Citizen occupation of Taiwan legislature and its global significance

Taiwan's parliament/legislative chamber (the Legislative Yuan, LY) has now been occupied for over 11 days. The accompanying around the clock sit-in surrounding the block has been overwhelmingly, if not 100%, peaceful.

Leaders have gone lengths to keep the encampment organized, orderly, clean and safe. Volunteers are directing foot traffic and keeping emergency access routes clear. The streets to the north and south of the LY are occupied predominantly but not exclusively by students, sitting in marked-out areas using cardboard as mats, reading, studying, listening to speeches or live music, or partaking in small group discussions. There is an area for the public to make art, while documentaries and other presentations are being shown on two large screens that have been set up. There is abundant donated food and water, medical volunteers staff numerous first aid stations, and fire extinguishers have even been stationed around the site.

In a more narrow area on the west side of the block, by busy Chung Shan Road, stools and tents have been set up for older folks, such as those who lived through the White Terror period of martial law, to have their open mic. (For some in-depth reading on this see Formosa Betrayed, not the movie but the book written by US diplomat George Kerr, available online at the link provided.) On the east side of the block are residences and businesses, and also a small access alley that has been left relatively unblocked, though students sit in a lot nearby ready to occupy the alley if needed. This spot looks like the quiet study area.

The front entrance, driveway and small parking lot at the north of the LY block is densely student-occupied. There is an almost festive atmosphere at this spot, and one can take it all in like a sight-seer at a living history museum.

A volunteer channels foot traffic through the “entrance only” half of the driveway gate, and once inside more volunteers exhort people to keep moving along in one direction so as to not clog up the path that winds through the young crowds seated on either side of the occupied parking lot. One passes the student-controlled series of ladders leading to second and third floor windows that mark one path occupiers took to get in to the chamber. Posters hang from the building, but the upside-down Taiwan flags that were flying early in the occupation have been removed. Small contingents of lightly equipped police tranquilly stand at the ground floor entrance and behind their plastic shields along other lines, making the scene look like a fairly civil border dispute awaiting resolution. Police talk to opposition party legislators, who have been assisting with the LY occupation. You can keep going (please move along) and leave the parking lot through the “exit only,” or you can take up a spot on cardboard or a grassy area and do some sitting-in.

The block around the LY must have thousands of unique visitors going through it every day. Most I presume are supportive, many leaving with the headbands and other protest paraphernalia from the site.

The global significance of this movement, dubbed the "Sunflower Movement," in a nutshell:

It’s like any other movement towards greater respect for human rights and against exploitative rule by the few. But it is also occurring inside, for lack of a better term, the so-called “Greater China” region. A setback to Taiwan’s democratic progress is a setback to the advancement of human rights in the entire area.

The desire for greater citizen rights in China was not crushed in 1989. Democratization activist Liu Xiaobo, flaws in his thinking notwithstanding, was awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize but languishes in prison because his ideas are considered a danger to someone. In 2012 the villagers of Wukan were overjoyed with a meager scrap of democracy granted to them. Ordinary people in China are keenly interested in Taiwan elections.

China is communist in name only. Hong Kong is now feeling the brunt of what being ruled by the oligarchic CCP means, and HK democracy activists look to Taiwan for inspiration.

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Hong Kongers have been turning their heartfelt aspirations toward the nation [Taiwan], because unlike Hong Kong, Taiwan is still able to govern itself and remains a democracy. This “Taiwan craze” has many aspects…Beijing is worried about Taipei’s relationship with Hong Kong moving from business and trade to politics.

One blogger lays out the issue at hand:

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...[President] Ma and the KMT have cloaked their sellout in neoliberal trade and political science rhetoric. By doing so, they can get others to forward their propaganda for them, since these ideas are widely subscribed to in the media and academia...the logic of this argument runs like this: let's f@ck the 99% so that Taiwan can look "credible" when its 1% sits down and makes big business sellout trade deals with the 1% of other countries. That's neoliberal logic at its finest: the world's nations are so many game preserves and ATMs for the 1%…

If you were the editor of a publication that claims to be a serious national newspaper such as the Globe and Mail, which story would you bump from the top headlines on the internet version? Choose one of the three.

Former ‘Dynasty’ star passes away at age 74

Robin Thicke cancels appearance at Juno Awards

Estimated 500,000 pack central Taipei to protest trade pact with China

Threats and potential for violence instigated by a gangster with CCP ties, as reported by a former intelligence officer for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service:

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...everybody knows that [known gangster Chang An-le, the 'White Wolf] is a proxy of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and that he has brought back to Taiwan practices of terror and intimidation that are sadly commonplace in China. United Front efforts aside (China watchers are well aware of the role of organized crime in Beijing’s United Front work), the White Wolf’s involvement in politics is a threat to social stability and national security. Not only do his actions put the lives of young Taiwanese at risk, they also pose a threat to the police officers that are currently deployed at the LY. The responsibility for any resulting injuries to the students or police officers would rest squarely on the shoulders of the Ma administration that should long ago have dealt with Chang’s return the proper way. Until the situation changes, we can only conclude that Ma’s failure to deal with Chang, and the National Police Administration’s turning a blind eye to his nefarious activities, are the result of a decision to allow organized crime to do the administration’s dirty work.

