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@Taiwan is in the midst of an enormous political change, the
handover of political power from the Mainlanders to the Taiwanese. The
presidential election in this March, probably one of this island's most
important historical events, has proved the change is inevitable and
irreversible. A big change always creates the winners and the losers,
and strong reactions by the losers, in another word, "The losers'
last scream."
@This report is provided by A.K., one of my best friends, who witnessed
this historical event in Taipei and observed a series of political turmoils
created by Mainlander residents, or the losers'. (Translated by Manabu
Suzuki)
@
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|Taiwan Governer's Office|
@ Taiwan Governer's Office resembles a huge red hawk trying to scare
his prey, shows the peculiar dignity of unbeatened political power.
This building ,as well as Korean Governer's Office in Seoul which is
not exist now, is considered as one of the most renowned buildings left
by the pre-war Japanese Empire. A spacious road in front of the Governer's
Office leads to the headquarter of Nationalist Party of the Republic
of China (KMT or Kuomintang). Since Chiang Kai-Shek came over to this
island to start his regime in 1949, this building has been calmly staring
at Governer's Office. Nothing is more obvious than this building as
the symbol of KMT's unchallenged rule in this island.
|9:00 pm, March 19, 2000|
@ A big square in front of Governer's Office was thrown into an uproar.
The roadside was roped off and the policemen were interrogating passers-by.
While I was taking a night walk to see the Governer's Office whose master
was toppled just 24 hours ago, I had to be very careful not to be caught
by the police force. The policemen looked very serious today,
@ After a while, I heard a piercing noise of horns from the back side
of 2/28 memorial park which is in the left front of the Governer's Office.
The loud noise has been heard intermittently. When I went through the
2/28 memorial park, I noticed a large number of police cars including
armored ones. The police force with shields and clubs was on the alert,
preparing for something to be happened. But surprisingly, young policemen
looked quite relaxed and joking each other.
@I walked toward the direction of noisy horns. When I came in front
of the KMT headquater building, a huge crowd of people were screaming,
with national flags on their hands and gas cylinders on their backs
(It was the gas cylinders that were generating horn noise). I noticed
a huge poster of smiling Lien Chan and Vincent Siew, both are candidates
for presidential election, rises as high as seven or eight stories of
KMT building. While some shrewd merchants are selling gas cylinders
to the protesting people, some food stalls are generating white smoke
and delicious smell of Taiwanese smoked sausage. The atomosphere of
this site ,though the outrageous people were protesting, was somewhat
similar to a happy festival.
@A speakers corner was observed in the center of crowd. This was made
by something like a station wagon, on which speakers were yelling his
opinion one after another. Occasionally, a huge crowd reacted to them
with horns, waving the flag of Republic of China. They looked very serious.
Most of them are aged more than forty years old, Some of them weared
sweating suits or pajamas, as if they had just evacuated from a big
earthquate. They were condemning the failure of KMT policies, especially
that of Lee Teng-hui, the former president. I guess these people have
never even imagined that KMT will be defeated by an oppositions party
since in their mind there was no room other than this party in Taiwan's
politics. I saw an old gentleman, apparently looks like a Mainlander
high-ranked bureaucrat, stayed apart from the excited crowd of people,
was quietly talking to his wife. It was very impressive to me. I realized
what is going on behind this scene, "an old era was certainly over
and a new era has just started".
@After a while, a group raising banners of "Step down, Lee Teng-hui"
joined the crowd. I noticed quite a few papers written the message of
"Step down, Lee Teng-hui. Come back, James Soong" on the wall.
Some people wears hats and jackets with the name of Soong. This crowd
might be the supporters of James Soong, who has just lost the presidential
race 24 hours ago. Their condemnation towards KMT might come from the
KMT decision in 1996 to expel Soong from the party when he sat for the
previous presidential race in 1996. The decision has split the party
into two and finally gave way to the opposition leader, Chen Shui-bian.
|9:40 pm, March 19, 2000|@
@The crowd was demanding Ma Ying-jiu to appear in front of them. This
handsome guy, who defeated the new president Chen Shui-bian in the Taipei
City mayoral election two years ago, stepped on the speakers' corner
and tried to persuade the excited crowds. But for all his efforts, the
crowd was not calmed down at all. Finally, one of the guys threw a raw
egg and hit Ma's chin. The guy was immediately grabbed down by other
outraged people. Ma also looked outrageous. When the crowd are about
to be violent at him, the police force broke into the crowd and rescued
him and taken away.
@The crowd was growing very fast. When I came here forty minutes ago
it was about 500 people ,but now it is more than twice the number. The
style of demonstration is not changed at all, some speakers were still
yelling and the crowd reacts with horns. A couple of hours has passed,
Ma Ying-jiu has already disappered. To me it sounds like useless efforts
since they cannot change the election result. It is no use if they criticize
the KMT's failure because the game was over, the history has already
changed, In the new era, the future of this island will be determined
by the Taiwanese, or new generation being born or grown up in this island.
The role of old regime has over because Taiwanese people successfully
carried out the bloodless revolution.
@ I have left the KMT headquarter building, still hearing the noisy
horns on my back. This sounds so sad and melancholic, because I know
it is "The losers' last scream".
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