Doctors and lawyers held a news conference yesterday in support of the recall campaigns against Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers, saying that the recalls are a vital means for the public to make their voices heard and a necessary mechanism for democracy to correct itself.
“Taiwan is at a historical turning point. We are witnessing an effort initiated by the public to address the abuse of power in the Legislative Yuan, which is the essence of the recall campaign,” their statement said.
The pressure and interference faced by these campaigns were no coincidence, but rather efforts by pro-China forces within Taiwan, as well as external foreign powers, to undermine voting fairness and democratic order, it said.
Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times
“We must be aware that this is not just a local election issue, but a battle to protect the nation’s democracy,” it added.
The statement condemned illegal surveillance, malicious harassment and mudslinging, adding that such actions have no place in Taiwanese democracy. It urged supporters to stand behind the campaigners who worked tirelessly, braving wind and rain, to gather signatures for the recalls.
The group said that they do not support any particular party or ideology, but were focused on defending Taiwan’s most valuable assets: freedom, justice, the democratic system and institutional dignity.
Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times
No defense should be required to exercise the right to recall officials, as this is a fundamental mechanism of justice guaranteed by the Constitution, they said.
They said that, as doctors and lawyers, they recognized that a society without freedom of expression is one where professions cannot be safeguarded, and a nation lacking civic participation cannot guarantee the public’s fundamental rights.
Separately, the Anti-Communist, Safeguard Taiwan Volunteers Alliance, a coalition of civic recall campaigning groups, unveiled its latest pro-recall promotional video yesterday. The group also announced a rally on Ketagalan Boulevard on Friday evening.
Participants would be allowed entry from 6:30pm, the group said, adding that the rally would be the final large event before the first recall voting day on Saturday.
They urged supporters to gather and demonstrate that the public can enact change in the legislature.
The group also announced plans for a nationwide vigil on Friday to encourage voter turnout, with major events scheduled in Taipei’s Jinan Road and at the intersection of Jiancheng Road and Jhensing Road in Taichung.
The group urged the public to vote on Saturday, saying it is the day when the public would defend their democratic freedom.
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