Thu, May 10, 2001 page3

• DPP holds memorial for Fu Cheng

  REMEMBRANCE DPP members yesterday commemorated a mainlander imprisoned for his support of the opposition movement during the years of the Chiang dictatorships

  • By Joyce Huang / STAFF REPORTER
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  Fu Cheng (傅正), a long-time political activist, yesterday arose in the memories of ruling DPP members who regard him as one of the party's 18 founders.

  A memorial gathering was held yesterday to commemorate the deceased on the 10th anniversary of Fu's death of stomach cancer in 1991.

  "Fu's [spirit] lives on. His contributions to democracy [in Tai-wan] will always be remembered," President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said at the gathering yesterday afternoon, adding that Fu was a fine role model in his words, deeds, and perseverance in what he set himself to do.

  

  The ruling DPP held a memorial ceremony for Fu Cheng yesterday, the 10th anniversary of the long-time political activist's death. Fu is regarded as one of the party's 18 founders.

  PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIME

  "In Taiwan's history of democratic movements, Fu was the only figure involved in the foundation of two political parties. His political vision was foresighted and progressive," party secretary-general Wu Nai-jen (吳乃仁) said, adding that Fu was particularly praiseworthy since he was a pure mainlander who very much identified himself with Taiwan.

  Fu's 63-year life was full of ups and downs.

  He survived the civil war between the KMT and the communists and fled to Taiwan with the KMT forces. Having witnessed the calamity of war, Fu realized that "only democracy can save people from being held at gunpoint."

  From then on, "Fu had used Taiwan as a hinterland for democracy," said Academia Historica President Chang Yen-hsien (張炎憲).

  As a former KMT political worker who had a close relationship with then-premier Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國), Fu turned to the opposition movement in 1953 by contributing articles in and working for the Free China Fortnightly (自由中國), published by the democratic activist Lei Chen (雷震). Lei and Fu, in 1960, co-founded the opposition China Democratic Party (中國民主黨), which was later suppressed, and Fu served a jail-term of more than six years.

  After being released from prison, Fu allied with 17 other activists and founded the DPP.

  At that time, Fu was one of the few mainlander members who joined the hard-line pro Taiwanese independence party.

  In 1989, Fu ran for a legislative seat on the party's behalf, but failed to win, gaining only 30,000 votes.

  Polls showed most of his votes came from mainland groups, not from DPP supporters.

  Because of his background, Fu had problems with getting involved in the DPP, but he still fully devoted himself to the party's political ideals and policies.

  "He once told me that he could not understand the Taiwanese language, which was mostly used during the DPP's meetings," said former DPP Chairman Chang Chun-hung (張俊宏).

  "Fu attended almost every meeting and took notes in such detail, that impressed me very much," said DPP's Hsinchu City Mayor Tsai Jen-chien (蔡仁堅).

  Fu was never among the DPP mainstream. But his insistence on democracy earned great respect among party members.

  Though not accepted, he continued to urge the party to put aside issues over Taiwanese independence and unification with China and to focus on Taiwan's democratization.

  "His advocacy was later proved to be correct," Wu said, while former Taipei County Commissioner You Ching (尤清) added that "his courage endowed us with power."
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