Some 300,000 people launched a massive protest rally outside the office compound of Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian since 2:00 pm Saturday, demanding an thorough investigation into the shooting of Chen that is widely believed to have swung the election in the favor of him.
The protest was initiated by the ally of the Kuomintang (KMT) and the People First Party (PFP), who have jointly raced against the Democratic Progressive Party during the election in Taiwan last month.
At around 4:00 pm, KMT Chairman Lien Chan, and PFP Chairman James C.Y. Soong came to the protest scene and made speeches.
"To seize power by using unfair and unjust means will never be accepted," Lien Chan said. "All the dirty tricks should be clearly exposed to all."
Again Lien Chan and James C.Y. Soong urged the leader of the Taiwan authorities to set up as soon as possible an independent task force to investigate the shooting case, and publicize the truth of the shooting.
To their appeal, Chen has not yet made any response.
The police have deployed layers of wire to stop the protesters, some of whom even raged into collision with the police.
The protesters are still confronting the police by press time.
In another development Saturday morning, the lawyer group for the KMT-PFP ally staged a press conference, declaring that the election of the Taiwan leader has not yet concluded in terms of legal integrity.
The lawyer group declared that the election result announced by the "election committee" still faces challenge before the two appeals that "the election is invalid" and "Chen's election is invalid," proposed by Lien Chan and James C.Y. Soong, go through the legal affirmation.
According to the lawyers, the election involved two many suspected tricks and the election result shows democracy has been distorted.
What Taiwan people strive for is quality democracy, not merely casting the ballots, said the lawyers, adding that the people should not be manipulated, and only fairness can make the disputes in Taiwan conciliated.
(Xinhua News Agency April 11, 2004)
