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US BEEF CONTROVERSY: Sixteen civic
groups rally in Taipei against US beef
Staff Writer, with CNA
Protesters rally in front of the
Executive Yuan in Taipei yesterday to voice their unhappiness with the
government¡¦s plan to conditionally allow the import of US beef products
containing traces of ractopamine.
Photo: Sam Yeh, AFP
Sixteen civic groups took to the streets
of Taipei yesterday to demand the resignation of Premier Sean Chen over the
Cabinet¡¦s decision to push for a conditional lifting of a ban on imports of US
beef containing a controversial feed additive.
About 70 members from the groups rallied in front of the Control Yuan before
marching to the Executive Yuan, where they demanded Chen¡¦s resignation over what
they described as the government¡¦s ¡§hasty¡¨ decision to lift the ban on US beef
containing residues of the leanness-enhancing drug ractopamine.
While the government says ¡§there are no reports that show ractopamine is unsafe,
neither are there reports that show it is [safe],¡¨ Homemakers United Foundation
president Chen Man-li (³¯°ÒÄR) said.
She accused the government of only citing figures that favor its decision, while
ignoring the fact that there are no reports that guarantee the safety of the
drug.
¡§It was a very hasty decision made without thorough discussion and evaluation,¡¨
Chen said.
¡§The meeting held by the Council of Agriculture was a sham,¡¨ she said, referring
to the council¡¦s third interministerial meeting on ractopamine, which failed to
deliver a clear statement on the drug¡¦s safety.
The groups demanded that the premier step down and that the government ban all
imports of products containing traces of ractopamine. The legislature should
pass a law before March 20 to ban imports of such products, they added.
If the premier did not step down by the end of this month, the groups would
launch a large-scale protest on April 1, said Ho Tsung-hsun (¦ó©v¾±), a
representative of the Life Conservationist Association.
More than 100 civic groups will hold demonstrations around the country from next
week, Ho added.
The Cabinet said on Monday evening that it was leaning toward allowing imports
of US beef containing ractopamine residues as long as four principles were
followed: there was a safe level of ractopamine in beef; the permits for
importing beef and pork were kept separate; imported beef was clearly labeled
and the import of internal organs was banned.
The Republic of China Swine Association said on Tuesday that more than 8,000 pig
farmers would take part in a rally in Taipei today to protest against the import
of US beef containing ractopamine.
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