Anti-Chen campaigners urged to detail spending

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday urged the anti-President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) campaign to publicize its financial records one month after the campaign launched street demonstrations against Chen.

The campaign, initiated by former DPP chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德), called on a million people to make a donation of NT$100 apiece to fund the campaign. Campaign organizers have said they received more than NT$100 million (US$3 million).

The DPP urged the organizers to prove their integrity by publishing the campaign's financial records, since the anti-Chen camp claims it is battling corruption.

"The campaign promised that its financial situation would be transparent, but it has not kept its promise. It should examine itself before asking other people not to be corrupt," said Meng Yi-chao (孟義超), director of the DPP's Department of Information and Public Affairs, at party headquarters.

Presenting an account book as a gift to mark the campaign's one-month anniversary, Meng asked for a full explanation of how much the campaign has spent on its demonstrations, its advertisements, buses and other resources.

Lu Tai-nien (呂台年), deputy coordinator of the campaign, said the anti-Chen camp has spent about NT$60 million, but refused to go into specifics.

"We will publish our financial records as soon as the president steps down, and donate whatever money is left to charities," he said.

Meanwhile, Shih defended the campaign's decision to retreat from Zhongxiao W Road on Tuesday night after some supporters' complained that the anti-Chen campaign had not insisted on occupying the road overnight.

"People who don't agree with our decision can leave [the campaign]," he said.

The campaign had staged an illegal protest on Tuesday afternoon on Zhongxiao W Road and claimed at the time that it would continue to occupy the road. After negotiation with police, anti-Chen camp organizers later urged their followers to clear a part of the road so that vehicles could pass.

"We are sorry that some protesters might not be satisfied with our decision, but the `siege' ended successfully and scared A-bian [Chen's nickname]," said Luo Shu-lei (羅淑蕾), a deputy coordinator for the campaign.