DPP Is Destroying the Fruits of the Formosa Magazine Incident

 DPP Is Destroying the Fruits of the Formosa Magazine Incident

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

December 11, 2019

 Translation of an Excerpt

Yesterday (December 10) marked the 40^th anniversary of the Formosa Magazine Incident; the DPP once again used this democracy activity to help partisan electoral prospects. Tsai Ing-wen accompanied pro-independence big wigs to return to the scene of yesteryear’s march, leaving abruptly after having walked for 200 meters. Government media, however, collaborated by launching a propaganda drive, defining this time’s march as "passing the torch of the democratic movement." This commemorative activity, with the absence of such major actors as Shi Ming-te, appeared pale; what is even more ridiculous is that now the ruling party DPP, which “harvested” the halo of yesteryear’s political victims, is duplicating in its own hands the brusque and violent tactics of yesteryear’s authoritarian rulers, trampling and destroying the democracy that was hard-won by Taiwan .

The DPP has been squandering the fruits of the Formosa Magazine Incident, but was forsaken by the people in last yearend’s local elections. During a soul-searching session following the electoral defeat, Acting DPP Chairman Lin Yu-chang said, "Taiwan’s people no longer owe anything to the DPP; don't ever mention our contributions to democracy." These words are still ringing in our ears; the Tsai government not only failed to self-reflect with humility, but it also exhausted all side doors and loopholes, abusing the machinery of the state to seek re-election, destroying the legal system on the one hand, and utilizing cyber warriors and a fake communist spy case to blackmail people’s emotions on the other, constricting people's thinking and freedom of speech. The DPP's approach has let people see though the cruelness of utilizing the sufferings of their earlier comrades as the stepping stone for power by Tsai Ing-wen and opportunist politicians.

Chen Chu indicated that she was worried that society might forget this incident, saying, "It is dangerous that Taiwan lacks a sense of history." In fact, it is not the Taiwan people that have forgotten the Formosa Magazine Incident, but the DPP which has repeatedly utilized the identity of the victims to blackmail votes. How many political victims and defense lawyers had long turned into the rich and powerful of the ruling class! Yet, the DPP still wants to solely enjoy the monopoly of the Formosa Magazine Incident. Where is the justification?

On the 40^th anniversary of the Formosa Magazine Incident, we see that many victims of the Formosa Magazine Incident chose to part ways with the-powers-that-be in the DPP; this reveals that the "passing of the torch of democracy" which the Tsai government has been bragging about is filled with falsehood. At the same time, the people have witnessed that the DPP rulers are emulating, step by step, authoritarian rule, implementing the rule by threats, and hollowing out Taiwan's democracy. This is indeed the greatest irony and caveat.

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