During his talk at the annual conference of the International Rotary Club in Tainan, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said that the government will, in the first phase of humanitarian relief work in Iraq, provide materials and supplies worth about NT$150 million.
Besides rice, things such as blankets and drugs will be shipped to Iraq to help the people rebuild their homes and country. The first shipment of relief supplies -- 5,000 tonnes of rice -- departed on April 6.
Chen said that on the day the war against Iraq began, he had already indicated that Taiwan supports all anti-terrorism efforts by the international community, but at the same time hopes that peace can arrive soon.
Now that the war in Iraq is about to end, the subsequent humanitarian relief and post-war reconstruction work is about to begin. Taiwan will do its best to provide assistance and fulfill its duties and moral responsibilities as a member of the international community.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also helped coordinate a fund-raising event for the Iraqi people. As many as 28 private groups also took part in that event, drawing even more assistance and resources for post-war reconstruction work in Iraq.
All this goes to demonstrate the ability of this country's non-governmental organizations to operate in the international community, and prove that the love of Taiwanese people is not restricted to national boundaries.
The devotion of the government and private sector in helping the Iraqi people has already received recognition from the US government. The nation's representative to the US, Chen Chien-jen (程建人), recently said that Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and Under Secretary of State Paula Dobriansky have expressed gratitude on different occasions with respect to Taiwan's willingness to offer humanitarian aid.
In addition, since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the US, the war with Afghanistan and the war against Iraq, high-ranking US officials have made similar statements repeatedly. The American Institute in Taipei Director Douglas Paal has also publicly indicated on the behalf of the US appreciation for Taiwan's humanitarian aid to the Afghan and Iraqi people.
Although the US-Iraq War is not officially over yet, and it is unclear whether President Saddam Hussein is dead or alive, the situation in Iraq is pretty much set.
As the war comes to an end, reconstruction of Iraq has become a major dispute in the international community. Before the war, countries such as France, Germany and Russia had opposed Washington and London on waging war with Iraq. Now they have again taken on the US and UK on the issue of whether the UN should lead the reconstruction work. Key to the divisions within international community over the reconstruction of Iraq is how to distribute the "spoils of the war."
On the surface, European countries and Washington may be arguing over how to build a new Iraq. In reality, what they care about is Iraqi oil, foreign debts and the lucrative reconstruction projects, as well as the remaking of the political power structure after the war. However, they do not deal with the daily problems of survival that the Iraqi people face.
While, thus far, there has not been any major military engagement or street fighting, and the number of deaths have been much lower than anticipated, the allied forces' bombing of military facilities, although mostly on target, inevitably caused death and injury to the civilian population. The around-the-clock bombing virtually turned the city of Baghdad into a ruin.
Not only were most of the public facilities destroyed, but the daily lives of the city's residents have been made extremely inconvenient.
Besides, the post-war chaos has given mobs the opportunities to loot, kill, rob and set everything in their sight on fire. Lawlessness is essentially the prevailing condition in cities, towns and villages of Iraq.
A few days ago, the Bush administration released a list of things Iraq desperately needs, such as policemen, physicians, nurses and engineers.
Obviously, how to quickly establish a stable government, rebuild public facilities and infrastructure and resume law and order so that humanitarian aid can safety enter the country are the most urgent tasks.
The NT$150 million in supplies donated by Taiwan, while far less than the US$100 million donation from Japan, has amply demonstrated the fact that the Taiwanese people have hearts of gold.
Actually, the reconstruction of Iraq can inspire some new thinking with respect to Taiwan's foreign relations. While on the international stage Taiwan has little chance to speak, what the country is capable of accomplishing in the domains of humanitarian and economic aid should not be ignored or looked down upon.
During the Cold War, as a result of the standoff between the communist bloc and the free world, Taiwan was able to protect its position against threats from China.
But after the disintegration of the communist bloc, and China began reform campaigns, Taiwan began to come under increasingly strong Chinese pressure and has now almost no opportunity to participate in international affairs. It has, in essence, been discarded as an orphan in the international community.
At this time, if the government cannot abandon old and outdated thinking and conduct, and replace formalistic and superficial diplomatic relationship with substantive participation in international affairs, it will face only rejection. Under the circumstances, humanitarian aid is a new way through which Taiwan can play a role in the international community.
While Taiwan may not be able to play any meaningful role in international politics, the economic prowess and high level of medical and health-care standards, as well as the vibrant charitable groups in the private sector, offer sufficient backing for the government's provision of humanitarian aid.
Taipei's offer of humanitarian aid is more than justified and legitimate, and therefore less likely to be opposed by China.
Humanitarian aid should be a type of selfless giving and devotion. As human civilization is now in the 21st century, it is still incapable of avoiding war, famine, disease, earthquakes, typhoons and other major calamities.
If the Taiwanese people decide to show up wherever there is a disaster to offer badly needed humanitarian aid to the victims, they will surely gradually win the respect and recognition of the world for offering such willing support.
Humanitarian aid need not be made based on special motives and goals. But doing good and charitable deeds over the long run will eventually make the whole world sense the importance of Taiwan's existence.
If Taiwan can replace political confrontation with offering of humanitarian aid, its people will surely be able to overcome Chinese opposition and become the most respected citizens of the world.
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