President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and other politicians yesterday mourned the passing of veteran democracy activist Shih Ming-te (施明德).
Shih, a former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman, died at the age of 83 yesterday after battling cancer for years.
In a Facebook post, Tsai described Shih as a pioneer of democracy and human rights who devoted himself to the democratic movement during Taiwan’s authoritarian period.
Photo: CNA
Taiwan has navigated through periods of political party bans and newspaper restrictions, culminating in the eighth direct presidential election, said Tsai, who visited Shih in hospital on Sunday.
Tsai expressed gratitude to Shih for his dedication, stating that the public would “consolidate all our endeavors and persist in building a better Taiwan.”
Vice President William Lai (賴清德), who won the presidential election on Saturday, also paid tribute to Shih’s contributions and legacy on Facebook.
“Former chairman Shih was a trailblazer for democracy, a staunch defender of human rights, and a wise and courageous politician,” Lai said.
Shih, who dedicated his life and career to the advancement of human rights in Taiwan, has been called the “Nelson Mandela of Taiwan.”
He was jailed from 1962 to 1977 for sedition after calling for Taiwan’s independence from China, and again from 1980 to 1990 for his role in the Kaohsiung Incident.
Shih was chairman of the DPP from 1993 to 1996, and served as a lawmaker from 1993 to 2002.
He split with the party after then-president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) of the DPP became embroiled in several corruption scandals, later leading a mass movement calling for Chen’s resignation in 2006.
Chen, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted on corruption and bribery charges in 2010, expressed his condolences on social media.
Reflecting on their shared history during the Kaohsiung Incident, Chen said he remembered watching Shih stand strong in front of the military court while serving as his lawyer.
On Dec. 10, 1979, Shih and other opposition leaders held a rally in Kaohsiung to commemorate Human Rights Day and call for democracy in Taiwan. The then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government cracked down on the demonstration and arrested Shih and the other leaders in what became known as the Kaohsiung Incident.
Chen said Shih had advocated throughout his life that Taiwan should move toward a Cabinet system.
“Prophets often tread a lonely path,” Chen said, expressing his conviction that, given time, Shih’s proposal for Taiwan to adopt a Cabinet system would become mainstream public opinion in Taiwan.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), a member of the KMT, conveyed his condolences on Facebook, adding that Shih had effectively fulfilled a role in monitoring the government, displaying profound compassion for the people residing in this land.
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