2001.03.28／蕃薯藤新聞

立院暴力事件　登上國際媒體

　　立法院上午爆發的肢體衝突事件，立刻成為國際媒體報導焦點，包括美國有線電視新聞網CNN、美聯社、路透社，都播放現場畫面，詳細敘述衝突發生經過。其中美聯社更開宗明義指出，以會吵架出名的立委羅福助，賞李慶安巴掌，還扯她頭髮，火爆場面讓人想起解嚴初期經常發生、還放送到世界各地的台灣國會打架事件。美聯社將李慶安描述為，立法院最認真、最敢言的立委之一，羅福助則是體格粗壯，在台灣民主漸趨成熟後、還偶爾訴諸肢體暴力的男性立委。

 

　　這件上國際版的台灣立法院暴力，成為台灣民主奇蹟的污點，CNN說，於1987年台灣戒嚴之後，加速民主改革由摔麥克風到桌上跳舞至拍桌、臭罵，台灣民主漸趨成熟，只有一位羅先生還能不斷傳出武打事件。

　　有人描述說，在立法院有黑金背景的人士，尚有6、7位，他們必須各擁有40000 張選票，當選之後，會運用立法委員的特權，謀求不法利益，此種黑白共生的結構，成為台灣民主的困阨，故外國於看待台灣民主化的過程，就因為此暴力事件，蒙上國家形象的惡劣觀感，是全台灣人的不幸，且附上CNN英文稿做為參考。

Taiwanese lawmaker slaps colleague in committee scuffle

March 28, 2001

Taipei, Taiwan (AP) -After throwing a cup of water in a female colleague's face, a Taiwanese lawmaker struck the woman's shoulder, grabbed her hair and smacked her in the head Wednesday, an outburst that could further sully the image of this island's young democracy.

The scuffle shocked Taiwan, where such violence was once common in the legislature but has become rare of late. But analysts said the fight was a reminder that the island's political system has deep structural flaws.

The success of Taiwan's system is important because it's the first democracy created by an ethnic Chinese state. It's held up as a sign of what's possible for neighboring communist China, which often argues Chinese are not suited for democracy and that Taiwan's corruption and chaos are evidence of this.

Wednesday's fight involved Lo Fu-chu, a burly man with a history of brawling, and Diane Lee, a former TV anchorwoman turned lawmaker. Lee is one of Taiwan's most popular legislators because of her workaholic ways and grasp of an array of issues.

Lo, an independent, accused Lee of saying he had ties to organized crime - an allegation Lee said she never made.

A video surveillance camera recorded the entire fight, and the footage was replayed throughout the day on cable TV news stations as each political party condemned the violence.

The fight started when Lo began arguing with Lee, seated on the opposite side of a table at a committee hearing. Lee smacked the table top, threw down her pen and stood up. She picked up a paper cup pf water, apparently preparing to throw it on Lo, who grabbed the cup and tossed it in Lee's face.

Lo shoved a legislative aide out of the way and struck Lee's shoulder with a forceful blow.

Lee continued to confront Lo and charged at him while others restrained him. Lo broke free, grabbed Lee's hair and hit her in the face.

Doctors said Lee, of the People First Party, suffered a mild concussion along with bruises and scratches on her face.

Lo denied hitting Lee. "She's a woman and I'm a man. How could I do that?" he told reporters.

But after watching the videotape, he tried to justify his actions, saying Lee provoked him by allegedly accusing him of being a gangster.

"Just because you're a woman, you can't criticize people and throw water at them and not expect people to lose their temper," Lo said.

Later in the day, Lo apologized to "all the women in the country." But he declined to offer a specific apology to Lee.

During the hospital news conference, a shaken Lee said, "I was very frightened because no one was around me."

After martial law ended in 1987 and Taiwan speeded up democratic reforms, it was common for Taiwanese lawmakers to punch and kick each other or chuck microphones during rowdy legislative sessions. But as the democracy matured, such violence became rare, though lawmakers frequently yell at each other and trade outrageous allegations.

Still, some lawmakers - including Lo - occasionally resort to shoving, punching and other intimidation tactics. Lo recently finished serving a 59-day jail term after convicted of assaulting another lawmaker.

The legislature's president, Wang Jin-pyng, said Wednesday's incident was being investigated. But it was unlikely that Lo would be expelled from the legislature, which grants lawmakers sweeping immunity.

Political scientist Jaushieh Joseph Wu said Lo symbolizes a serious flaw in Taiwan's legislature. The island still uses an electoral system that allows, not just one, but several top vote-getters from a single legislative district to win a seat.

Lawmakers like Lo only need to win about 40,000 votes to gain a seat, and several gangsters have been able to get elected and use their legislative power to further their interests, he said.

"I would say there's at least six or seven lawmakers with gangster backgrounds," said Wu, deputy director of the Institute of International Relations at National Chengchi University.