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TSU loses legislator, councilors

Taipei City Councilor Chien Yu-yen, front row second right, and other Taiwan Solidarity Union members bow at a press conference in Taipei yesterday to thank the party, which they announced they were leaving. PHOTO: WANG YI-SUNG, TAIPEI TIMES

Four publicly elected officials of the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) withdrew their party membership yesterday, accusing the party of losing its Taiwan-centered values.

Legislator Yin Ling-ying (尹伶瑛) announced her withdrawal at a press conference in Yunlin, while Taipei City Councilor Chien Yu-yen (簡余晏) and Taipei County councilors Chen Chi-nen (陳啟能) and Wu Chi-ming (吳琪銘) held a joint press conference in Taipei to announce their decision.

SEEING RED

Yin led TSU's Yunlin County office director Liao Wen-sheng (廖文生) and 101 party members in throwing their membership cards into a bucket of red ink to symbolize that the TSU had been tainted by the "red-shirt army."

The "red-shirt army" refers to a campaign organized by former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Shih Ming-teh (施明德) last year to demand that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) resign.

DISAPPOINTMENT

Yin said that she was disappointed at the TSU because it had divorced its position from public opinion. She said she had no choice but to leave because she wanted to work with pan-green voters for the unity of the pan-green camp.

Yin also said she would join the DPP caucus, voting with the DPP, but not necessarily becoming a member of the party.

The TSU on Monday revoked Yin and Legislator David Huang's (黃適卓) candidacies in the January legislative poll after the pair defied its warning to refrain from making remarks detrimental to the party.

ELECTION PLANS

Huang withdrew from the TSU on Wednesday, saying he would join the DPP to run in the legislative election if he wins tomorrow's opinion poll.

In Taipei, Chien, Chen and Wu thanked the party and its spiritual leader, former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), for their long-time support, but said that the party's deviation from its "localization" drive had prompted their departure.

"As a small party, I understand the pressure that TSU faces under the new single-member district, two-vote system," Chien said. "However, the new route that the TSU has taken is not for me. I insist on taking a Taiwan-centered path."

NEW DIRECTION

Chen joined Chien in challenging the party's new policy direction.

"I don't know the goal of the new TSU. I joined the party because it prioritized localization and Taiwan," Chen said, adding that many grassroots supporters had also questioned the party's new values.

While condemning the party for losing its core values, the three councilors said they would not join the DPP and would serve as independent councilors.

TSU spokeswoman Chou Mei-li (周美里) yesterday expressed regret over their departure.

She wished them good luck and urged those who have joined the DPP to refrain from hurting either the TSU or their former colleagues.
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