Groups opposed to a proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China are planning to hold more protests, with former premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday saying he would hold one on May 20, the second anniversary of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) inauguration.
With the government’s self-imposed deadline for signing the agreement next month approaching, opposition from pro-independence, pan-green and labor organizations is solidifying with a number of groups promising protests throughout this month and early next month.
A large rally led by pro-independence organizations, but yet to be endorsed by opposition parties, is expected to take place on June 6. However, organizers said the date has not been finalized, citing a possible delay in the government’s negotiating schedule for the ECFA from next month to early July.
PHOTO: LU CHUN-WEI, TAIPEI TIMES
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Hsieh described the May 20 rally as a “warm up,” saying that a single protest “is just not enough.”
“Since his inauguration in 2008, President Ma has been leading Taiwan in the wrong direction,” Hsieh said, adding that an ECFA would unfairly benefit large corporations and threaten jobs and traditional industries.
Joining Hsieh were former Cabinet secretary-general Lee Ying-yuan (李應元), former DPP legislator Huang Chien-huei (黃劍輝) and Taiwan Association of University Professors president Chen Yi-shen (陳儀深).
The group also promised to hold a smaller event in Kaohsiung tomorrow, saying it would either be a sit-in or a speech at the Kaohsiung Arena to raise awareness against the ECFA and drum up support for a referendum.
While the DPP has not officially endorsed any of the rallies, DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday she was not against street protests, but she said any rally must be effective and must help the public understand the severity of the issue.
“Popular movements are a natural consequence of a government that forces through its decisions unilaterally without first reaching a public consensus,” Tsai said. “We expect this to continue.”
Organizers said that while they have not settled on the format of the May 20 rally, it would mostly take the form of a protest or possibly a sit-in.
In response to the number of pro-independence organizations holding protests over the next two months, Hsieh said that even more “grassroots lectures and popular movements should be held.”
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