|
Ex-US official to
examine A-bian’s prison conditions
TIRELESS CAMPAIGN: Former US attorney-general
and Taiwanese advocate Ramsey Clark’s visit is aimed at establishing whether
Chen’s rights are being protected
By Lee Hsin-fang and Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter, with staff
writer
Former US attorney-general Ramsey Clark, a long-time advocate for Taiwan’s
democratization, is scheduled to arrive today on a two-day visit and is due to
visit former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to get a better grasp on the
conditions of his confinement and reportedly deteriorating health.
The former US official made the trip at the invitation of former Democratic
Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮) amid growing concerns
both in Taiwan and abroad over the state Chen’s health as well as his human
rights.
Clark is scheduled to pay a visit to Chen at Taipei Prison this afternoon to
inspect the state of his incarceration and learn more about his physical and
mental health, sources said, adding that a report would be submitted to
concerned US departments based on his findings.
Chen is serving a 17-and-a-half-year prison term on corruption charges. He has
complained about several physical ailments, including chest pains.
On the second day of his trip, Clark is scheduled to visit Chen’s wife, Wu
Shu-jen (吳淑珍), and DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) in the afternoon before
holding a press conference, sources said.
The former US official will also attend an evening banquet hosted by Chai in his
honor, where several DPP heavyweights and members of pro-localization civic
groups are also expected to attend.
An internationally renowned defender of human rights, Clark flew to Taiwan in
1980 to express concern for what is known as the Formosa Incident, also known as
the Kaohsiung Incident. The Incident started when the pro-democracy Formosa
Magazine held a demonstration commemorating International Human Rights Day on
Dec. 10, 1979, in Kaohsiung, calling on the then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)
government to respect human rights and demanding democracy. Within hours, the
protesters were surrounded by military police and prominent leaders of the
democracy movement were arrested.
Shortly after his arrival, Clark learned about the alleged torturing of one of
the detained demonstrators, Lin Yi-hsiung (林義雄), by the government. He referred
the matter to the US government and called for the protection of the rights of
those who were deemed dissidents in Taiwan at the time.
On Sep. 8, 1991, when the Referendum Advocacy Association, founded by Chai, and
other pro-democracy civic groups jointly staged a large-scale referendum
movement, Clark also traveled to Taiwan and braved heavy downpours on the
streets to join in the cause of democratization and stand side by side with
Taiwanese.
|