Thanks for the post and photo epaulo. There were enough people to fill the Rose Bowl more than five times; the photo above shows not even a quarter of the demonstration. The crowds were dense; 2% of the island's population was demonstrating on the streets of Taipei on Mar. 30. From FB site 'Taiwan Voice' 2014/03/31:

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Reflections on the Rally

Even with 500,000 protesters on the street, I felt safe. Even better, a sense of hope returned, which had once been quashed on March 23 by the violent eviction at the Executive Yuan.

What I saw at the protest was the character of the Taiwanese. In three short days, they gathered together and showed their support by participating in the rally, swarming to 500,000 people. At the protest, the demonstrators were peaceful, sitting around and exchanging ideas on the CSSTA [Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement] and on the bill proposed by the student protesters occupying the legislative Yuan.

I saw passion. People were offering free carpooling, food, drink, and other supplies were passed around to one another, live music filled the streets -- all sponsored by passionate anonymous Taiwanese citizens.

I saw civility. We, Taiwanese, were able to host a rally of up to 500,000 participants but still be able to move things around, save space for emergency workers, even dissipate in just an hour at the end of the protest, leaving no trash on the ground behind us.

This is my homeland. These are the reasons I will never give democratic Taiwan up in exchange for some black box business trade agreement. If there is only one thing that outweighs money, it is Taiwan. Not for sale.

The sit-in around the legislature continued afterwards. Shown on screens set up around the block was the 2012 movie 'No' depicting the referendum that led to the downfall of Pinochet.

A gangster and paid hoodlums showed up at the still-occupied legislature to try and intimidate protesters. Regardless of how the very biased Taiwan media reports this misadventure, it is apparent that such tactics are fading into the past, especially against the world-wise young activists now rising.

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Enter the past, which manifested itself on April 1 with a counter-protest organized by Chang An-le, or “White Wolf,” a gangster who returned to Taiwan in June 2013 after seventeen years in exile. Chang, leader of the Unification Party, is believed by many to be an instrument of United Front work for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) who tirelessly advocates for “peaceful unification” under the “one country, two systems” model used for Hong Kong — a model that is failing to work in the former British colony, as is increasingly evident.

Since his release on bail on the day of his arrival, Chang has appeared on TV talk shows (where he fared rather poorly), opened campaign offices nationwide, and has announced his interest in fielding candidates in future elections, with himself as a possibility for the 2016 presidential election. Besides playing the politician, Chang has also turned to the old practices of the Bamboo Union triad, which he reportedly once headed, to threaten and intimidate various sectors of society, including NGOs, a city mayor, and the Dalai Lama.

...the successful occupation of the legislature and the unruly riposte by the underworld should dispel any notion that the unification of Taiwan with China on non-coercive terms is still an option. Future Taiwanese leaders, many of whom are currently inside the legislature, have made it clear that they will not countenance the silent takeover of their country and its hard-won democracy. If President Ma cannot force a simple services trade pact upon his people over fears of its political consequences, we can only imagine what the reaction would be if he, or whoever comes after him, tried to enter into political negotiations with Beijing.

By comparing photos of other events, I figure 350,000 is a conservative estimate of the number at the Mar. 30 protest in Taipei, while 500,000 is not an overblown estimate.

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Tiananmen [veteran] protest leaders Wang Dan and Wu’er Kaixi [who now live in Taiwan] entered the [LY] compound the second night to express their support for the students...

...Concerned about the trade pact’s implications not only for free speech in Taiwan, students [in general] express legitimate worry that the global media is also afraid of China’s economic might, and that they are being abandoned by a world which has chosen to turn an apathetic ear to their cries.

cco wrote:

I had just assumed it was the same kind of media bias that leads to wall-to-wall coverage of riots in Kiev and radio silence about Bahrain, Greece, Honduras, and other "allied" countries -- with the KMT filling the role of "ally" here.

Sure, with "allies" meaning those helping big capitalism. In Canadian media's case, there isn't even a peep about it, compared to the sampling of UK, US and international sources listed above. So it looks to me something extra is at play in Canada.

I am guessing there are 2 major levers that the CCP has on Canada: 1) tar sands investment 2) threats to back Quebec independence. Does anyone have thoughts on this?

