Because of a deadly shooting incident early last year, the coastal patrol troops of the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) have been forbidden to carry guns, according to reliable sources.
Instead of firearms, the coastal patrol troops carry stun guns and batons while they are patrolling the 1,500km of Taiwan's coastline.
It puts the security of the country at a risk since the coastal patrol troops are the first line of defense for the coastline.
The coastal patrol troops, though serving with the CGA, are actually soldiers transferred from the military. They have now become soldiers without guns, looking more like security guards in the civilian sector.
They were ordered not to carry guns early last year after a senior soldier in a coastal patrol unit of the CGA was shot dead by a junior soldier with a rifle in an incident in Fulon, Taipei County, according to an officer serving at the unit.
Formerly, the primary weapon carried by the patrol troops was domestically made 65-type rifles.
"The incident was prompted by the junior soldier's hatred of his superior, who he said had been treating him unfairly since he reported to the unit," the officer said.
The incident shocked the CGA leadership, who could not find any better way to stop similar incidents from recurring other than to put rifles out of the reach of the soldiers.
The order, having been enforced for over one year, drew strong complaints from coastal patrol troops, who fear their lives will be in danger if they encounter armed smugglers or raiders from China.
A CGA soldier, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: "The order is ridiculous. Have our superiors ever thought of our safety? What will we do in a situation which requires the use of rifles?" the soldier said.
"We made our worries known to our superiors, who told us to find a hiding place first and then ask for reinforcements," he said.
In response, the CGA acknowledged that its coastal patrol troops are indeed not carrying guns while on duty.
But it refused to admit that there was any connection between the deadly shooting incident and the order for coastal patrol troops not to carry guns.
A spokesman for the CGA, who preferred not to be identified, said stun guns and batons should be enough for the coastal patrol troops to defend themselves or use against smugglers.
"We have not totally forbidden the use of guns by the patrol troops. They will be allowed to carry guns under certain circumstances," the spokesman said.
He could not explain what the patrol troops would do if they encounter armed smugglers or raiders from China.
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