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Yilan announces
annual ‘Freedom of Expression Day’
HOME OF THE BRAVE: The county commissioner of
Yilan said it is a bastion of democracy and has been home to a number of
democracy activists
By Hu Chien-sen and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff
writer
In a gesture to commemorate late democratic activist Deng Nan-jung (鄭南榕) and to
remind the public of the basic values of liberty, Yilan County Commissioner Lin
Tsung-hsien (林聰賢) on Tuesday announced that every April 7 will be designated
“Freedom of Expression Day.”
A stalwart defender of human rights and pro-independence inclined, Deng, then
editor-in-chief of Freedom Era Weekly (自由時代週刊), set himself on fire on April 7,
1989, in pursuit of what he called “100 percent freedom of expression.”
The self-immolation happened after he was surrounded by police who planned to
arrest him on sedition charges following his 71 days of self-imposed isolation.
Deng was charged with sedition after the Freedom Era Weekly published “A Draft
of Taiwan Republic Constitution” written by Koh Se-kai (許世楷) in 1988.
Lin said Yilan is a bastion of democracy and has been the home of democratic
activists such as Deng, Kuo Yu-hsin (郭雨新) and Chiang Wei-shuei (蔣渭水).
Quoting Deng telling his wife, Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭), that he was only doing his
part and that the people who come after him have to pick up where he left off,
Lin said it is because of this that later generations should answer the call to
protect freedom of speech and to maintain a vigil over the movement.
“By so doing we are preparing Taiwan’s democracy with the strong and solid
foundations it needs,” Lin said.
The county government said that it also intends to hold a photography exhibition
at the county history museum, as well as having its bureau of education arrange
public free speech classes.
The courses will teach county residents the importance of freedom of speech in
terms of democratization, the county government said, adding it will also begin
a process of deepening residents’ understanding of the basics of democracy.
“Together we fight for 100 percent freedom of expression in Taiwan and are
making the necessary preparations to bring about a fully democratic Taiwan,” Lin
said.
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