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Flag-raising event draws thousands

By Rich Chang
STAFF REPORTER
Tuesday, Sep 09, 2008, Page 3

Two Taiwanese independence supporters raise a flag in front of the Presidential Office yesterday. The flag features a white background and the shape of Taiwan in green in the center, symbolizing Taiwan as a peaceful “maritime state.” PHOTO: CNA

Shouting “Taiwan Republic! Taiwan Republic!” thousands of Taiwanese independence supporters gathered for a flag-raising ceremony in front of the Presidential Office yesterday, using the group’s version of a Taiwanese national flag.

The crowd sang Taiwan the Green (台灣翠青), and waved flags and chanted slogans in favor of building a “Taiwan Republic.”

The event started with the declaration of a “Taiwan Republic Campaign” statement and a prayer for Taiwan before it proceeded to the flag-raising ceremony at 2:28pm. The time was chosen to mark the massacre that took place on Feb. 28, 1947, when Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) troops suppressed a Taiwanese uprising, leaving tens of thousands dead, missing or imprisoned.

Instead of the raising the Republic of China (ROC) flag, the campaign presented the crowd with a flag that featured a white background and the shape of Taiwan in green in the center, symbolizing Taiwan as a peaceful “maritime state.”

Peter Wang (王獻極), organizer of the annual rally and convener of “the 908 Taiwan Nation Movement,” said Taiwan needs to abolish the ROC Constitution, terminate the ROC system of government, write a new constitution for the Taiwan Republic and implement a new Taiwan Republic system of government.

Wang also criticized President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) pro-China polices, which he claimed risked selling out Taiwan.

Among the participants at the event were Taiwan Solidarity Union Secretary-General Lin Jhi-jia (林志嘉), chairman of the Taiwan Association of University Professors Tsay Ting-kuei (蔡丁貴) and former Presidential Office policy adviser Chuang Po-lin (莊柏林).
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