Constitutional Paulicy
03-31-2014, 10:49 AM
I teach at a local university here in Taiwan. Some of my students have left Hualien for Taipei. They are informing the other students here on campus of their participation in the protests and in turn they share with me what their friends are encountering. It's been two weeks of constant media coverage here, yet little press in the states.
Here is a brief summary of the past events as well as current events underway as it now stands.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDUaCHzp3Ds
Sunflower Student Movement
Legislative chamber's occupation
Protesters occupying the parliamentary chamber
On March 18 around 9:00 p.m. local time, crowds of students, academics, civic organizations and other protestors climbed over the fence at the legislature and entered the building. In the melee, one window of the Legislative Yuan was smashed and a police officer suffered serious injuries. A lawyer who was assigned to the protesters stated that six individuals had been arrested over the protest so far. While several hundred protesters remained outside the building, about 300 protesters occupied the legislative floor overnight and succeeded in preventing several attempts by police to expel them. The protesters demanded that the clause-by-clause review of the agreement be reinstated, otherwise they vowed to occupy the legislature until March 21, when the Yuan had scheduled to vote and pass the CSSTA. As night approached, the authorities cut water and electricity to the building. Premier Jiang Yi-huah ordered riot police be sent in to evict the protesters, but that directive was not implemented.[8][23]
Shortly after the movement began, thousands of riot police from the National Police Agency were mobilized across the country to surround the protesters.[24][25] On March 20, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng promised not to use force on the protesters.[26]
On March 21, Speaker Wang refused to meet with President Ma Ying-jeou and Premier Jiang Yi-huah to discuss a response, citing the president should listen to the people and a compromise is needed between the lawmakers first.[27] Premier Jiang met with demonstrators outside the legislature on March 22 but stated that the executive branch had no intention of dropping the trade pact.[2] At a press conference on March 23, President Ma restated his resolve in passing the trade pact and affirmed he did not act according to orders from Beijing.[28][29]
Executive bureau occupation and eviction
Protesters occupying the Executive Yuan
In response to the press conference, a group of protesters stormed and occupied the Executive Yuan around 7:30 p.m. local time on March 23.[30] The protesters were evicted from the Executive Yuan with high-pressure water cannons by 5:00 a.m. on March 24, but some congregated again on Zhongxiao East Road.[31] During the 10-hour eviction process, around 1000 riot police and other law enforcement personnel allegedly used excessive force, including water cannon and baton strikes to the head against the nonviolent protesters, while journalists and medics were ordered to leave.[32] More than 150 people were injured and 61 were arrested.[33] The Association of Taiwan Journalists accused the police of using violence against the media during the eviction process and violating freedom of the press, citing more than 10 cases of attacks on media reporters.[34]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunflower_Student_Movement
Here is a brief summary of the past events as well as current events underway as it now stands.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDUaCHzp3Ds
Sunflower Student Movement
Legislative chamber's occupation
Protesters occupying the parliamentary chamber
On March 18 around 9:00 p.m. local time, crowds of students, academics, civic organizations and other protestors climbed over the fence at the legislature and entered the building. In the melee, one window of the Legislative Yuan was smashed and a police officer suffered serious injuries. A lawyer who was assigned to the protesters stated that six individuals had been arrested over the protest so far. While several hundred protesters remained outside the building, about 300 protesters occupied the legislative floor overnight and succeeded in preventing several attempts by police to expel them. The protesters demanded that the clause-by-clause review of the agreement be reinstated, otherwise they vowed to occupy the legislature until March 21, when the Yuan had scheduled to vote and pass the CSSTA. As night approached, the authorities cut water and electricity to the building. Premier Jiang Yi-huah ordered riot police be sent in to evict the protesters, but that directive was not implemented.[8][23]
Shortly after the movement began, thousands of riot police from the National Police Agency were mobilized across the country to surround the protesters.[24][25] On March 20, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng promised not to use force on the protesters.[26]
On March 21, Speaker Wang refused to meet with President Ma Ying-jeou and Premier Jiang Yi-huah to discuss a response, citing the president should listen to the people and a compromise is needed between the lawmakers first.[27] Premier Jiang met with demonstrators outside the legislature on March 22 but stated that the executive branch had no intention of dropping the trade pact.[2] At a press conference on March 23, President Ma restated his resolve in passing the trade pact and affirmed he did not act according to orders from Beijing.[28][29]
Executive bureau occupation and eviction
Protesters occupying the Executive Yuan
In response to the press conference, a group of protesters stormed and occupied the Executive Yuan around 7:30 p.m. local time on March 23.[30] The protesters were evicted from the Executive Yuan with high-pressure water cannons by 5:00 a.m. on March 24, but some congregated again on Zhongxiao East Road.[31] During the 10-hour eviction process, around 1000 riot police and other law enforcement personnel allegedly used excessive force, including water cannon and baton strikes to the head against the nonviolent protesters, while journalists and medics were ordered to leave.[32] More than 150 people were injured and 61 were arrested.[33] The Association of Taiwan Journalists accused the police of using violence against the media during the eviction process and violating freedom of the press, citing more than 10 cases of attacks on media reporters.[34]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunflower_Student_Movement