Protesters take to streets to call for referendum reform

"Only such a move can be described as truly answering the people's demands."

-- Iap Phok-bun, Nuke-4 RIA chief executive

Members the Nuke-4 Referendum Initiative Association (Nuke-4 RIA) took to the streets yesterday morning to call for the government to "correct" flaws in the Referendum Law (公投法).

Former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Lin I-hsiung (林義雄) was also among the marchers who set off from Longshan Temple in downtown Taipei and walked toward the headquarters of the Executive Yuan and the Legislative Yuan to deliver two petition letters to the heads of each branch.

During the march, Lin, an outspoken activist dedicated to pushing for a nuclear-free nation, maintained his silence in the face of questions from reporters.

Nuke-4 RIA believes there are five major flaws in the Referendum Law, which was passed by the Legislative Yuan on Nov. 27, 2003.

The "shortcomings" include the setting up of a committee comprised of members of political parties in proportion to the number of seats each party holds in the legislature to screen proposed referendum topics and to make rules for implementing referendums after they are approved.

The design of such a supervisory committee undermines people's right to referendum, said Nuke-4 RIA, which believes there should be no limitations on the topics for referendums.

As a result, such a committee should be abolished, the association said.

In addition, Nuke-4 RIA criticized the requirement that 0.5 percent of registered voters' signatures must be collected in order for a referendum petition to be successful as well as the requirement that at least 50 percent of registered voters must cast ballots in a referendum to make it valid, saying both thresholds are too high and do not reflect the spirit of direct democracy.

Nuke-4 RIA chief executive Iap Phok-bun (葉博文), who led the march, urged the DPP to make the association's petition part of the joint political platform of DPP candidates running in the year-end legislative elections.

"Only such a move can be described as truly answering the people's demands," Iap said.