Despite his old age, 88-year-old democracy pioneer Chung Yi-jen (鍾逸人) took part in the rally on Aug. 30 protesting President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) China-leaning policies and criticized the president of mistaking a hostile country for his homeland.
Chung was the leader of a group of guerillas in the mountainous regions of central Taiwan that fought against the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime after the 228 Incident.
The 228 Incident refers to an uprising against the KMT after Japan gave up Taiwan at the end of World War II.
The uprising was violently put down, with tens of thousands of people killed or missing, resulting in nearly 40 years of martial law.
Chung was arrested in Pulin Township (埔里), Nantou County, on a charge of disturbing national security, with prosecutors seeking a death sentence. The court sentenced him to 15 years in prison. Chung was later in and out of prison five times on charges of “impure political thoughts.” He lived under close watch by the KMT regime after he was released for the last time in 1964.
Although Chung no longer participates in politics and lives a quiet life with his wife and children in Beidou Township (北斗), Changhua County, he said he still cares about Taiwanese independence.
He joined tens of thousands in the Aug. 30 rally, organized by the Taiwan Society and various civic organizations, calling on Ma to defend Taiwan’s sovereignty, save the economy and help with the adoption of sunshine bills.
In an interview, Chung voiced worries that Ma could “sell out Taiwan” and that Taiwan’s international reputation as an independent country would be endangered if the public doesn’t speak out.
He said that Ma’s KMT had taken advantage of Taiwan’s democracy to regain power, but still rules the country as a foreign regime.
Chung said that judging from the KMT administration’s attempts to show its loyalty to Beijing and the fact that several government and party officials hold US green cards, he believes Taiwan isn’t really on the minds of the new government.
Chung said he worried that the government would betray Taiwan’s national interests.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime, which came to power in China in 1949, had never ruled Taiwan and yet it has never given up plans to take Taiwan through military force, Chung said.
Noting that in the past, Taiwan has stood with countries such as the US and Japan to defend itself against China’s ambitions, Chung said that since Ma was inaugurated, “Taiwan’s policy towards China has become ambiguous.”
“I still don’t know where Ma is taking Taiwan,” he said. “I am worried that the international community may misinterpret the voice of the Taiwanese if the people don’t speak out.”
Chung said it was ironic members of the guerilla forces that fought against the late dictator Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) regime never worried that Chiang would sell out Taiwan to the CCP, but now he has to worry about the KMT’s relationship with the CCP, adding that “the interests of Taiwanese would absolutely be sacrificed if the two parties stand united.”
KMT officials are well received in Beijing because Taiwan is still an independent country, he said, adding that if Taiwan was taken, “Who would care about them?”
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
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