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DPP urges talks to end impasse

"The main issue here should not be whether President Chen should step down, but whether the country should continue to be embroiled in instability."

Cheng Yun-peng, DPP legislator

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday called on the organizers and leader of the campaign to oust President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to map out a plan to resolve the current political deadlock.

DPP Legislator Cheng Yun-peng (鄭運鵬) said that he hoped the camp of former DPP chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德), who initiated the anti-Chen campaign, would come up with an exit plan to end the demonstration.

"It is time for both sides to sit down and talk," he said. "I'm sure the pubic wants to know when the impasse will be over."

While the "siege" staged by Shih's followers at the Presidential Office has made the president a "prisoner of power," Cheng said, Shih has also made himself a prisoner of the same crowd, because he was afraid of saying something that differed from the views adopted by the mob.

"There is nothing to talk about between two prisoners. It would be a better idea if they each sent their representatives to engage in dialogue," Cheng said.

He said that a specific timetable was needed on when the protest should end.

Cheng called on the masterminds of the campaign to oust Chen, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), his party and the People First Party to engage in dialogue with a representative of the Chen administration.

"The main issue here should not be whether President Chen should step down, but whether the country should continue to be embroiled in instability," he said.

Cheng called on DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun to exercise his political wisdom and come up with a plan that would enable Chen to remain president while also benefiting the party.

"President Chen has made it clear that he will not step down before his term expires, so the party must find a way to help itself and its members to stand on their own feet," he said.

"It is very dangerous that all parties are forcing their members to drift away from the middle way," Cheng said.

DPP legislative caucus whip Chen Chin-jun (陳景峻) expressed the same opinion, saying that the campaign against the president was not a life-or-death struggle, and that both sides had to negotiate and compromise.

"I hope the leader of the campaign and the administration find a way to end the crisis, or it will be detrimental to the party, the opposition parties and, most importantly, the country," he said.

DPP Legislator Lin Cho-shui (林濁水) said that both sides were provoking and blaming each other, despite the organizers of both groups saying they were making efforts to prevent violence.

Lin called on both sides to work together to resolve the political tension, rather than asking one party to bear the responsibility.
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