"Dear dad, I hope you are okay in heaven. Don't have too much candy and smoke too much. This is a drawing for you, hope you like it. And the two balls are also for you. The green one represents a new country which you always wanted Taiwan to be," reads a letter from the little daughter of Deng Nan-jung (鄭南榕), on display at a new memorial gallery that opened yesterday.
Coinciding with International Human Rights Day, Deng's now-grown daughter, his wife -- DPP legislator Yeh Chu-lan (
Since his death, Deng's office has been preserved. Burned, but unmoved, a writing desk, typewriter, fax machine and even an exercise bike remain just as they did when Deng was alive.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
Jointly started by Deng's friends and proponents of freedom of expression, the Deng Liberty Foundation (
Francis Bunki Dew (
"We don't want to get involved in political affairs. The foundation wants to help introduce and develop Taiwanese culture at home and abroad," Dew said.
Born in Taiwan in 1947 to parents of mainland Chinese descent, Deng overtly articulated his support for Taiwan independence on numerous public occasions in the 1980s, when a charge of sedition was used against proponents of the independence issue.
"I'm Deng Nan-jung. I am a Chinese descendent. And I support Taiwan independence," Deng used to exclaim in public rallies.
A follower of liberalism, Deng had a deep faith in freedom of expression and established a popular opposition magazine, Freedom Era Weekly (|菪悎犮N), in 1984, in pursuit of what he termed "one hundred percent freedom of expression."
It was publication of the draft of a "Taiwan Republic Constitution," by pro-independence author Hsu Shih-kai (
Protesting the charge, Deng shut himself in his office, where three barrels of gasoline and a lighter had been prepared for his suicide attempt. His 71-day self-imposed isolation ended on April 7, 1989, when he set himself on fire facing an imminent break-in by heavily-armed police. He was 42 at the time.
When he was sued over the anti-government stance of his magazine, Deng hired Chen Shui-bian (
During a visit to the gallery yesterday, Chen recounted memories of Deng's days campaigning for Taiwan independence. His mainlander background did not have any influence on his love for the island, Chen said.
Japan has deployed long-range missiles in a southwestern region near China, the Japanese defense minister said yesterday, at a time when ties with Beijing are at their lowest in recent years. The missiles were installed in Kumamoto in the southern region of Kyushu, as Japan is attempting to shore up its military capacity as China steps up naval activity in the East China Sea. “Standoff defense capabilities enable us to counter the threat of enemy forces attempting to invade our country ... while ensuring the safety of our personnel,” Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi said. “This is an extremely important initiative for
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