3/24/2014
Department of International Affairs - Democratic Progressive Party
Chair Su: President Ma Ying-jeou is lying
Chair Su said President Ma’s statement today contained a large amount of lies, all of which he is once again placing the blame elsewhere except on himself and his administration. For this, he said that the DPP is unable to accept his explanation and he doesn’t believe the students would either.
Chair Su said that the students came out to protect our democracy and to protect the rule of law. Under strong winds and rain, protesters have been sitting outside for days, and President Ma continues to show no concern for them. Chair Su said that compared to the Wild Lily Student Movement 24 years ago, then-President Lee Teng-hui dealt with it in a matter of five days, but President Ma has chosen to handle it differently.
“We demand President Ma to meet immediately with the students and to respond to their requests,” Chair Su said. “He must also declare invalid what KMT Legislator Chang Ching-chung had announced in 30 seconds, and they must go back at once to review the agreement item by item as well as a request a complete renegotiation of the agreement with China.”
Yesterday, DPP Spokesperson Chang Tun-han declared that the students had made four substantive points, of which contents are equal to the efforts the DPP has been making for a long period of time. The DPP further issued its following points:
1) The DPP supports the call for a “Citizen’s Constitutional Conference”;
2) The DPP demands the KMT to abide by earlier negotiations between opposition parties to, after going through a substantial review and break the non-transparency behind the Cross Strait Services Trade Agreement, follow the conditions of “equal opening”, “fair competition”, “safeguard the people’s livelihood” and “ensure national security” and lastly requesting a renegotiation with China.
3) For a long period of time, the DPP has requested a systemization of signing cross strait agreements with the right supervision mechanisms, and in 2008, it drafted a bill in that regard. Even though this bill has been blocked 108 times, the DPP along with the momentum of civic power will continue demanding for its successful passage.
DPP issues its strongest condemnation against police violence
The DPP issues its serious condemnation to the police violence that took place yesterday and this morning. The DPP believes specially that water cannons shouldn’t be the sole method the police should rely on. Compared to other countries, water cannons are used to disperse extremely rowdy crowds often under the influence and participating at sports events, but yesterday’s crowds were students and young people who hold ideological expectations from our leaders and they represent our nation’s future.
This morning at 1:50 AM, DPP Chair Su Tseng-chang, accompanied by former chairs Tsai Ing-wen, Frank Hsieh and You Shyi-kun, DPP Legslative Convener Ker Chian-ming, DPP legislators and party staff arrived at the Executive Yuan because they were afraid the police might use excessive force and resulting in consequences that would affect this nation. The decision for political leaders to sit with students in front of the Executive Yuan is absolutely not to incite violence. It was hoped that the DPP would be able to help and ease tensions as many in the DPP group were former premiers and current public representatives.
Speaking to the students, Chair Su told the crowd and appealed to President Ma, "Taiwan belongs to its people, using police force cannot be the only means. I urge President Ma to just speak to the students."
Renew 2008 DPP bill proposal to establish legislative supervision over cross strait agreements
Chair Su made one final request to President Ma over the 2008 bill raised by the DPP concerning the proper supervision of cross strait agreements, which has been blocked 108 times by the KMT.
In a joint-committee at the Legislative Yuan held on Monday, legislators from all political parties present agreed to send the entire agreement back to the Executive Yuan so they can renegotiate the terms with China once again. Even though the legislative chambers are currently been taken over by the students, legislators are still able to conduct normal affairs in other committees. The meeting this morning was presided by DPP Legislator Chen Chi-mai.
Despite the legislative joint-committee decision today not considered as binding, it is a breakthrough from the last few days because it agrees to send back the entire bill to the Executive Yuan for review and renegotiation.
