Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Students furious over Ma’s ‘non-response’

Taipei Times

Hundreds of university students voiced their disappointment and anger over President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) continued silence over their anti-media monopoly appeal following an overnight vigil yesterday and vowed to keep on pressing the president for a response and action on an issue that risks undermining freedom of speech in the nation.

The students launched the protest on 7pm on Monday at Liberty Square, followed by a sit-in protest starting at 4am yesterday on Ketagalan Boulevard, right outside the restricted area for the New Year’s Day flag-raising ceremony. They demanded that the president clarify his position on the controversial Next Media Group (壹傳媒集團) deal and address related issues on media monopoly and Chinese influence over Taiwan’s media.

Students welcome the new year with media protest

Taipei Times

While thousands celebrated New Year’s Eve by going to rock concerts or watching the sunrise on the east coast, more than 200 people — mostly students — chose to attend a rally in Liberty Square in Taipei last night vowing to continue their anti-media monopoly campaign this year.

Aside from the protesters, Taiwan Solidarity Union Chairman Huang Kun-huei (黃昆輝), Democratic Progressive Party caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), Taiwan independence advocate and historian Su Beng (史明), and National Taiwan University professors Flora Chang (張錦華) and Lin Huo-wang (林火旺) were also present.

Students, workers to stage new year rallies

Taipei Times

Laid-off workers planning a New Year’s Eve “Occupy MRT Station” protest tonight stand at a platform on the Taipei Main Station MRT stop on Saturday to apologize in advance for the inconvenience that their planned protest is expected to cause to commuters.
Photo: CNA

Hundreds of university students and workers are to “celebrate” New Year’s Eve today in Taipei by protesting against President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration as others participate in year-end festivities and countdowns.

Members and supporters of the Youth Alliance Against Media Monsters are planning to stage an overnight sit-in protest today at Liberty Square to urge the government to reject the controversial Next Media Group deal.

Do not sell Taiwan’s dignity off with its land

Ko Yu-fen 柯裕棻

When it comes to developing the tourism sector, Taiwan often finds itself in a clearly contradictory situation. On the one hand, Taiwanese envy the natural and tranquil beauty of the countryside in developed countries, while on the other hand, the nation’s own countryside is being destroyed as fast as possible, almost as if any area without large buildings, highways or large hotels is a sign of backwardness. However, there is nothing backward about a lack of large buildings and highways; what is backward is the lack of confidence this mode of thinking represents.

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