Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Dear Mr. Abdoolcarim:

Thank you for the informing and interesting article on the October 19^th Asia edition of Time magazine, “Reshooting History in a New China.”   However, I write to voice, on the behalf of Tati Foundation, that the Chinese leadership’s thinking has not changed at all since the founding of this totalitarian and Communist regime.  As you have mentioned, injustices and corruption are rampant in China today.  For an average Chinese citizen, life remains tough.  Just like the widespread turmoil and ceaseless revolution in first half of CCP’s sixty years.  Just like the pre-revolutionary KMT regime, riddled with corruption and brutality.  In short, just like the same old days.

As many people expected, former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) received a heavy sentence — life in jail — after being found guilty in a graft case against him. After receiving the sentence, Chen’s appeal to be released from detention was, like many also expected, unsuccessful, and he remains in detention.

To no one’s surprise, pan-blue media commentators applauded the decisions and continued hurling attacks at the “corrupt family.” While anti-corruption efforts should be acknowledged and supported, it is very hard to understand how “anti-­corruption” has taken precedence over the principles of having competent judges, due process and basic human rights, such as a fair defense for the accused and the presumption of innocence.