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Taipei renames lane
in honor of Deng Nan-jung
NOT IN VAIN: Deng set himself alight in 1989
when police tried to arrest him for printing a proposal for a constitution for
the Republic of Taiwan in his magazine
By Chris Wang / Staff reporter
Democracy pioneer Deng Nan-jung¡¦s
widow, Yeh Chu-lan, second right, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin, second left, and
others unveil a sign reading ¡§Freedom Lane¡¨ yesterday in the lane housing the
office where Deng died after setting himself on fire during a police raid in
1989.
Photo: CNA
The Taipei City Government yesterday
officially renamed a lane in the city, where democracy advocate Deng Nan-jung
(¾G«nº_) committed suicide 23 years ago in defense of the freedom of expression, to
¡§Freedom Lane (¦Û¥Ñ«Ñ)¡¨ in his honor.
In a ceremony yesterday, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (°qÀsÙy) and Deng¡¦s widow, Yeh
Chu-lan (¸µâÄõ), unveiled the ¡§Freedom Lane¡¨ street sign as an alternative name to
Alley 3, Lane 106, Minquan E Rd Sec 3 ¡X where the ceremony was held.
On April 7, 1989, Deng, then-publisher of the Freedom Era Weekly magazine,
committed suicide by self-immolation at the age of 43 as police tried to arrest
him for printing a proposal for a constitution for the Republic of Taiwan in his
magazine.
Deng had locked himself inside the office for 71 days before setting himself
ablaze.
The office, which is located in an apartment on Freedom Lane, was later
transformed into a museum in memory of Deng.
¡§Hopefully, everyone who visits the museum will leave with a seed of freedom and
democracy and sow it elsewhere. Deng Nan-jung is only a name, but freedom ¡X what
he sacrificed his life for ¡X is a value and a barometer of civilization that
will be passed on for generations,¡¨ said Yeh, who went into politics after
Deng¡¦s death and served as vice premier under the former Democratic Progressive
Party administration.
Hau, a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), said he had the utmost
respect for Deng¡¦s sacrifice in pursuit of ¡§100 percent freedom of expression.¡¨
Deng Liberty Foundation president Hsu Chang-hsien (³\³¹½å) said the new street name
had elevated Deng¡¦s legacy to part of Taiwan¡¦s history.
Hsu said he hoped the government would take it one step further by designating
the museum a national cultural heritage site and April 7 as an annual Freedom of
Speech Day.
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