Condemn State Violence. Urge government to properly respond to people’s request for Anti-nuclear power plants
Taiwan Association for Human Rights
translators: Pan Yi, Pinnhuei Lee
On the sixth day of Mr. Lin’s fasting, the government still didn’t give a clear response to whether or not to stop the construction of the nuclear power plant. National Nuclear Abolition Action Platform (NNAAP) called for a demonstration on April 27th and occupied Zhong-Xiao West Road by peaceful sit-in as a way to show civil disobedience and request the government to give people a deserving answer.
On the late night of 27th president Ma and KMT’s Government officials including several mayors called for a meeting but in the end the conclusion was announced by KMT’s Culture and Communication Committee not by an official government department. Therefore NNAAP decided to continue the sit-in and wait for a official government’s response.
On the early morning of April 28th, Taipei City Mayor Lung-pin Hau (郝龍斌) failed to negotiate with any of the government officials from the Executive Yuan to answer the protesters’ requests, instead he ordered the police to attack the protesters and NGO workers with batons, water cannons, and tear gas. President Ma’s government is losing its legitimacy by taking its own people as enemies right from the beginning of the 318 Sunflower Movement, refusing to communicate with his own people, and preventing access to public institutions and the presidential hall with barricades.
On the early morning of the 28th, Taipei’s Mayor Lung-pin Hau (郝龍斌) didn’t coordinate any government official to give people a response, instead he ordered the police to forcefully evacuate the protesters. This lead to police violently beating people with police baton and using 45 times of water cannon to attack those protesters and NGO workers, including female, elder people and children. President Ma’s government is losing its legitimacy by taking its own people as enemies right from the beginning of the 318 Sunflower Movement, refusing to communicate with his own people, and preventing access to public institutions and the presidential hall with barricades.
It was exactly like what had happened in front of the Executive Yuan back on March 24th during the 318 Sunflower Movement. Taipei City Mayor Lung-pin Hau (郝龍斌) commanded a massive male police force using batons and shields to disperse unarmed protesters violently. Many protesters were injured while the police was removing them violently off the road. Some police even attacked journalists and media workers that are documenting the violent evacuation, which seriously restricted the freedom of the press.
We condemn the Taiwanese government which is consistently out of control and treats its own people with violence. Once again, we appeal that the government shall protect the right of freedom of expressions in a democratic country, and not to repress the voices of its own people and press.
We demand:
1. Mayor Lung-pin Hau (郝龍斌) must apologize for his command on violently dispersing the protesters and interrupting the media reporting. Any instigating moves to the public should stop immediately. Stop violent actions towards peaceful protesters, NGO workers, females and journalists.
2. The Ma’s government should begin dialogues to respond to the appeals of Yi-hsiung Lin and the NNAAP. The construction of the 4th nuclear power plant should be terminated immediately and permanently. The existing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd nuclear power plants must not be extended beyond their specified operational periods. The government should soon make clear public statements on its high-level and low-level nuclear waste plans and the estimated budgets.
3. The Legislative Yuan should complete the amendments of the Referendum Act by means of increasing the opportunities for citizens’ participation and by returning the political rights of the citizens.
