Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday vowed to continue protecting the values fought for by the nation’s democratic trailblazers, despite the party’s defeat in the presidential election last month.
Attending a ceremony to mark the 19th anniversary of the death of Deng Nan-jung (鄭南榕) in Taipei County yesterday morning, Hsieh said Deng carried the message that there was something more important than life itself.
“We will continue to protect the democratic values our ancestors fought for with their lives,” Hsieh said.
PHOTO: CNA
Deng set himself on fire on April 7, 1989 as armed police attempted to break into his office following 71 days of self-imposed isolation. Deng had been charged with sedition over the anti-government stance of his magazine after it published a draft “Taiwan Republic Constitution” in 1988.
Hsieh said that Deng did not promote his ideas eloquently, nor was he ostentatious about his love for his country. But he was willing to sacrifice his life for Taiwan.
Hsieh said that Deng sacrificed his life for a value that he firmly believed in and was being trampled on by the ruling authoritarian regime.
Commenting on the party’s election defeat, Hsieh said that he came to yesterday’s memorial event full of shame and regret. He said he blamed himself for losing the contest.
Since the election defeat, Hsieh said many people had shed tears and one man even followed in the footsteps of Deng and killed himself because he was worried about the country’s democratic future.
He said he felt powerless and sad, but he and his party would continue to promote a Taiwan-centered consciousness and democratic values.
“We wish the winner good luck, but we will never forget the promises we made to the people,” he said.
“We will continue to supervise the ruling party and protect the hard-earned democratic values fought for by our ancestors,” Hsieh said.
Meanwhile, Hsieh wished vice president-elect Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) good luck as Siew prepares to attend this year’s Boao Forum in China.
Hsieh yesterday said that he hoped Siew would not let the Taiwanese people down or do anything that would hurt the country’s sovereignty or the Taiwanese people, especially those who did not vote for the KMT.
Others attending yesterday’s event included Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) and Deng’s wife, former Presidential Office secretary-general Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭).
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