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Taiwanese to be their own masters on Feb. 9, 2004 ……
Lee encourages Taiwanese to be their own masters
"We will no longer be
manipulated by those opposing voices telling us to give up our own
rights." --- Lee Teng-hui, former president
By Chang Yun-ping, STAFF REPORTER
Former president Lee Teng-hui yesterday urged the people of Taiwan to be assertive in their determination to create a new constitution for Taiwan and take up the responsibility as the masters of their own country regardless of obstacles and interference from opposition parties.
Addressing a forum held by the think tank Taiwan Advocates to promote the creation of a new constitution, Lee said that the people of Taiwan need to shrug off the mentality of being a "long-term laborer" after being ruled by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) for half a century, and take up the responsibility of being the master of their own country.
Lee told a large group of supporters that the biggest problem with the current ROC Constitution was that it had been created in China and was not designed to fit the needs of Taiwan.
"Although Taiwan has experienced many democratic transitions in the past decade and the referendum concept has become part of mainstream public opinion, Taiwanese still need to strengthen their determination to be the host in their own country.
"Therefore, we have to stand up bravely to make rational and practical plans to create our own constitution and express our own opinions to decide this country's policies through the referendum. We will no longer be manipulated by those opposing voices telling us to give up our own rights," Lee said.
Lee also accused the opposition camp, led by the KMT and its splinter group, the People First Party, of obstructing the democratic initiatives in Taiwan, which he said were a result of the former authoritarian rulers' disdain for the Taiwanese people and their skepticism that Taiwanese can rule their own country.
He said that the pan-blue alliance's opposition to Taiwan's first referendum reflected its long-term aversion to further democratization. Lee said this was also reflected in their resistance to public presidential elections in 1994.
Singling out Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou, who opposed the direct presidential election in 1994 and is now one of the strongest opponents of the government's referendum proposition, Lee said the blue camp's opposition to the referendum was a repetition of their behavior in 1994, when they insisted that the president be elected through a representative system, rather than by the people.
Lee said that Taiwan faces four major problems: the national identity issue; an incomplete nation, which could be corrected by rewriting the Constitution; the increasing interactions brought about by cross-Strait economic activities, which, if not handled properly, could drag down Taiwan's competitiveness; and the security issue across the Taiwan Strait.
He said the people of Taiwan needed
to use their own wisdom to ensure that their right to govern themselves is not
undermined by foreign influences and domestic opposition.
Lee said the US and France's
opposition to Taiwan's referendum served only their own interests, in addition
to being a sell-out of democracy.
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On Feb. 9, 2004 ……
Beware of wild accusations
David Kuan-Wei Chen, London
People in Taiwan like to make bold statements. People like to exaggerate and made bewildering comparisons between issues and people that affect them most. The comparison of President Chen Shui-bian to Adolf Hitler by the former Tuntex head Chen You-hao is no exception (Fugitive says Chen took his donations, Feb. 3, page 1).
The metaphor is an ugly one. It reminded me of the time when random police searches by the government to deter vote-buying during the Hualien County elections were compared to the Tiananmen Incident. Both Hitler and Tiananmen left blemishes on history and no one can dispute the horrible images and thoughts that they conjure up. I do not recall tanks rolling over civilian protesters and secret concentration camps in Taiwan's recent history. Instead, to many around the world, Taiwan represents the exact opposite.
Of course, democracy's virtue is the freedom to criticize your opponents. While Chen may not be everyone's favorite, comparing him to one of the world's greatest villains does justice to no one. Instead of trying to exterminate an entire race, disabled people and homosexuals, Chen has done the opposite by trying to secure greater advantages for these people. The first lady herself is a disabled person. With regards to ethnic and cultural minorities and homosexuals, Chen's administration has sought to establish institutions and laws to better protect their rights and standing in society. This is the exact antithesis of Hitler's Final Solution.
People that make vile comparisons should beware. Lowering others to the level of murderers and war criminals undermines the young Taiwanese democracy. It also demeans the very victims who suffered and died as a result of those grave violations of human dignities. Further, it exposes just how ignorant the people who make demonizing comparisons really are, because they are unaware of the gravity of their accusations. Words speak louder than actions. But when words are flung around like mud, it is not only the intended victim of verbal abuse that becomes dirty.
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On Feb. 9, 2004 ……
Pan-blues add to confusion
Charles Hong, Columbus, Ohio
It is unbelievable that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the People First Party (PFP) have recently set up the "KMT-PFP Representative Office USA" (Pan-blues' man in Washington calls TECRO `unbalanced,' Feb. 4, page 3). The new KMT-PFP representative, Jason Yuan, even criticized the official Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) for being `unbalanced' and `not neutral.'
KMT Chairman Lien Chan and PFP Chairman James Soong must be too impatient to wait and too eager to reason. No matter if they win or lose the presidential election, Taiwan does not need an extra representative office in the US, which would only add to the confusion. Taiwan has to speak to the world in a consistent voice.
Under the direction of Chen Chien-jen, TECRO has been doing an excellent diplomatic job in the US. Chen and his staff work wholeheartedly for the people of Taiwan, instead of a specific political party. As a well-balanced and neutral diplomat, he deserves our respect and appreciation.
As the KMT-PFP representative, Yuan claims that his job is to present the mainstream view of the Taiwanese people. This claim is highly questionable. For example, if he opposes Taiwan's referendum, in essence he supports China's missiles -- unintentionally or intentionally. Like a base neutralizes an acid, Taiwan's referendum can help to neutralize the threat of China's missiles. Opposition to the referendum is equivalent to making the acid more acidic.
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On Feb. 9, 2004 ……
China struggles with the truth
Stephen Carter, Taichung
China's performance on the international stage reminds me of Comical Ali, the Iraqi information minister who appeared on TV during the war. There would stand Mr Ali, speaking earnestly into the camera, explaining in no uncertain terms that the Americans were pinned down a hundred miles outside of Baghdad, and their defeat was imminent. Meanwhile a US military humvee would go barrelling past in the background, GI's grinning and waving.
It mattered little that his declarations were proven to be so glaringly untrue. It was hard not to admire such unwavering commitment.
Whenever Comical Beijing officials make a solemn declaration, it has much the same quality. We know that what they say has a minimal connection to reality. Anyone who doubts this should sit down with a stack of Xinhua press releases from years past and compare them to global news summaries from any other source.
Democracy is not just the noble aspiration to secure governance of the people, from among the people, for the benefit of the people. It is also about this sort of practical relationship with the truth.
Democratic knowledge is all about nurturing, presenting and guarding the truth. This is how societies evolve, how they develop and improve. This is one more reason why Comical China is unlikely to continue on its present growth trajectory, and the Beijing regime has only itself to blame.
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On Feb. 9, 2004 ……
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