The Happiness of the Next Generation Alliance is attempting to monopolize a debate on their anti-gay marriage referendum by sending their own members to argue both sides of the debate, the New Power Party (NPP) said yesterday.
Speaking at a news conference where he was joined by the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights, NPP Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐) said the alliance’s actions were harmful to civil liberties and to the spirit of the referendum.
Lim said the Central Election Commission should not skirt its responsibility by hiding behind “administrative procedures,” and instead give the public a clear account of the issue as soon as possible.
Photo courtesy of Freddy Lim’s office
The commission is to hold 15 televised debates to discuss the referendums submitted for the Nov. 24 nine-in-one elections, and some of the “pro-gay marriage” speakers participating in nine of the debates are members of the anti-gay alliance, Lim said.
Pin Chin-yang (賓錦揚) and Chien Yueh-chien (簡月貞), both of whom are scheduled to take the pro-gay marriage position during nine of the debates are both opponents of same-sex marriage, Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights member Hsu Hsiu-wen (許秀雯) said.
The commission should properly investigate the issue, she said.
The commission could check signatures from the referendum applications against information from household registry offices to find out who supports which referendum and better understand the position of those planning to participate in the debates, she said.
“These actions taken by the anti-gay marriage camp demonstrate that they are not willing to engage in dialogue,” Lim said, adding that their ideas would not stand up to social scrutiny.
“In the future, can anyone simply set up their own debate and participate in drawing lots [for debating referendums] in order to interfere with discussion? Then what is the point of discussion and representation?” Lim asked.
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