wfn.org | Taiwan Christians Rally for Referendum Law Amendment

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>Taiwan Church News

>2958 Edition

>November 3~9, 2008

Taiwan Christians Rally for Referendum Law Amendment

Led by its chairman Tsai Ting-kuei, the Taiwan Association of University  Professors (TAUP) organized a sit-in protest calling for reform of  existing referendum laws. Taiwan Church News reported on this event on  the 9th day of the sit-in. According to reports, Tsai was on a  hunger-strike as well during the sit-in protest and fainted for a time.  As he was rushed to the hospital, another chairman of TAUP took his  place in the protest. During this sit-in protest, several people stopped  by to show support and many joined in. Members of the Presbyterian  Church in Taiwan also participated in the sit in. At one point, members  from Che-Nam (Chi-Nan) Presbyterian Church’s women fellowship  stopped by to support protesters by distributing cookies and other food  items.

According to Tsai, the Ma administration’s business-as-usual  attitude following the mass rally on October 25th was unbearable for  him. Hence, he decided he would rather spend the rest of his life in a  hunger strike as a free Taiwanese than become a slave of the Chinese  Communist Party one day. Tsai also expressed his rage at the new  government’s rude disregard for the poor citizens of Taiwan and its  China leaning policies. Tsai further alleged that in the existing  Referendum Law, national matters that could be voted in a referendum  were limited and the thresholds were set too high for passing any  referendum. This set-up deprived the people of their rights to decide on  important national issues. He proposed, among other things, to lower the  number of people needed to sponsor a referendum bill. Tsai would like  the number of required sponsors lowered to 100 and the number of  required signatories lowered to 1.5% of eligible voters. Furthermore he  would like to see referendum policies passed based on plurality vote as  long as more than one-fourth of eligible voters cast their ballots.

One renowned Hakka painter and Christian who visited the sit-in protest  said he was enraged that the existing laws of the “Republic of  China” were the source of unrest in Taiwan. Furthermore, it was  beyond comprehension that these laws could be authored by the  democratically-elected President Ma. During his speech, this painter  purposely referred to Ma Ying-jeou as “area chief” Ma in  reference to the President’s belittlement of his title when  engaging with Chinese officials. He not only saw the president as a  traitor, but also called on the Taiwanese to unite and protect the  country regardless of one’s ethnic background. He further urged  listeners to support referendum as a means to promote civil rights.

One wheelchair-bound woman from Gi-kong (Yi-guang) Presbyterian Church  who joined the sit-in on October 31st remarked that being a disciple of  Christ, we should care for others just as we care for ourselves. In her  opinion, the term “others” refers to those who need help. She  commented that many people still live under the shadow of white terror  days. As the light and salt of the earth, Christians should not shrink  in fear, but fight for truth and justice instead. She encouraged  everyone to make time in their busy schedules to support calls for  referendum law reform and emphasized that even though God reigns,  Christians are never to sit on their hands for we are to be partners  with God.

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