on it to promise that they will not be involved in any violence but will only deliver a message from the public to recall the president.
"It will simply be a democratic activity. We hereby refuse anybody who is planning to take advantage of the activity to deliver any private messages that do not concern our request to recall the president," Ho said.
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