The right time to celebrate

We all saw the reaction of certain Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers to former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) being handcuffed: They wanted to celebrate with firecrackers.It so happens that presidential candidates and politicians have opponents with whom they must debate. It so happens that presidents do not gain the support of everyone in the country. Political opponents do not have to love each other — but they can show respect.Most importantly, lawmakers produce and guard laws, and they should never forget the principle of ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat — the burden of proof rests on he who asserts, not on he who denies.The reaction of KMT lawmakers, mocking the former president, and their statements celebrating his arrest are shameless and should be condemned by the Harvard-educated president, the leaders of the party and the media. It is yet another below-standard performance made in Taiwan.The time to celebrate will come when the KMT and President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) deliver all the promises they made during the election campaign. Then we, the people, will let off firecrackers instead of venting disappointment.

Taipei Times

波蘭的獨立紀念日

11月11日是波蘭的獨立紀念日，藉以緬懷波蘭於1918年宣布獨立建國，脫離長達123年分別由奧匈帝國、普魯士與俄國（Austro-Hungary, Prussia and Russia）分裂統治的歷程.

二十位國際學者與友人聯署發表聲明，憂心台灣司法不公

二十位國際學者與關心台灣的國際友人於今日發表聯署聲明，就近日一連串台灣政府不符合司法程序，收押與起訴民進黨政府官員的舉動，表示高度關心與憂心。這份共同聲明也於今日寄送司法院院長賴英照與法務部部長王清峰。
這是國民黨政府一系列大動作收押民進黨政府官員以來，國際學者首度發表公開聲明，呼籲台灣司法維持中立，勿受政治影響，以確保台灣民主與人權。
November 4, 2008
JOINT STATEMENT US, European and Australian scholars and writers express concern about prosecutions in TaiwanThe undersigned, scholars and writers from the US, Europe and Australia wish to express their deep concern about the recent series of detentions in Taiwan of present and former DPP government officials. To date there have been at least seven such cases (See list below).
以下聯署的國際學者對於近日台灣政府一連串拘留卸任與現任民進黨政府官員的行動，深表憂慮。直至今日，據我們瞭解共有七件類似案件。
It is obvious that there have been cases of corruption in Taiwan, but these have occurred in both political camps. The political neutrality of the judicial system is an essential element in a democracy. It is also essential that any accused are considered innocent until proven guilty in the court of law.很明顯的，貪污這個問題在台灣依然存在，但是這樣的案例在兩大政黨裡均曾發生。司法系統維持政治中立是民主的基本要素。堅持任何被指控者在裁定有罪前均是無罪的法律理念也是必要的。
We also believe that the procedures followed by the prosecutor's offices are severely flawed: while one or two of the accused have been formally charged, the majority is being held incommunicado without being charged. This is a severe contravention of the writ of habeas corpus and a basic violation of due process, justice and the rule of law. 我們認為檢察官所採取的法律程序有著嚴重的缺失：雖然當一、兩位被指控者已被正式起訴時，大多數被指控者卻在未被正式起訴情況之下就遭到收押禁見。這嚴重違反了人身保護令以及正當法律程序、公義與法治。
In the meantime, the prosecutor's offices evidently leak detrimental information to the press. This kind of "trial by press" is a violation of the basic standards of judicial procedures. It also gives the distinct impression that the Kuomintang authorities are using the judicial system to get even with members of the former DPP government. In addition, the people who are being held incommunicado are of course unable to defend themselves against the misreporting and the leaks in the news media.在此同時，檢察官辦公室很明顯地將相關不利消息透露給媒體。這種「透過媒體辦案」的方式違反司法程序的基本標準；也讓外界認為國民黨政府利用司法系統來報復已下台的民進黨政府。此外，被收押禁見的人，在與外界斷絕聯繫的情況下，無法澄清外界不實報導與媒體洩密。
We do firmly believe that any alleged wrongdoings must be dealt with in a fair and open manner in an impartial court. Justice through the rule of law is essential to Taiwan's efforts to consolidate democracy and protect fundamental human rights.我們深信任何宣稱的犯罪行為應該以公正與公開的方式，在中立的法庭裡審判。透過法治落實司法，才能強化台灣民主與保障基本人權。
We do not want to see Taiwan's hard-earned democracy jeopardized in this manner. Taiwan can justifiably be proud of its transition to democracy in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It would be sad for Taiwan and detrimental to its international image if the progress which was made during the past 20 years would be erased. Taiwan needs to move forward, not backwards to the unfair and unjust procedures as practiced during the dark days of Martial Law (1947-87).我們不願見到台灣辛苦得來的民主陷入如此困境。台灣因為在八零年代後期與九零年早期成功轉型為民主國家，而引以為傲。如果過去二十年來的民主進展從此抺煞，這不僅將令人難過，台灣的國際形象也將受到嚴害傷害。台灣必須向前邁進，而不應是開倒車回到過去戒嚴黑暗時代的不公與不義。

