Activists condemn attack on Christian environmentalist

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

3083 Edition

March 28~April 3, 2011

Headline News

Activists condemn attack on Christian environmentalist

Reported by Lin Yi-ying

Written by Lydia Ma

Chen Jiau-hua, a long-time environmentalist and member of Fuchiang Presbyterian 
Church in Tainan and former Tainan Environmental Protection Union CEO, was 
recently assaulted because of her involvement in environmental issues. Chen, an 
associate professor at Chianan University of Pharmacy and Science and a 
long-time environmental campaigner, reported that she was beaten by two 
black-hooded men with sticks on the night of March 21, 2011, as she was getting 
into her car after leaving Taiwan Environmental Protection Union’s (TEPU) 
Tainan office. Chen suffered serious bruises and some bleeding on her left hand 
and left feet.

Her pastor, Rev. Tsai Cheng-tao was among the first to visit her after the 
incident. He later said, “It’s the government’s duty to safeguard the 
environment and public safety. It never occurred to us that people protecting 
the environment on the government’s behalf would face violent threats. The 
government ought to take this incident and breach of security seriously and 
have some measures in place.”

According to Tsai, Chen had been a vocal advocate of environmental protection 
and Taiwan’s welfare for years, so she’d readied herself long time ago to face 
threats and libel due to her views. However, it never occurred to her that 
she’d also face physical violence from the mafia.

Commenting on Chen’s attackers, Tsai said Jesus had already foretold Christians 
they would be persecuted for pursuing righteousness, but the public ought to 
decry Chen’s assailants’ use of violence and contempt for the rule of law. He 
added that his congregation would support Chen and her family to the end.

Several environmental protection agencies were present at this press conference 
on March 24, 2011, where photos of a bleeding and wounded Chen were displayed 
for all to see. Chen’s supporters spoke out against mafias, violence, and 
incompetent governments. DPP legislator Tien Chiu-chin was also spotted at the 
press conference where she hugged Chen and gave her a bouquet to express her 
encouragement and concern. Sadly, all long-time environmentalists present had 
been threatened at one time or another.

“I’m not afraid, I just feel sorry for the worry I’m putting my family and 
friends through,” Chen told the press, adding that the ultimate goal of the 
mafia is to use such incidents to threaten other environmentalists to back off. 
She worried that people’s resolve to protect the environment would eventually 
weaken because of their fears and it wouldn’t benefit Taiwanese society at all. 

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