Opposition parties, civic groups and academics yesterday condemned President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration — notably Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) — for ordering a bloody crackdown on students occupying the Executive Yuan, as part of a student movement now known as the Sunflower Revolution.
At about 1am yesterday, riot police and Taipei police, equipped with shields, truncheons and water cannons, carried out a five-hour eviction of thousands of protesters — who began occupying the Executive Yuan compound at about 7:30pm on Sunday — resulting in scores being injured.
“The DPP [Democratic Progressive Party] seriously condemns the police violence that took place [yesterday]. The DPP believes that water cannons should not be the sole method the police can rely on [to disperse the crowd]. Other countries use water cannons to disperse extremely rowdy crowds, often under the influence [of alcohol] or during sports events, but yesterday’s crowds were students and young people who have ideological expectations of their leaders, and they represent our nation’s future,” the DPP said in a press release.
Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times
DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), accompanied by former chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), former premiers Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and Yu Shyi-kun, caucus convener Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) and lawmakers, visited the students at the Executive Yuan at 1:50am, trying to lower tensions and prevent police from using excessive force to no avail.
The Taiwan Solidarity Union described the crackdown as “Taiwan’s Tiananman Massacre that is going to shock the world” in a press release.
Jiang’s order of the crackdown was “bloody and violent” and ironic for the former National Taiwan University law professor, the party said, adding that Jiang should step down because he is no longer fit for the post of premier.
The pro-independence Taiwan Society said in a press release that the use of excessive force represented serious state violence and showed the authoritarian nature of Ma’s government.
The group demanded that Ma and Jiang apologize for the bloody crackdown, renegotiate the cross-strait service trade agreement and immediately release student leader Dennis Wei (魏揚) who was involved in the siege of the Executive Yuan,.
With reports of the crackdown spreading overseas, two leading US lawmakers called for peace in dealing with the protesters.
US House Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce and US Senator Sherrod Brown, who is also a founding member of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, urged Ma to ensure a non-violent, peaceful resolution.
“My thoughts are with Taiwanese students and other protesters expressing opposition to a proposed economic pact with China,” Brown said.
“The world is watching these courageous students,” the Ohio Democrat said. “The message to President Ma is that when you try to jam a trade agreement through, people will resist.”
Supporting Brown’s remarks, Royce added: “It is very important that things be handled peacefully.”
While a US Department of State official refused to comment on the situation, a well-informed source within the department told the Taipei Times that developments were being closely monitored in Washington.
Meanwhile, renowned US-based historian Yu Ying-shih (余英時) of Academia Sinica endorsed the student movement in an open letter yesterday highlighting Taiwanese young people’s deep mistrust of China.
Citing his personal connections in Taiwan, Yu said the student movement should not be mistaken as a campaign motivated by any political party because it has been a pure civic movement.
Yu said he saw the protest as a movement to protect and upgrade Taiwan’s democratic system because the public and the government should have an equal voice.
Additionally, Yu warned Taiwan against underestimating China’s strategy of using economic means to achieve its political goals.
When China locks Taiwan in its economic network, the time for unification will be ripe, Yu said.
The historian said democracy would be the best tool to guarantee Taiwan’s security and that was why China has been trying to undermine Taiwan’s democratic system.
Additional reporting by William Lowther
A Hualien pomelo farmer refused to sell to China after the country announced it would permit more Taiwanese pomelo imports, prompting widespread support from Taiwanese consumers, who rallied to buy his fruit. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office last month said that China’s General Administration of Customs registered an additional 79 Taiwanese pomelo orchards and packing facilities in Hualien County, allowing more Taiwanese producers to export pomelos to China. “I am a Hualien fruit farmer and I refuse to sell to China,” Liu Tzu-hao (劉子豪) from Ruisui Township (瑞穗) said in an online post. Liu is a well-known farmer in the community and has served
UPDATE: The submarine would need to undergo combined systems testing and crew training for navy personnel before it is ready for mission, an expert said Taiwan’s first domestically built submarine, the Hai Kun (Narwhal, 海鯤), could be delivered to the navy as early as next month, military expert and Taiwan Association for Security and Development chairman Chi Tung-yun (紀東昀) said yesterday. The submarine was yesterday morning observed departing for its 21st sea trial and its 15th submerged test. The vessel missed the initial delivery deadline of November last year due to “testing delays,” its primary contractor, shipbuilder CSBC Corp, Taiwan, said in June. The contractor also cited “political pressure from China” in procuring critical equipment. All testing operations are in the final stages, with the
OCT. 31: The antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Eraflu have been distributed to about 4,000 medical facilities nationwide for people in seven groups who develop flu-like symptoms As the domestic influenza epidemic enters its peak season and continues to escalate, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday announced that publicly funded influenza antiviral drugs for seven eligible groups have been extended to Oct. 31, allowing those who develop flu-like symptoms to receive the medication without undergoing a rapid influenza test. The CDC has extended the expanded use of flu antiviral drugs to seven groups: healthcare and influenza-prevention personnel; residents and staff at nursing homes, long-term care facilities and similar institutions; kindergarten and daycare workers and home-based caregivers; students from kindergarten through high school, vocational high school and the
Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) on Wednesday said decommissioned coast guard vessels were given to the Philippines to enhance regional rescue capacity and would not affect Taiwanese fishers’ rights and benefits. Kuan made the remarks after confirmation on Tuesday that a 500-tonne Coast Guard Administration (CGA) patrol and rescue vessel would be given to the Philippine Coast Guard. The donation ceremony was reportedly done in Manila, but whether the vessel — previously numbered “CG123” and named Kinmen (金門) — has been handed over has yet to be confirmed. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) on Wednesday criticized the donation for “taking
RSS