Signed:
簽署人：
Nat Bellocchi, former Chairman of the American Institute in TaiwanJulian Baum, former Taiwan Bureau Chief, Far Eastern Economic Review
Coen Blaauw, Formosan Association for Public Affairs, Washington DCDavid Prager Branner, Director at Large (East Asia), American Oriental SocietyGordon G. Chang, author, "The Coming Collapse of China."June Teufel Dreyer, Professor of Political Science, University of Miami, FloridaEdward Friedman, Professor of Political Science and East Asian Studies, University of Wisconsin, MadisonBruce Jacobs, Professor of Asian Languages and Studies, Monash University, Melbourne, AustraliaRichard C. Kagan, Professor Emeritus of History, Hamline University, St. Paul MinnesotaJerome F. Keating, Associate Professor, National Taipei University (Ret.). Author, "Island in the Stream, a quick case study of Taiwan's complex history" and other works on TaiwanDaniel Lynch, Associate Professor, School of International Relations, University of Southern CaliforniaVictor H. Mair, Professor of Chinese Language and Literature, University of PennsylvaniaDonald Rodgers, Associate Professor of Political Science, Austin College, TexasTerence Russell, Professor of Chinese Language and Literature, University of ManitobaScott Simon, Professor of Sociology and Anthropology, University of OttawaJohn J. Tkacik Jr., Senior Research Fellow, The Heritage Foundation, Washington DC
Gerrit van der Wees, Editor Taiwan Communiqué, Washington DC
Vincent Wei-cheng Wang, Professor of Political Science, University of Richmond, VirginiaArthur Waldron, Lauder Professor of International Relations, University of PennsylvaniaStephen Yates, President of DC Asia Advisory and former Deputy Assistant to the Vice President for National Security Affairs
---------------------------------------------------------------

Specific cases of concern:

-- The arrest and detention on October 15th of former Interior minister Yu Cheng-hsien;-- The arrest and detention on October 27th of former Hsinchu Science Park Director and Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection Dr. James Lee;-- The arrest and detention on October 29th of DPP Chiayi County Commissioner Chen Ming-wen;-- The indictment on October 30th of DPP Tainan City Councilor Wang Ting-yu;-- The arrest and detention on October 31st of former National Security Council (NSC) secretary-general and Deputy Prime Minister Chiou I-jen;-- The questioning of former Foreign Minister Dr. Mark Chen on November 3rd and insinuations in the press that he might be charged and arrested.-- The arrest and detention on November 4th of DPP Yunlin County Magistrate Ms. Su Chih-fen.

FAPA

抗議!!!

