Give peace a chance
After the triumph of WTO accession, the people of Taiwan had been hoping for further success at the WHO. Sadly, any hopes of back-to-back diplomatic victories in the international scene were dashed, simply because of the realities of world politics. There is no doubt in my mind that the refusal by the World Health Assembly to even consider the application of Taiwan to become an observer was politically motivated.
There are always arguments that can be presented to preserve the mythical "one China" policy, which is used to systematically shoot down any effort by the Taiwanese to be heard and noticed on the world stage. The WHO rejection is a clear example of this.
On the other hand, there are just as many counter-arguments that appeal to good old-fashioned common sense and what I would call the "real" reality: the fact that Taiwan has 23 million people, occupies a space on the world map and the fact that its existence as an entity cannot be denied any longer.
One can choose to call Tai-wan by a number of titles, such as "The ROC on Taiwan" or the "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu." To me, Taiwan is Taiwan.
What saddens me is that remnants of the early 20th century Chinese civil war have cast a huge shadow over the present situation. The political battle between Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) and Mao Zedong (毛澤東) never had a proper conclusion and is still evident in the manner in which China treats Taiwan. Is it fair that the Taiwanese still have to pay for the sins of past political battles? Of course it isn't.
The leaders on both sides of the Taiwan Strait need to search their consciences to find a solution to the "one China" issue, if there ever was one. They need to discard their political baggage and ask them-selves this simple question: Are they doing what is right for the people? Because ultimately, the people will have to bear the consequences of the decisions of their leaders. God help us if we happen to have leaders who disregard the wishes of their people. Give peace a chance. Give the peoples of China and Taiwan a chance. Stop the political madness before it's too late.
Dominic Choo
Singapore
Missionaries are okay
Thank you for publishing a report on the government's awards to a few foreigners for their contributions to Taiwan's health care.
It is true, as Dan Bloom pointed out (Letters, May 6, page 8), that these foreign doctors and other caregivers have in many cases been motivated by their religious faith. These people have been so caring -- not just for a little while, but for many years -- and this care has often been delivered to people in great need.
They inspire my own caregiving and fill me with that good "Taiwan spirit" as well.
I do not know what experience Bloom may have had to make him an expert in judging the beliefs of such dedicated servants, but I am thankful that almost all the people of Taiwan I have encountered have not been so quick to judge others, including myself. I believe this tolerance best represents the Taiwan spirit.
Dr. Steve Spinella
Director, Center for Counseling and Growth, Taichung
Textbooks treat KMT fairly
This letter is in response to the KMT reaction to junior-high history books which it says are "derogatory" toward the party ("KMT finds portrayal in school textbooks unflattering," May 10, page 3). Who would dare to deny that the KMT "monopolized" political power in the past and "failed to draw a line between the government and the party?"
This is not a radically anti-KMT interpretation of history, but rather a quite moderate assessment of an era to which neither the KMT nor DPP would like to return.
The books could go further, without being derogatory, by saying that the KMT killed, jailed or otherwise silenced all opposition for decades until laws were gradually liberalized under the last two KMT presidents, Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) and Lee Tung-hui (李登輝). The KMT could then be presented in a positive light for its part in all of the achievements of demo-cracy in Taiwan.
Most people in Taiwan observed the "monopoly" of the old KMT first-hand, or are children of those who have. If the KMT denies the past, it will detract from its present status as the opposition party and alienate all who have experienced the oppression of the past. By admitting the past wrongs of the party, the KMT can only build its reputation as a viable opposition party that has learned from the mistakes of history.
Does the KMT and its spokes-woman, Kuo Su-chun (郭素春), also agree that the Japanese should exclude the World War II massacres such as that in Nanjing from school textbooks in Japan?
David Luesink
Edmonton, Canada
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