Pro-independence advocates yesterday filed treason lawsuits against former vice president Lien Chan (連戰), People First Party (PFP) Secretary-General Chin Ching-sheng (秦金生) and New Party Chairman Yok Mu-ming (郁慕明).
Joining forces to file the charges for “offenses against internal and external security of the state” (內亂外患罪) were the Taiwanese Nationalist Party Alliance (TNP), Free Taiwan Party, Alliance for Taiwan Autonomy and Independence, and Fly the Banners for Taiwan.
“We are launching the litigation not just against Lien, Chin and Yok, but all the other people from Taiwan who attended the military parade in Beijing. That includes other politicians, retired generals and other high-ranking military officials, civil servants from Taiwan. They are traitors, who are in bed with Chinese government officials in plotting to take over Taiwan,” TNP Chairman Tsua Gim-liong (蔡金龍) said.
He said the decision to sue more than 300 Taiwanese who were invited to and attended the Sept. 3 event in Beijing was because litigation started by former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) last month was only against Lien and it did not go far enough.
Tsua said the lawsuit would also include former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) vice chairman Lin Feng-cheng (林豐正), Non-Partisan Solidarity Union (NPSU) Legislator May Chin (高金素梅), NPSU Chairman Lin Pin-kun (林炳坤) and former premier Hau Pei-tsun (郝柏村), who has made past trips to China.
Independence advocate Peter Ku (古文發) said: “These people are either paid a high salary by the government, or are receiving generous retirement pensions, but they are betraying our nation and trampling on our people’s aspiration for a free, democratic way of life. We urge the removal of all the privileges, stipends and pension payments currently enjoyed by Lien, Hau and other high-ranking officials.”
Ku added that China is the enemy next door, and has been acting with belligerence with more than 1,800 missiles ready to launch toward Taiwan.
“Lien and others who were in Beijing should be arrested for sedition; they should be punished and thrown in jail,” he said.
Ku also urged for the immediate reform of the justice system, saying that court rulings in recent years have favored big business and the ruling party.
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