Putting aside the heated discussion over student protesters’ attendance and courtesy (or lack thereof) at a legislative meeting for a moment, Taiwanese, regardless of political affiliation, should feel happy with what appears to be a new student movement in the making. This is because what the students are fighting for is not political ideology, but fairness, justice and a brighter future for this nation — the same goals as many student movements before them.
Student activism in Taiwan blossomed at a relatively late stage, with the most notable example being the Wild Lily movement of the 1990s. Before that, students were encouraged to focus only on their studies rather than on what was happening around them. The last thing that students or their parents wanted was to tangle with the then-authoritarian regime, which during the White Terror era could cost them their lives or see them jailed for years.
Mass student protests did not occur until November 2008, six months after President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) took office. The Wild Strawberry movement, which opposed police repression against anti-China protesters, showed the differences between modern-day student protesters and their predecessors.
It was the first Taiwanese student movement to make extensive use of the Internet, and the use of the word “strawberry” was a self-deprecating and ironic take on the term “strawberry generation” — which described Taiwanese youth as being soft, pampered and lacking self-discipline.
Since then, what we have witnessed has not been large-scale student protests dominated by political agendas, but rather activity on a much smaller scale, yet with more relevance to the needs of society.
Students have staged protests in Dapu (大埔), Miaoli County, and Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) over controversial land expropriation. Protests have also been held in Taitung County over construction of the Miramar Resort Hotel and in Changhua County over the planned Kuokuang petrochemical project. In Toufen (頭份), Miaoli County, they protested over illegal layoffs by Hualung Co and in Taipei over the controversial Next Media deal.
These students care about a wide range of issues, including the environment, human rights, freedom of speech, development of the media and national security. They maximized the use of social media and the Internet, with mobilization and communication almost exclusively carried out online. Their efforts have led to the changing of inappropriate policies and practices in many cases.
It seems that student protesters are trying to build their own brand of protest movement with creativity and a different mindset to that of their forebears. Gone are the sad songs and long speeches; they employ creative tactics such as telephoning a lawmaker’s office and playing the conversation on loudspeakers. They have their own patrol teams to maintain order, assign trash pick-up details and refuse assistance from political parties. These factors, along with the cause of the protests, were why the students were able to garner support from the public and also from their professors.
It was not an easy task for a group of 20-year-olds at a time when senior citizens are worrying about whether they will receive their pensions, especially when people still describe them as strawberries. These students realize that most of them will probably have to settle for a monthly wage of NT$22,000 and face a nation crippled by financial problems after graduation.
Many people realize that they owe a debt to these students for what they have done, because it was they, and perhaps only they, who have made the public’s voice heard.
There might never be another Wild Lily or Wild Strawberry movement and the prediction of the emergence of a new student movement could be premature. However, if more students would participate in public affairs, then Taiwanese will know that the country will be in good hands in the future.
To The Honorable Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜): We would like to extend our sincerest regards to you for representing Taiwan at the inauguration of US President Donald Trump on Monday. The Taiwanese-American community was delighted to see that Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan speaker not only received an invitation to attend the event, but successfully made the trip to the US. We sincerely hope that you took this rare opportunity to share Taiwan’s achievements in freedom, democracy and economic development with delegations from other countries. In recent years, Taiwan’s economic growth and world-leading technology industry have been a source of pride for Taiwanese-Americans.
Next week, the nation is to celebrate the Lunar New Year break. Unfortunately, cold winds are a-blowing, literally and figuratively. The Central Weather Administration has warned of an approaching cold air mass, while obstinate winds of chaos eddy around the Legislative Yuan. English theologian Thomas Fuller optimistically pointed out in 1650 that “it’s always darkest before the dawn.” We could paraphrase by saying the coldest days are just before the renewed hope of spring. However, one must temper any optimism about the damage being done in the legislature by the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), under
To our readers: Due to the Lunar New Year holiday, from Sunday, Jan. 26, through Sunday, Feb. 2, the Taipei Times will have a reduced format without our regular editorials and opinion pieces. From Tuesday to Saturday the paper will not be delivered to subscribers, but will be available for purchase at convenience stores. Subscribers will receive the editions they missed once normal distribution resumes on Sunday, Feb. 2. The paper returns to its usual format on Monday, Feb. 3, when our regular editorials and opinion pieces will also be resumed.
This year would mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the India Taipei Association (ITA) in Taipei and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) in New Delhi. From the vision of “Look East” in the 1990s, India’s policy has evolved into a resolute “Act East,” which complements Taiwan’s “New Southbound Policy.” In these three decades, India and Taiwan have forged a rare partnership — one rooted in shared democratic values, a commitment to openness and pluralism, and clear complementarities in trade and technology. The government of India has rolled out the red carpet for Taiwanese investors with attractive financial incentives
RSS