The Third Anniversary of the Sunflower Movement Only Harvested New Authoritarianism

 The Third Anniversary of the Sunflower Movement Only Harvested New Authoritarianism

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)

March 19, 2017

 Translation of an Except

Three years ago, the Sunflower Student Movement underscored the youth’s enthusiasm in protesting, igniting the dissatisfaction with reality on the part of the new generation, and pushing for, in turn, the third turnover of ruling parties; the DPP has become the greatest beneficiary. Today, three years later, we only see a sprinkling of student movement leaders return to the streets, demanding that the DPP fulfill its pledges, such as enacting a "Statute Governing Oversight of Cross-Strait Agreements"; however, they only received a cold response. To this scene, we do not know what the feelings and thoughts of the hot-headed youth of yesteryear now have.

Looking back to the second anniversary of the student movement, the public rejoiced in welcoming a brand new government whose leaders asked themselves to exhibit "humility, humility and more humility," committing themselves to "solving problems." However, today, on the third anniversary of the Sunflower Movement, the voice of “humility” has vanished in the wind. All the public have heard, on the other hand, is the sabre-rattling of enacting a "Homeland Security Act", "Anti-infiltration Act", "a crackdown on fake news" as well as the noises of yoke-saddling, such as “de-Chiang Kai-shek and de-Confucianism movement”, “investigate universities for their one China pledges”, "boarding connecting flights on the Mainland must get prior approval.” For the generations of the Sunflower Movement, the so-called "authoritarian rule" may be only a distant legend, or only an ashes bin that must be removed from the altar; however, for the older generations that have personally undergone the experiences, this scene after scene staged to show the lash and knife of power are precisely the sound of the footsteps of authoritarian demons returning. Should the people pretend not to hear them?

The Sunflower Movement had its finest hour, but it must face the undercurrent it has brought forth.

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