Taipei councilors
take Mayor Ma to task over flag ban
2001/12/25
By Sandy Huang
STAFF REPORTER
Two DPP city councilors questioned the true colors
of Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday because earlier
this month Ma told fans attending an international soccer event
to leave Taiwan's flag at home.
City councilors Duan Yi-kang (段宜康) and Lee Chien-chang (李建昌)
questioned the mayor's patriotism, saying that when it comes
to confrontation with China, Ma's "sense of national identity
is questionable."
In the lead up to the AFC Women's Championship, held from Dec.
4 to 11, Ma asked soccer fans not to bring the national flag
to the games. That upset many Taiwanese, who brought the flags
to games in protest.
At a press conference yesterday, fans who attended the games
said it was unfair that Taiwanese weren't allowed to wave their
national flag at a sporting event held in Taipei.
"In the stadium, policemen came over and forcefully tried
to snatch away my flag," said one of the fans, who wished
to remain anonymous. "They ended up breaking the pole off
my flag."
The tournament was held in accordance with the rules of the
International Olympic Committee, which bars fans from displaying
flags of countries that are not members of the organization.
Taiwan participates in the Olympics under the name "Chinese
Taipei" and has a separate flag for Olympic events.
"The [policemen] told us that by waving the flag we were
doing harm to our country," said another fan at the press
conference. "That was ridiculous and very disappointing
to hear from a government official."
Officials have argued that if the flag isn't banned at international
sporting matches in Taiwan, China will pressure event organizers
not to hold tournaments in Taiwan.
"It's incredibly frustrating. We are not allowed to wave
our national flag in our own country, but the Chinese can wave
their flag," another fan said.
Duan said the city government had ignored a statement issued
by the National Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, which
said that "fans who want to carry their national flag into
the stadium must be allowed to do so under Olympic rules."
The councilors said that Ma had compromised Taiwan's dignity
and forced policemen to act like "servants of China."
Ma said he was simply following requirements set by the Chinese
Taipei Soccer Association, which follows Olympic rules. "The
city government had no other motive than to maintain order."
