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A-bian’s relocation
sparks fury, clashes
CRUEL MOVE? Opponents of Chen Shui-bian’s
relocation said the government was placing political considerations above Chen’s
wellbeing and called for his medical parole
By Mo Yan-chih and Rich Chang / Staff reporters
Protesters led by Democratic
Progressive Party Chiayi County branch director Huang Li-chen clash with police
while protesting the government’s decision to relocate former president Chen
Shui-bian and its failure to grant him medical parole as President Ma Ying-jeou
presides over a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) meeting in Chiayi yesterday
afternoon.
Photo: CNA
During a visit by President Ma Ying-jeou
(馬英九) yesterday to Chiayi County, a group of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)
politicians and their supporters protested the transfer of former president Chen
Shui-bian (陳水扁) to Taichung Prison’s Pei Teh Hospital, accusing the Ma
administration of treating the former president inhumanely.
Ma, who doubles as Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman, presided over a KMT
meeting in Chiayi yesterday afternoon. Outside the KMT’s Chiayi County branch,
about 100 protesters led by DPP Chiayi County branch director Huang Li-chen
(黃麗貞) clashed with police while protesting against the government’s failure to
grant Chen medical parole.
“Come out and explain [your actions] to us, Ma Ying-jeou!” they shouted as a
number of protesters clashed with police as they tried to enter the meeting
venue.
The police blocked the protesters from entering the office and forced them to
leave without an opportunity to meet with the president.
Ma defended the Ministry of Justice’s transfer of Chen to the prison hospital as
a respectful and reasonable arrangement, dismissing criticisms that the transfer
represented cruel treatment.
“Transferring former president Chen to the prison hospital sets a precedent in
the history of prison administration. It is reasonable for the ministry to
exercise its authority and provide Chen with respectful treatment,” he said.
The Ministry of Justice moved Chen from the Taipei Veterans General Hospital in
Taipei to the Taichung prison hospital on Friday at 5:30am, while debate
continued over whether Chen, serving a 20-year jail sentence for corruption, and
who has been diagnosed with severe depression, sleep apnea, non-typical
Parkinson’s disease, a speech disorder and mild cerebral atrophy, should be
granted medical parole.
Chen’s son, Chen Chih-chung (陳致中), politicians from the pan-green camp and
supporters of the former president have all condemned the abrupt transfer and
accused the government of placing political considerations above Chen’s medical
wellbeing.
DPP Legislator Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩) even kicked the office door of Minister of
Justice Tseng Yung-fu (曾勇夫) on Friday before rushing in and demanding an
explanation for the transfer.
The first KMT politician to publicly voice support for Chen Shui-bian’s medical
parole, Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), yesterday said the transfer to the
prison hospital was “not the best solution.”
“We hope the medical staff at Pei Teh Hospital pay close attention to former
president Chen’s condition. [The ministry] should still consider granting Chen
medical parole if his condition worsens,” he said.
Hau also expressed concern about Chiu’s door-kicking and said such behavior was
not helpful to calls for medical parole for the former president.
The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) yesterday said it has asked prosecutors to
investigate the group of DPP lawmakers who on Friday damaged the door to the
minister of justice’s office and interrupted a press conference.
The MOJ said in a statement yesterday that while Deputy Minister of Justice Chen
Ming-tang (陳明堂) was holding a press conference on Chen Shui-bian’s transfer, the
DPP lawmakers barged into the event, interrupted Chen Ming-tang and yelled
remarks such as “the ministry is politically prejudiced” and “shame on the
ministry.”
The statement went on to say the group of DPP lawmakers then went to Tseng’s
office, where they proceeded to kick the door before entering the office
shouting: “Chicken (孬種) come out.”
The justice ministry said the lawmakers’ actions might have violated laws
against employing threats or violence against public officials, interfering with
public functions, destroying public property and insulting public officials.
The MOJ plans to send the case to the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for
investigation, it added.
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