A round-up of solidarity demonstrations outside Taiwan:

Taiwan's 'Sunflower Movement' Goes Global - Supporters of the Sunflower Movement have organized sympathetic protests in Europe, North America, and Asia.

from Taiwan Voice FB page. Note: date should read 2014/04/04

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BREAKING:
Taiwan Voice 2014/04/05 20:30

Police changing into riot gear at the Legislative Yuan

According to Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Shu-Fen, a Taipei City councilor gave her information that the National Police Agency ordered the police force from the Special Police First and Sixth Headquarters to gear up into riot armor. The police force are moving towards the Legislative Yuan area. Lin also said that she's reported back to DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming for his response. There are also news sources indicating that the police might force evacuate students during early morning hours in these coming days at any time.

Formosa TV channel interviewed a student leader, saying that the students are conducting the necessary exercises to guard the inside of the Legislative Yuan.

This might be related to the return of former representative to the U.S. King Pu-tsung, now appointed as chief adviser in national security. Upon his return yesterday, he gave an adamant warning to the students and to Legislative President Wang Jin-pyng to end this occupation in a matter of two weeks. He didn't specify what the intentions of the government are, but he is known as the "little dagger" - the person that Ma Ying-jeou trusts to take care of his work no matter at what costs.

Source: Liberty Times and FTV

‪#‎AmnestyInternational‬ ‪#‎SunflowerMovement‬ ‪#‎Taiwan‬

Reports of water cannons moving to LY and build up of police in riot gear.

There are several openings and pretenses the police can use to start clearing out the protest around the legislature, but it seems to be at a certain level of stasis for now. For the powers that be and the police to remove the protest at this point would be like trying to tape shut the main steam outlet on a pressure cooker. 

Aside from the forceful eviction of occupiers from the cabinet compound on Mar. 23-24, protester-police relations have been rather cordial. Protesters are on the alert for potential agent provocateurs, at times isolating individuals behaving in an unruly manner and even guarding the police from them. [from FB page Taiwan Voice]

The weather has been cool and drizzly much of the time, but the encampment on the streets around the LY is increasingly settled in. Awnings of the kind used for temporary markets now circle the block, protesters sit underneath them on pallets padded with interlocking thin rubber tiles, of the kind often used for children’s play areas inside homes. Many reams of thin, waterproof, reflective camping foil for staying warm and dry can be found on site. Donated supplies are abundant, but no one is accepting cash donations. Documentaries, teach-ins, open meetings, yoga classes, performances, etc. continue. Free food is easy to find, even distributed hot to seated protesters by volunteers. There are many camping tents, and a half-size freight container is now on site, being used as an office.

Besieged President Ma and KMT legislators have made offers, but none have been adequate. They’ve also sought out academics to speak against the movement’s positions. The movement has been able to counter, supported by academics and legal experts on their side.

Here’s something Canadians should relate to. With its majority in the legislature, the KMT could force the CSSTA through unexamined. One of the problems identified by the Sunflower Movement is the strict party discipline that can be exercised over legislators, making them little more than trained animals following the party line. The movement is now trying to encourage individual legislators to think for themselves and break ranks from the government position.

Every now and then, somewhere in the world, the frontline of the struggle against the global neoliberal agenda gets exposed. That's where this occupation stands. The CCP wants to bind Taiwan with the CSSTA before going on to TPP negotiations.

http://thediplomat.com/2014/04/the-taiwan-protests-regional-and-economic...

The Speaker of the Taiwan Legislature, Wang Jin-Pyng, has visited the occupied chamber, attempting to build bridges. Wang is a moderate KMT member, more widely respected than President Ma, who is also known as Mr. 9%. What substance comes out of this meeting remains to be seen. Regardless, this movement has been a boost for civic consciousness in Taiwan, and because it remains the last significant Chinese-speaking society not under the hard heel of the CCP, I would say, for the world.

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Students have not just been protesting the “black-box procedures” for negotiating the pact with China and its contents, but also highlighting “serious trouble” in the country’s constitutional democracy, in that it no longer serves as a tool to solve problems when the popularly elected government has been adamant in pushing ahead a policy in violation of the majority of the public’s opinion

That should sound familiar to westerners dismayed with the decline of their own democratic institutions in the face of various trade deals.

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Separately yesterday, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海) chairman Terry Gou (郭台銘) said in an e-mailed statement that he admires Wang’s wisdom and feels sympathy for the students. Gou, whose company assembles Apple Inc’s iPhones at factories in China, called on the students and all political parties to learn to let go of their differences so Taiwan can move forward.

A tycoon jumps on the coattails of Wang. Or, is Wang a dog being wagged from its tail?

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Organized by George Washington University, don't miss this interesting panel live on YouTube with Sunflower Movement student leaders Wei Yang, Huang Yu-fen and Chinese democracy activists from the Tiananmen Masssacre and Charter 08 Era. Airs live 04/09 17:30 - 19:00 EST; Taiwan time tomorrow 04/10 5:30-7:00.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO3I3Vtc-MA&feature=share