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Ma’s rights speech draws protests
By Loa Iok-sin / Staff reporter
President Ma Ying-jeou is heckled by a member
of the audience as he speaks yesterday at the Jingmei Human Rights Memorial in
Sindian, Taipei County.
PHOTO: CNA
Calling President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) a human rights violator who had no right to
talk about human rights, dozens of former political prisoners yesterday
protested as the president delivered a speech at the Jingmei Human Rights
Cultural Park as part of events to mark International Human Rights Day.
“You’re a transgressor!” “Ma Ying-jeou, step down!” “You don’t deserve to stand
there and talk!” “We don’t want to listen to your lies!” the protesters shouted.
One after another the former political prisoners, their families and friends
stood up from the audience and shouted as Ma took the podium at the inauguration
of an exhibition on the White Terror at the former detention center in Sindian
City (新店), Taipei County.
The White Terror refers to the period from 1949 to 1987 when martial law was in
effect, during which tens of thousands of political dissidents and others were
arrested, jailed, disappeared, executed or murdered with or without trial.
Ma continued his speech even as many of the protesters staged a walkout, leaving
about one-third of the seats empty.
“I can understand why some of our friends have different voices. I appreciate
that they are willing to come and I’m willing to listen to what they have to
say,” Ma said.
Speaking to media outside the venue, Huang Shu-chun (黃淑純) said she could not
bear to listen to the president talk as if human rights abuses were a thing of
the past.
“Human rights violations are happening today and even if Ma talks about human
rights, it’s gotten worse since he came into office,” Huang said. “Take freedom
of the press for example. As reporters, don’t you feel there are more
restrictions and government interference now?”
Lin Shu-chih (林樹枝), a former prisoner of conscience, said someone who had “no
idea” about human rights and was one of the perpetrators of human rights abuses
during the White Terror did not deserve to talk about human rights on Human
Rights Day.
Ma, who studied in the US in the 1970s on grants from the Chinese Nationalist
Party (KMT), is alleged by many Taiwanese who were in the US at the same time to
have been a “professional student” who spied on anti-government activities by
other students.
Ma has repeatedly denied the allegation over the years.
The White Terror exhibition features books, sketches, pictures and personal
items from political prisoners who were held at the Jingmei Military Detention
Center. The exhibition will run until Dec. 10, 2012.
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