Taiwan Protesters Want Referendum

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

Note: I was there at the rally (not one of those favoring stopping 
the construction), and the crowds were MUCH smaller than expected. 
Perhaps the rainy and cool day/evening was the reason.......

Taiwan Protesters Want Referendum

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - About 7,000 anti-nuclear protesters, many 
wearing masks emblazoned with skulls, marched through the streets 
Saturday to call for a referendum on whether Taiwan should finish 
building its fourth nuclear plant. 

Holding placards that read ``plebiscite,'' the protesters accused 
President Chen Shui-bian of betraying the trust of supporters who 
voted for him last March for his anti-nuclear stance. 

The new minority government halted construction of the one-third 
complete nuclear power plant in October to deliver on Chen's campaign 
promise. But the move infuriated opposition lawmakers, and the 
government bowed to their pressure last week and restarted the 
project. 

Taiwan cannot handle nuclear waste and the issue is too important to 
be left for politicians who often sacrifice public welfare for 
political interests, the protesters said. 

They trampled on flags of the three opposition parties, accusing them 
of ignoring the anti-nuclear stance of the public. 

Later, they gathered at a square outside the Presidential Building 
and projected a laser display of the Chinese characters for ``nuclear 
public referendum'' on the building's clock tower. 

``The dispute over the project has lasted for more than a decade, and 
there has never been a good, convincing decision,'' said protest 
organizer Lin Yih-hsiung. 

``The matter can only be decided by a plebiscite,'' added Lin, who 
resigned as adviser to President Chen's Democratic Progressive Party 
in protest against the reversal of the anti-nuclear stand. 

The $5.4 billion nuclear power plant, Taiwan's fourth, was approved 
by the former Nationalist government in the 1980s despite strong 
objection from many Taiwanese. 

Abandoning the project led to a bitter political feud, as opposition 
lawmakers accused the government of skirting the law and making a 
unilateral decision without consulting them. 

Lawmakers from the ruling party also took part in the demonstration, 
reaffirming to the public that they did not endorse the government 
decision to reinstate the nuclear plant. 

But the opposition has vigorously opposed a referendum law, saying a 
vote on the plant was unnecessary and would create more feuding and 
instability. 

Several analysts doubted if the ruling party could pass a referendum 
bill, saying its lawmakers have raised the issue as a tactic to 
distract attention from their failure to block the nuclear plant and 
to win votes at the year-end general elections. 

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Sandy Perle					Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100   				    	
Director, Technical				Extension 2306 				     	
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Service		Fax:(714) 668-3149 	                   		    
ICN Pharmaceuticals, Inc.			E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net 				                           
ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue  		E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com          	          
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Personal Website: http://sandyfl.nukeworker.net
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com

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