Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Our reluctant commander-in-chief

Taipei Times Editorial

For the first time in 28 years, the annual Han Kuang military drills were held in the absence of the commander-in-chief. According to media reports, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) spent all of six minutes inspecting the drills before leaving (the Ministry of National Defense said the visit lasted 30 minutes). Both the military and civilians should be chilled to the bone by the fact that the commander-in-chief cares so little about the military’s capabilities.

Tumors spur calls for Chen’s release

Taipei Times

ecurity officers escort jailed former President Chen Shui-bian, in wheelchair, to Taoyuan General Hospital for a medical check yesterday. Chen’s son, Chen Chih-chung, right, also attended the check-up.
Photo: Wang Min-wei, Taipei Times

Doctors found another small tumor on former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) prostate yesterday after he was granted a temporary release from prison for follow-up medical checkups in a hospital.

Chen was transported from Taipei Prison to Taoyuan General Hospital at about 6am.

Dozens of Chen supporters shouted: “A-bian [阿扁, Chen Shui-bian’s nickname] is not guilty, release A-bian” as he arrived in the hospital.

Taiwan should focus on decolonization: academic

Taipei Times

Bruce Jacobs, a professor at Monash University in Australia, talks at a symposium held at the legislature in Taipei yesterday.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times

Taiwan should focus on its colonial history and the issue of de-colonization, rather than the argument over independence and unification, an Australian academic told a symposium yesterday.

Bruce Jacobs, a professor at Monash University in Australia, discussed the democratization of Taiwan at a symposium held at the legislature and organized by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP Legislator Mark Chen (陳唐山), the Institute of National Defense and Strategy Research and the Association of Taiwan University Professors.

Empty words on human rights?

Taipei Times Editorial

The government yesterday published its first report on human rights based on the UN covenants that are now part of the nation’s legal system. President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said the report marked another milestone in Taiwan’s efforts to meet international standards. Ironically, the report, both through its inclusions and omissions, highlights just how far this nation has to go — even as its place on the world stage grows ever smaller and international attention paid to it dwindles.

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