Renewed clashes broke out yesterday as self-help organizations against the forced house demolitions in Miaoli County’s Dapu Borough (大埔) protested outside the new Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taipei during a visit by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), leading to the arrest of a National Chengchi University professor and another demonstrator.
Four houses in Dapu were demolished by the Miaoli County Government on Thursday last week to make way for a science park project, despite the protests of students, academics and civic group activists questioning the legitimacy of the local government’s actions.
More than 100 people demonstrated in front of the Presidential Office, urging the government to apologize and return the land to its owners before Aug. 18, which would mark the one-month anniversary of the houses being torn down.
Photo: CNA
Taiwan Rural Front spokeswoman Frida Tsai (蔡培慧) said the central government had connived with the county government, and their brutal actions not only demolished the houses, but also the public’s last bit of faith in the government system.
The groups said the county government even asked one of the homeowners to pay a disposal fee of about NT$242,000 — approximately the same amount as the owner received in compensation for the land expropriation.
They said the request laid bare the “brutal and intentional bullying” nature of the Miaoli County Government.
Photo: J. Michael Cole, Taipei Times
Peng Hsiu-chun (彭秀春), one of the four homeowners, held up objects salvaged from the rubble of her home.
“I don’t want to stand against the government. I only want a home — a home that I worked hard for. I paid my taxes, but my home is gone now,” a sobbing Peng said.
Tsai said if the government does not apologize to the people, return their land, investigate possible corruption surrounding the project and immediately amend the Land Expropriation Act (土地徵收條例) to protect the public’s rights, they will call for more people to “dismantle the bandit government.”
Several of the demonstrators later went to Tacheng Street, where Ma was attending the opening ceremony for the new ministry.
“[You] knock down houses in Dapu today; [we] tear down the government tomorrow,” National Chengchi University professor Hsu Shih-jung (徐世榮) sang as black official state cars drove by the crowd on the sidewalk.
Hsu, who was shouting the slogan adopted by the protesters, was immediately pulled away by police officers, who said he had violated the Public Safety Act (公共危險罪).
Although he repeatedly said that he had not broken the law, Hsu was dragged to a police car and taken to a police station by several officers.
As he was taken away, other protesters surrounded the police and shouted “use of excessive force.”
Hung Chung-yen (洪崇晏), a student from National Taiwan University, was also taken away by police for alleged violations of the act and malfeasance after he fell to the ground and injured his head during clashes with police.
A car bomb killed a senior Russian general in southern Moscow yesterday morning, the latest high-profile army figure to be blown up in a blast that came just hours after Russian and Ukrainian delegates held separate talks in Miami on a plan to end the war. Kyiv has not commented on the incident, but Russian investigators said they were probing whether the blast was “linked” to “Ukrainian special forces.” The attack was similar to other assassinations of generals and pro-war figures that have either been claimed, or are widely believed to have been orchestrated, by Ukraine. Russian Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, 56, head
SAFETY FIRST: Double the number of police were deployed at the Taipei Marathon, while other cities released plans to bolster public event safety Authorities across Taiwan have stepped up security measures ahead of Christmas and New Year events, following a knife and smoke bomb attack in Taipei on Friday that left four people dead and 11 injured. In a bid to prevent potential copycat incidents, police deployments have been expanded for large gatherings, transport hubs, and other crowded public spaces, according to official statements from police and city authorities. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said the city has “comprehensively raised security readiness” in crowded areas, increased police deployments with armed officers, and intensified patrols during weekends and nighttime hours. For large-scale events, security checkpoints and explosives
PUBLIC SAFETY: The premier said that security would be tightened in transport hubs, while President Lai commended the public for their bravery The government is to deploy more police, including rapid response units, in crowded public areas to ensure a swift response to any threats, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday after a knife attack killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei the previous day. Lai made the remarks following a briefing by the National Police Agency on the progress of the investigation, saying that the attack underscored the importance of cooperation in public security between the central and local governments. The attack unfolded in the early evening on Friday around Taipei Main Station’s M7 exit and later near the Taipei MRT’s Zhongshan
REBUFFED: In response to Chinese criticism over recent arms sales, Washington urged Beijing to engage in meaningful dialogue instead of threats and intimidation Washington’s long-term commitment to Taiwan would not change, the US Department of State said yesterday, urging Beijing to stop pressuring Taiwan and engage in meaningful bilateral dialogues. The remarks came in response to a backlash from Beijing about Washington’s latest approval of arms sales to Taiwan. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement on Wednesday that the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US has asked to purchase an arms package, including Tactical Mission Network Software; AH-1W helicopter spare and repair parts; M109A7 self-propelled howitzers; HIMARS long range precision strike systems; tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided missiles; Javelin
RSS