The 800 Heroes group of military veterans yesterday at a protest in Taipei vowed to defend the Constitution and their rights, after the Executive Yuan last week announced that it would soon present draft regulations governing military retirement pensions to the Legislative Yuan.
Minister Without Portfolio Lin Wan-yi (林萬億), who is in charge of reforming the national pension system for government workers, teachers and military personnel, said in an interview that the Ministry of National Defense would soon send the draft to the Executive Yuan, adding that the government hoped that the draft could be deliberated at the Legislative Yuan in the interim session next month.
The group said it held the protest to observe Constitution Day, which is observed on Dec. 25.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
The protest also honored the 300 days group members have camped outside the Legislative Yuan in protest against what they are calling “an unconscionable government.”
“As soldiers, we were taught on the first day we wore our uniforms that we should defend the Republic of China and preserve the dignity of the Constitution,” said retired army lieutenant general Wu Chi-liang (吳其樑), who is the group’s commander-in-chief. “We will fight anyone who tries to destroy the Constitution.”
Wu said that Article 15 of the Constitution protects the public’s right to property.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
The Act of Military Service for Officers and Noncommissioned Officers of the Armed Forces (陸海空軍軍官士官服役條例) also clearly lists the rights and obligations of active and retired military personnel, Wu said.
“However, this unconscionable government wants to deprive retired military personnel of their basic rights on grounds of financial difficulties facing the country,” he said. “We will not compromise on this issue and will even ask them to compensate us for all the overtime we worked before our retirement.”
Reservists should ignore draft if the government chooses to treat soldiers this way, Wu added.
The financial difficulties are simply an excuse the administration has used to cut pensions, he said, asking why there are so many new government agencies if the nation’s financial situation is in trouble.
“If this is indeed the case, then officials in the administration should take the lead by reducing their own salaries,” he said.
In addition to retired military personnel, the rally was also attended by other retirees including teachers, police officers and firefighters, as well as advocates from labor rights groups.
Several former generals attended the rally to show their support, including former deputy minister of national defense Wang Wen-hsieh (王文燮) and former minister of national defense Yen Ming (嚴明).
Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) and KMT lawmakers also joined the protesters.
“They [veterans] sacrificed their youth and lives to defend this country,” Hung said. “Now have retired and need care from this country — but the government of this country, which they defended, changed the laws after their retirement.”
“No other country in the world treats their veterans this way,” she said. “This is a shame.”
“We are are all in this boat together and need to confront this government that manipulates and divides the people,” Hung added.
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