DPP Holds 5/17 Anti-Ma March

DPP Holds 5/17 Anti-Ma March

Sources: All Taipei newspapers

May 18, 2009

The DPP held its “Anti-Ma Ying-jeou, Safeguard Taiwan” March yesterday. The demonstration was kicked off by four different routes led, respectively, by former Vice President Annette Lu, former Premiers Frank Hsieh and Su Tseng-chang, and DPP chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen. After the evening rally on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Palace, Tsai Ing-wen led a group of DPP public-office holders, along with the crowd, in an overnight sit-in.

The DPP declared that the main theme for the demonstration was “Safeguard Taiwan, Say No to Pro-China; Voice Our Protest against Ma,” with four sub-topics: “Safeguard Sovereignty; Save the Unemployed; Protect Taiwan; Protect the Underprivileged.”

During the evening rally, Tsai Ing-wen said that the DPP had not been faced with such touching emotions from its supporters for quite a long time. She announced the beginning of an “All Citizens Protecting Taiwan” movement, saying that the DPP would push forward the second democratic reform to change Taiwan once again.

Tsai claimed that President Ma Ying-jeou let the public down, but said the people of Taiwan had no right to be pessimistic, adding, “We must save our country on our own.” Tsai said that the people of Taiwan should unite and use democracy to save the country, and the DPP would protect the island with all the people, leading Taiwan back to an era of freedom and openness. She said that the DPP would make sure that the international community understood what the people of Taiwan really chose, “This is the historical responsibility of the DPP.”

In response to the DPP demonstration, President Ma Ying-jeou yesterday said in Hsinchu that the KMT administration would carefully listen to the public’s opinions and make improvements. In particular, President Ma said that we would uphold the principles of dignity, parity, and reciprocity in cross-Strait negotiations, and we would never give up our sovereignty.

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