台灣警方在江陳會談期間的維安工作，侵犯正常公民權利的行使

中國海協會會長陳雲林在11月3日抵達台灣，預計和台灣海基會會長江丙坤簽署包括海運、空運、郵政、食品安全等事務性協議，並和馬英九總統進行會面，正式邁向大三通的時代。
由於中國政府長期打壓台灣在國際上的活動空間，不願承認台灣是一個主權獨立的國家，也不放棄武力犯台，包括台灣主要反對黨—民進黨在內的許多台灣民眾，憂心國民黨政府在無法在協商過程之中堅守台灣主權，並且質疑這次會談的透明度，他們預備在陳雲林的台灣行程之中，沿途抗議，表達「台灣中國，一邊一國」等訴求。抗議民眾也包括不滿中國鎮壓圖博的圖博人士，他們提出「Free Tibet」的口號。
國民黨政府為了這次的會談，部屬了七千名的警察與特勤人員，在每一個會談的場合，以優勢警力圍起了封鎖線，試圖阻止民眾的抗議。然而，警方在這幾天所執行的維安工作，卻有執法過當的嫌疑，嚴重侵犯人身自由與妨礙公民權利的行使。以下舉例部份侵權事件：
1、在抗議場合，警方強制沒收、損毀台灣民眾手持的旗幟、空飄氣球等私人物品。
2、台中市議員陳淑華等四人，11月2日晚間入住陳雲林下榻的圓山飯店。11月3日上午，陳雲林車隊抵達圓山飯店之前，這四名議員在自己的房間陽台，掛起大型抗議布條。在一分鐘之內，未經陳淑華等人的同意，特勤人員隨即闖入陽台，進入陳淑華等人的房間，強行拆除布條，並壓制陳淑華等人的行動。
3、三名部落客沿著中山北路向南行經台泥大樓（陳雲林拜會辜嚴倬雲地點），因為批戴台灣國旗與圖博雪山獅子旗，被警方強行帶離，並造成一名部落客手指脫臼。警方甚至要求先留下資料，才願意送其至醫院。
4、影像工作者陳育青因為前往圓山飯店附近探訪友人，途中使用小型手持攝影機拍攝圓山飯店的現場封鎖情形，隨即被警方強制押進警察，帶至警局訊問。
5、台北市議員洪建益下午進入國賓飯店（陳雲林晚宴地點），於晚間獨自一人從飯店大門離開，並無任何呼喊口號的舉止，也沒有攜帶任何不當物品，只因為露出外套底下「勿通匪類」的t-shirt，隨即在飯店門口被多名警員強行托行數十公尺離開現場。
6、11月4日晚間，當陳雲林和國民黨要員於國賓飯店飯店進行晚宴時，附近的一家唱片行播放台灣歌謠，警方認為該歌謠鼓吹煽動現場抗議民眾，北投分局長李漢卿帶領數名制服及便衣員警，強行進入該唱片行，要求店家關閉音樂，隨後並強制拉下店家的鐵門。
7、台灣記者協會發出於11月3日發出聲明，2日中央社攝影記者鄭傑文於圓山飯店採訪遭到維安人員推拉約十公尺，3日又因採訪動線規劃不妥，造成媒體與官員的口角衝突。台灣新聞記者協會表示，這些行為嚴重侵害採訪自由。同時，此次相關單位嚴格管制媒體採訪，多名來自香港的記者表示無法取得採訪證，採訪權利受到限制。
抗議事件目前持續發生中，類似侵權行為也沒有減緩的跡象，這些行為均傷害了言論與人身自由，甚至違反我國刑事與民事法條，且牴觸憲法對於人民正常權利的保障。我們會持續關注這些事件，並對台灣的警政單位表達嚴正的抗議。

緬懷華勒沙──寫於中國異議人士入圍諾貝爾和平獎之際

二十五年前，華勒沙所獲的諾貝爾和平獎表彰了上百萬人民組成的團結工聯共同反對共產主義，促使波蘭自由化運動展現新局面。今日，中國異議人士入圍諾貝爾和平獎，意義何其相似……
中國異議人士胡佳和高智晟入圍本年度諾貝爾獎候選人一事，令我回想起二十五年前列赫．華勒沙獲頒諾貝爾和平獎所傳遞給大家的訊息，真可謂歷久而彌新。 促成波蘭自由化新局面 當年所有波蘭民眾都知道，華勒沙所獲獎項是獻給獨立自治工會「團結工聯」（Solidarność），表揚在工廠以及辦公室工作的上百萬名人民，因為這些人組成了工會，共同反對共產主義。團結工聯帶給波蘭復興，使波蘭的自由化運動展現新的局面。團結工聯的推動力量，除了經濟因素之外，愛國心和宗教信仰也都占了重要成分。 團結工聯是從在格但斯克造船廠（Gdansk）早期，當正在罷工的工人向仁慈的教堂神父跪下懺悔開始，而變成一場革命。 華勒沙本人在一九八五年十二月十日當天，並未前往挪威首都奧斯陸受獎，據傳是因為他害怕自己一旦出境後，將無法再次入境波蘭，因此由其夫人妲努塔．華勒沙至挪威領獎。 推動道德改革 擺脫奴役 在典禮上，華勒沙夫人朗讀了華勒沙代表團結工聯要傳遞給大家的訊息： 「第一次有波蘭籍人士獲得諾貝爾博士為使世界各國關係更緊密所設立的獎項，而此即我所代表的同志們最誠摯熱切的希望——無論現在這個世界是否正因各種衝突所引發的暴力、殘酷以及野蠻行為而逐漸分裂。我們渴望和平——因此我們從不訴諸暴力；我們渴求正義——因此我們堅持爭取我們的權利；我們追求信念的自由——因此我們從未試圖使人們的良知受到奴役，而且也絕不允許此情況發生。」華勒沙的這些話至今仍有影響力。 波蘭團結工聯與獨裁專制對抗，並且公然反對「公共生活的每個層面皆需有人監督控制」的蘇維埃原則。團結工聯提倡個人與社會自由，旨在推動道德改革：消除共產主義下相互懷疑、自貶身段、模稜兩可的欺人之談，以特權圖利，以及貪腐的生活。 現今胡佳、高智晟和法輪功的參與者也曾歷經此磨難，且至今仍繼續努力捍衛人民的集會權利、保護個人尊嚴、提倡言論自由與宗教自由。◇ The New Epoch Weekly