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Granting of parole
for Chen would heal nation
By Nat Bellocchi 白樂崎
Over the past few months, I have observed a series of expressions of concern
about the physical and mental health of former Taiwanese president Chen
Shui-bian (陳水扁).
As a former US diplomat and former chairman of the American Insititue in Taiwan,
I am not taking sides in internal political debates nor taking a position on the
politics of the situation.
Purely on humanitarian grounds, I am now convinced that the time has come to
join those many voices, both in Taiwan and overseas, who call for Chen to be
granted parole on medical grounds.
I have looked closely at the terms of his imprisonment and at his physical
ailments, and conclude that a release on medical parole is warranted. Many city
and county councils in Taiwan agree on this and have adopted resolutions calling
for medical parole for the former president. Among these voices is Taipei Mayor
Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), who has courageously spoken out in favor of medical parole.
In the international media, Chen’s case has also become more prominent: On Oct.
16, the London-based The Economist published an article on its Web site
describing recent developments in the case titled “Terms of Imprisonment,” which
concluded that the case of the former leader has “brought public scrutiny to his
harsh treatment and even public sympathy for his plight.”
The article also made reference to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), saying that the
case is “also undermining Mr Ma’s now dangerously low popularity, not to mention
faith in this young democracy’s system of justice.”
After Chen was hospitalized on Sept. 12, it has become clear that he suffers not
only from a whole series of physical ailments brought about by the conditions of
his imprisonment, but is also showing signs of severe depression. Doctors have
recommended sustained psychiatric treatment, which is not possible in prison,
but the authorities have not given the green light for the medical parole that
would make that possible.
Medical parole would also help heal the nation and get past the political divide
that exists in Taiwan today. There is precedent for this in other democratic
countries.
In the US, no matter what one’s political ideology or views on former US
president Richard Nixon were, US citizens understood that then-US president
Gerald Ford pardoned him to remove the haze of Watergate and get the country
back on track. The overriding concern was what was best for the US to heal and
get past a difficult, divisive time.
Similarly, no matter what his opinion of his predecessor may be, President Ma
could engage his second and final term by taking humanitarian action — something
all sides in Taiwan, and the international community, could agree on.
Nat Bellocchi was chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan from 1990
through 1995. The views expressed in this article are his own.
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