wfn.org | TCN: Taiwan remembers freedom of speech pioneer Deng Nan-jung

["Lydia Ma" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>Taiwan Church News

>2980 Edition

>April 6~12, 2009

Taiwan remembers freedom of speech pioneer Deng Nan-jung

>Reported by Lin Yi-ying

>Written by Lydia Ma

On April 7, 1989 Deng Nan-jung set himself on fire as he fought for  freedom of speech in Taiwan. At the time, his daughter Deng Ju-mei was  only nine-years-old. Now 29 and seeking to break her silence, Deng  Ju-mei made an appearance during the memorial service commemorating the  20th anniversary of her father’s death.

Besides speaking to today’s youth on what they can do for the  country for the next decade, Deng also hoped that April 7th could  officially be remembered in Taiwan as “Freedom of Speech Day”.

To protect “100 percent freedom of speech”, Deng founded  Freedom Era Weekly on March 12, 1984 and began promoting democracy and  human rights in Taiwan. He also supported establishing a new country,  and became famous later on for his legendary statement, “My name is  Deng Nan-jung, I support independence for Taiwan.” His resolute,  fearless, public, and loud statement caused fear and panic in the  Nationalist (KMT) government. In response, it used its powers and the  judiciary to destroy Deng and force him to submit.

“The KMT will never catch me, it will only find my dead body!”  said Deng. Sure enough, On April 7, 1989, Deng set himself on fire as  riot police attempted to break into his office following his 71 days of  self-imposed isolation. He was only 42 years old at the time of his  death.

Just as everyone around the country was commemorating Deng  Nan-jung’s contribution to Taiwanese democracy, the Ma  administration was getting ready to toughen Taiwan’s Assembly and  Parade Law and sending a revised version to the legislature for review.  The government’s actions were met with great disapproval and  heavily criticized by Taiwan Association for Human Rights, which claimed  it as an evil legislation.

Taipei Times also reported on Deng’s anniversary. For more  information on Deng’s life and legacy, visit  http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2009/04/05/2003440288

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