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Former president Chen’s mother launches
appeal
By Vincent Y. Chao
STAFF REPORTER
Friday, May 07, 2010, Page 3
Tien Meng-shu, honorary director of the Shui
Dang Dang Sisterhood Alliance, left, and Yang Liu Hsiu-hua, president of the
International Cultural Education Foundation, center, listen as Chen Bao-ming,
sister of Carnegie Mellon professor Chen Wen-cheng speaks at a press conference
in Taipei yesterday called to announce a protest rally organized by a coalition
of women’s groups that will be held in Taipei tomorrow.
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
To coincide with Mother’s Day on Sunday, former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁)
mother yesterday launched an appeal calling for justice for her son.
Sunday will mark Chen’s 529th day in custody following accusations of and later
convictions on corruption, money laundering and graft charges, while calls for
his release by groups loyal to the former president and by pro-independence
organizations have been growing.
Protesters unhappy with last month’s ruling by the Taiwan High Court prolonging
Chen’s detention for at least another two months will launch a protest in Taipei
tomorrow.
A number of DPP legislators are expected to take part in the protest, which
organizers say could attract several hundred people, as well as members of
Chen’s family, including his mother Chen Lee Shen (陳李慎), his son and two
sisters.
The rally will begin on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office
and then make its way to the legislature, where organizers plan a sit-in.
In a rare media interview yesterday, an emotional 82-year-old Chen Lee Shen
said: “[I will] only be happy when [Chen Shui-bian] is able to say ‘Happy
Mother’s Day’ to me in person.”
Several pro-independence organizations have criticized the continued detention
of the former president, alleging judicial misconduct after his family last
month tried to wire back an estimated NT$700 million (US$21 million) from their
Swiss bank accounts in response to prosecution requests.
“Where is the justice? The entire justice system remains biased,” said Huang
Shu-chun (黃淑純) of the Northern Taiwan Society.
Despite efforts to return the money, presiding judge Teng Chen-chiu (鄧振球) said
last month that he believed the former president continued to be a flight risk,
comments that have been staunchly denied by Chen Shui-bian’s lawyers.
Also voicing support for the ex-president’s release was the sister of Chen
Wen-chen (陳文成), a Carnegie Mellon professor critical of the Chinese Nationalist
Party (KMT) government, who died under suspicious circumstances during a visit
to Taiwan in 1981.
“Chen Wen-chen disappeared 29 years ago after being taken by the Taiwan Garrison
Command — Chen Lee Shen also lost her son one night,” Chen Pao-yue (陳寶月) said.
“Taiwanese mothers need to stand together,” to prevent such things happening
again, she said.
The former president was first detained on Nov. 12, 2008, and released on Dec.
13, 2008, following his indictment. He was detained again on Dec. 30, 2008,
after the Taipei District Court approved a request by prosecutors to take him
back into custody and he has remained in detention ever since.
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