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Presidential election 2008: Reaction: Foreign observers laud peaceful poll

Monks line up to vote in Puli Township, Nantou County, yesterday. PHOTO: TUNG CHEN-KUO, TAIPEI TIMES

Foreign observers yesterday praised the smooth and peaceful conduct of the presidential election yesterday, saying that the uneventful day was a mark of Taiwan's democratic maturity.

"It was extremely interesting to observe the election process and see democracy at work. I commend the people of Taiwan for having a democracy so young, but yet able to conduct such a smooth election," US Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter of South Carolina said.

Cobb-Hunter is one of the 300-plus foreign observers from more than 30 countries that came to witness the nation's fourth democratically held elections since the lifting of martial law in 1987.

UN Undersecretary Eric Suy-Verbury of the Office of Legal Affairs also commended the election, saying the enthusiasm he saw among Taiwanese voters was "typical of a young democracy."

"I was in South Africa when the country held its first election when apartheid ended in 1994. This is the same atmosphere as it was in South Africa," he said.

Voters in Changhua County wait in line to vote yesterday. Clear skies encouraged people to flock to polling stations nationwide. PHOTO: JUAN YI-YU, TAIPEI TIMES

Nicaraguan Ambassador to Taiwan William Tapia said the election was a "palpable" demonstration of democracy in Taiwan.

"In the polling stations that we surveyed, many people were lined up nicely. Everything was very calm and quiet. I can be very proud of Taiwan and I think people of Taiwan should be very proud of themselves," said Tapia, who was the first student from Nicaragua to study in Taiwan 40 years ago.

US Representative Ellen Cohen from Texas said the turnout and the level of passion among Taiwanese voters was much more "engaging" than in the US.

Foreign election observers visit the Central Election Commission's election center in Taipei yesterday. PHOTO: CHEN TSE-MING, TAIPEI TIMES

"Being such a young democracy, Taiwan's democratic development can really serve as a beacon to other countries," she said, adding that heated verbal exchanges between the two candidates were healthy if the focus was issued-based.

Chia Chang (張家嘉), a member of the young professional group of the Washington-based Formosa Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), said she was very impressed with the transparency in the vote counting process when she observed the entire procedure at a polling station in Taipei.

"When I was standing there, I felt very privileged to be able to watch the process. But quickly I realized that anyone could just drop by to see it," Chang said.

Another FAPA young professional, Zoe Tseng (鄭心瑋), said only a small percentage of Taiwan youth appeared to genuinely care about politics, especially the presidential election.

"We went down to speak to students at Cheng Kung University in Tainan, and the students told us they do not talk much about politics among their friends; when they do, they only do so briefly," Tseng said.

Describing the presidential election process as peaceful and law-abiding, the head of a Hong Kong-based non-governmental think tank said in Taipei yesterday that democracy in Taiwan can serve as a paragon for the global Chinese community.

"I envy Taiwan for having such a peaceful, law-abiding and smooth process of election, " said Paul Yip (葉國華), chairman of the Hong Kong Research Institute Limited. "This is a high-quality and highly democratized election, which can serve as a great experience and model for all Chinese."

He said that party rotation is a very "important and glorious moment" for all Chinese people and he came here to learn from Taiwan's experience.

In 2000, Taiwan held its second direct presidential election in which then opposition Democratic Progressive Party candidate Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) won a stunning victory, making it the first time in Taiwanese history that an opposition party had won against the long-ruling Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).

In yesterday's election, the opposition KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) won in the fiercely contested election.

In related developments, former KMT chairman Lien Chan (連戰) yesterday slammed the UN referendum bids and lashed out at US Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher for calling on Taiwanese to fully participate in the election.

"I refused to take both of the referendum ballots ... Some of the US congressional members can be idiots," he said when asked by reporters to comment on Rohrabacher's call for Taiwanese to participate in the election and not be intimidated by threats from China.

Rohrabacher is part of the US delegation that arrived in Taiwan to observe the election and referendum yesterday.

Democratic Progressive Party vice presidential candidate Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) criticized Lien for insulting Rohrabacher.

Speaking after casting his vote in Taipei County yesterday morning, Su said Lien should have treated the US congressional members with courtesy even though he disagreed with Rohrabacher.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MO YAN-CHIH, KO SHU-LING AND CNA
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