Chen praises Hakka fighters

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) attended a ritual at Yimin Temple (義民廟) in Hsinpu, Hsinchu County yesterday, in memory of the Hakka Yimin militia. The ritual was part of an annual Yimin Festival to highlight Hakka spirit and cultural heritage. In the past, the festival was mainly celebrated by Hakka residents in Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli counties, but this year the Council for Hakka Affairs expanded the festival into a national Hakka Cultural Festival. Chen said he was pleased to see the launch of the Hakka Cultural Festival enriching the significance of remembering the Hakka who traveled from China centuries ago to settle in Taiwan and who sacrificed their lives to defend Taiwan, first against rebels and later against Japanese colonizers.