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Chen to play low-key role at demonstration

Democratic Progressive Party Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen yesterday pats a child on the head at a press conference to promote a demonstration on Oct 25. PHOTO: CNA

Former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday said he would play a low-key role in an upcoming protest organized by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and other pro-localization groups.

The demonstration is to take place on Saturday, with the theme of “rejecting the one China market, the downgrading of Taiwan’s sovereignty and an incompetent government.”

Chen, who is embroiled in a money laundering scandal, has said that he would attend Saturday’s protest. Chen’s decision has divided the DPP and the organizers. Some said the planned rally should distance itself from Chen, while others argued that Chen had every right to participate as long as he identified himself with the theme of the event.

DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said on Wednesday that anyone who supported the rally’s goals was welcome to take part, whether or not they support Chen.

Chen yesterday urged the public to participate in the demonstration.

While attending the annual meeting of the association of Tainan County residents living in Taipei yesterday morning, Chen, a native of Tainan County, said he would follow the instructions of the organizers, particularly the authority of Tsai.

Chen said he totally agreed with the theme of the upcoming event and that he would not do anything that would deviate from the theme.

He asked the organizers to rest assured because he said he would not grab the spotlight by “seizing the microphone” or “seeking the opportunity to speak on stage.”

In Taipei, the DPP and a number of pro-localization groups held a joint press conference yesterday, calling on the public to take part in the demonstration “to safeguard Taiwan’s sovereignty.”

“The DPP has repeatedly reminded President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) government that its governance is in crisis, but the government seemed not to heed the warning, so the DPP has to call on the public to take to the streets and warn the government with a big demonstration,” Tsai told the press conference, which was held on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office yesterday.

Tsai, Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Secretary-General Lin Jhi-jia (林志嘉) and officials from pro-localization groups held up three banners that read “a state becomes local region,” “president becomes mister” and “food becomes black hearted” in criticism of Ma’s recent remarks on cross-strait issues and a stream of tainted imports from China.

The DPP has also accused Ma of sacrificing Taiwan’s sovereignty by adopting a “modus vivendi” approach that advocates a “diplomatic truce” with China and introducing a series of cross-strait liberalization measures since his May 20 inauguration.

These measures include launching nonstop cross-strait charter flights on weekends, opening Taiwan up to more Chinese tourists, allowing cross-strait currency trading, raising the cap on China-bound investment by local enterprises from 40 percent of their net worth to 60 percent and recognizing Chinese academic degrees.

It is also unsatisfied with what it says is the Ma administration’s failure to take a tough stance in dealing with the melamine scare.

The Taiwan Society secretary-general Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政) said the demonstration on Saturday will be a display of people power, and will allow the people’s voice to be heard.
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