|
Support for NCKU
students aired
SPEAKING UP: School authorities should not
resort to administrative restrictions to deprive students of the freedom to
express themselves, student groups said
By Lin Hsiao-yun and Meng Ching-tzu / Staff Reporters
Several college student organizations have voiced their support for a group of a
National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) students after school authorities said
they were considering disciplining the students for daubing a statue of Chiang
Kai-shek (蔣介石) with red paint.
Members of an NCKU student organization, 02 Group (零貳社) — whose name sounds
similar to “protest” in Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese) — on Feb. 28 marked
the 65th anniversary of the 228 Incident by installing an artwork on campus to
commemorate the horrific event.
They hung a board that read “1947-2012” on a statue of Chiang and splashed it
with red paint. More than 600 pieces of paper with the names of the victims of
the massacre were scattered around the statue.
The school authority, which initially said it respected the right of students to
express their opinion, is now considering handing out demerit points. This has
sparked an outcry among scores of university students at home and abroad, who
have come out in support of the NCKU students.
The National Taiwan University Student Association on March 1 publicized an
official petition in support of members of the 02 Group and called for the
removal of all remaining statues of Chiang or any figure symbolic of
totalitarianism from universities nationwide.
The petition also called for a joint deliberation between school faculty members
and students over the management of public spaces in universities.
Student Rights Investigation and Assessment Team — a group founded by college
students nationwide to safeguard students’ rights — on Monday also voiced their
support for the NCKU students, saying that students were entitled to freely
express their opinions on public affairs and that school authorities should not
resort to administrative suppression or restrictions to deprive them of their
rightful space and freedom.
02 Group member Chang Chih-ling (張芷菱) said the existence of Chang’s statue was
not only a subject of dispute at NCKU, but at other universities around the
nation as well.
“In light of the motion, students around the country have started to ponder the
issue of totalitarianism on campus, as well as the question on who should have
authority over the management of public spaces in schools,” she said.
NCKU chief secretary Chen Ching-cheng (陳進成) on Monday said that students were
allowed to express their opinion on the condition that they do not violate
school regulations.
Chen added that the act of “daubing paint” already constituted vandalism.
“School authorities take into account educational values, freedom of speech and
school regulations before determining if or how the students should be
disciplined,” Chen said.
Translated by Stacy Hsu, Staff writer
|
