Activist Lin Yi-fang (林一方) yesterday announced that he would go on a hunger strike starting at noon today outside the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) headquarters in Taipei to protest against the party caucus’ draft name changes to a proposed cross-strait accords oversight act.
The caucus last month said it would redraft the bill in line with the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution, replacing the terms “Taiwan” and “China” in a previous draft to “Taiwan Area” and “Mainland Area.”
Lin, a supporter of Taiwanese independence, said he is prepared to hold out as long as he can or until the party tables a draft act that is in accordance with international standards.
Lin said the DPP during the Sunflower movement in 2014 promised it would table a legislative act to enforce full transparency and oversight for inter-party negotiations, “but its draft is now using terms that reflect the spirit of the ‘one country, two areas’ concept mentioned in that detestable Constitution.”
“The DPP has achieved absolute power, winning both the presidential election and a majority in the Legislative Yuan earlier this year, and it should focus on realizing its ideals that Taiwan is a sovereign, independent nation, instead of bowing to the ‘convenience’ of government by using terms in line with the Constitution,” Lin said.
It is an indignity for the DPP to use the terms “Taiwan Area” and “Mainland Area,” Lin said, adding it would also be a final nail in the coffin of any future self-determined solution for Taiwan.
“Going on a hunger strike is denying the body sustenance, to express the reverence toward becoming independent; there are things that can be allowed, and others that cannot. I am Taiwanese and I will die before I bow [to Chinese oppression],” Lin said.
Meanwhile, several Taiwan independence supporters, including Taiwan Friends Association president Huang Kun-hu (黃崑虎) and World United Formosans for Independence chairman Chen Nan-tien (陳南天), met with DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) on Monday to discuss the issue, expressing opposition to the proposed name change, saying it would blur the issue of Taiwan’s sovereignty if the party continued on its current course, adding that the change could lead to the mistaken notion that Taiwan is a part of China.
Ker said he acknowledged their concerns, but added that ultimately he was only a member of the party and that the content and name of the DPP version of the act would have to be decided upon by DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
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