The “dangerous game” of keeping imprisoned former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) from access to appropriate medical care has been played for “too long and too far,” former US attorney-general Ramsey Clark said yesterday in Taipei, calling for Chen’s immediate release and international attention to his situation.
Clark, who is in Taiwan on a four-day visit, told a press conference yesterday evening that Taiwanese need to exercise their power and make their support of Chen heard, while the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva should pay attention to Chen’s case and do its duty.
Chen is serving a 17-and-a-half-year prison term on corruption charges. During his incarceration, he has complained about several physical ailments, including chest pains.
Photo: Chang Chung-i, Taipei Times
Chen was of clear mind and expression, but was “obviously weak” and was kept in a condition which would further undermine his health, Clark said of his one-hour meeting with the former president on Monday afternoon.
There was no reason for making Chen sleep and eat on the floor and live in a space that is less than 2m2, Clark said.
“And there is no time to be playing games with fundamental human rights,” he added.
Earlier yesterday, Clark visited Greater Kaohsiung, where he met Chen’s wife, Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍), and Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊).
He said there would not be peace and harmony in Taiwanese society before Chen’s human rights are respected, as most Taiwanese people found the way the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is treating Chen unacceptable.
Anyone could tell from Wu’s worried face that she is concerned for her husband’s health even more than her own, he said.
Clark added that Chen could have been put under house arrest, as he would have received better treatment and it would have been a better environment for his health, as the possibility of Chen escaping is extremely low.
Clark attended a dinner banquet after the press conference, where hundreds of guests paid tribute to the former US official who fought for Taiwan’s democratic movement and its struggle for freedom.
An internationally renowned defender of human rights, Clark flew to Taiwan in 1980 to express concerns over what came to be known as the Formosa Incident, also known as the Kaohsiung Incident, during which riot police cracked down on protesters calling for political rights.
Clark is scheduled to visit the Ministry of Justice and to meet with Minister of Justice Tseng Yung-fu (曾勇夫) today, before concluding his four-day trip tomorrow.
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday briefed her party’s Central Standing Committee regarding her scheduled visit to the US between Monday next week and June 16, saying that her purpose would be to persuade the US that the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution was a “one China” constitution that would foster stable and peaceful cross-strait relations. The ROC Constitution is the most important defense for all Taiwanese citizens, as it upholds our democracy and has contributed to our robust economy, which aligns with international and US interests, she said. “We would not be troublemakers and drag the US under,”
RSS