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Hundreds sit-in to protest cross-strait
policy
By Vincent Y. Chao
STAFF REPORTER
Tuesday, Aug 17, 2010, Page 1
Hundreds of protesters yesterday started a sit-in outside the
legislature, fueled by mounting anger over the government¡¦s cross-strait
policies and the expected passage of a controversial trade agreement with China
later this week.
Waving green Taiwanese independence flags and signs emblazoned with the slogan
¡§the Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT] is selling out Taiwan,¡¨ a dozen
organizations filled the streets around the legislature, calling on lawmakers to
reflect popular opinion and protect the nation¡¦s sovereignty.
KMT lawmakers and the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (°¨^¤E) have failed
to stand up for Taiwanese interests in the face of growing Chinese pressure,
both economically and politically, demonstrators said.
¡§We don¡¦t believe Ma¡¦s remarks that only good things will come out of our
interactions with China,¡¨ protester Chen Shu-chiong (³¯²Qã) said. ¡§Taiwan will
have to pay a price for these policies, sooner or later.¡¨
The protest, organized by the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) and pro-independence
groups, mostly targeted the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA),
which will be reviewed in an extraordinary legislative session starting today.
The KMT caucus said in a press conference yesterday it expected to pass the ECFA
through a legislative vote tomorrow, setting the stage for the tariff-reducing
agreement to come into effect early next year.
For the seventh time yesterday, the legislature voted down a Democratic
Progressive Party sponsored bill that would have subjected the ECFA to a
nationwide vote. Opposition parties have cited polls showing support for a
referendum on the ECFA at more than 60 percent.
¡§This is an important national policy that will have an impact on employment and
salaries, with political and economic implications. Why can¡¦t we hold a
referendum?¡¨ TSU Chairman Huang Kun-huei (¶À©ø½÷) asked. ¡§By pretending not to be
hearing the voice of the people, the government is taking the path to
authoritarianism.¡¨
Volunteers and staff from the TSU handed out petitions for a third attempt to
hold an ECFA referendum. Two previous efforts were rejected by the Referendum
Review Committee.
Shih Ya-fang (¬I¶®ªÚ), head of the Taiwan United Nations Alliance¡¦s Tokyo chapter,
said she was disappointed at the government¡¦s decision to forsake a formal UN
bid this year in favor of ¡§meaningful¡¨ participation in its specialized
agencies, adding that this was ¡§belittling¡¨ to Taiwan.
Organizers said about 2,000 protesters were at the rally.
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