Ten years ago, a movement called the Lily Student Campaign (
"We've realized our dream. From now on, we need to create a new dream among the younger generation to improve Taiwan," said Chung Chia-pin (
Over 70 prominent members of the movement -- which is widely acknowledged as having been the most influential student activist alliance in Taiwan -- gathered yesterday to bask in the triumph of Chen's victory and reminisce about their early days.
In particular, members spoke about their one-week rally at the CKS Memorial Hall in March 1990, where more than 10,000 students gathered to protest the slow pace of political reform since the lifting of martial law in 1987.
"Ten years ago we never considered the possibility of an alternation of political power in Taiwan. But it happened," said Jou Yi-cheng (
Jou said almost all of the party's young members and those who had served on Chen's campaign team were members of the so-called "lily generation."
"The dedication of those students and socio-political activists has had an immense impact on Taiwan's democracy," Jou said, adding that their legacy has been carried on by the new generation of youth activists.
During that eventful week 10 years ago, students presented an appeal of four basic points to President Lee Teng-hui (
The first two appeals have seen implementation, and the third is in progress.
The fourth -- disbanding the National Assembly -- appears within days of being realized.
"Disbanding the National Assembly is not only a dream now," said Chung Chia-pin, a student activist in the 1980s who was elected to the Third National Assembly in 1996.
"To win a seat and thereafter [work to] abolish it was our motivation for participation in the Assembly," Chung said.
"We've almost realized our dreams. The next step is to help the younger generation to create other dreams for Taiwan," Chung said.
"The Lily Student Campaign was not one occasion -- it was like a relay baton passed down from our predecessors," added Chiu Yu-bin (
Chiu recalled an incident when students were collecting donations from the public at the CKS Memorial Hall.
An elderly veteran wanted to donate a lot of jewelry, telling them these were all his valuable possessions.
"We almost kneeled down to beg him to rethink. But he insisted, saying amid tears that he had been hoping for national reforms all his life. He said that it was the only thing he could think to do at the time," Chiu said.
It was a formative event in his life, Chiu said, as he felt the burden of responsibility that came with being a political activist and he sent the veteran home with his valuables.
"The Lily Student Campaign should be held up as an example for the younger generation to understand that with imagination comes the possibility of social reform," Chiu said.
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon yesterday morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan from tomorrow to Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was approximately 950km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, the CWA said. It is expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, it said. The agency said it could issue a sea warning in the early hours of today and a land warning in the afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving at
UPDATED FORECAST: The warning covered areas of Pingtung County and Hengchun Peninsula, while a sea warning covering the southern Taiwan Strait was amended The Central Weather Administration (CWA) at 5:30pm yesterday issued a land warning for Typhoon Usagi as the storm approached Taiwan from the south after passing over the Philippines. As of 5pm, Usagi was 420km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost tip, with an average radius of 150km, the CWA said. The land warning covered areas of Pingtung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春), and came with an amended sea warning, updating a warning issued yesterday morning to cover the southern part of the Taiwan Strait. No local governments had announced any class or office closures as of press time last night. The typhoon
At least 35 people were killed and dozens more injured when a man plowed his car into pedestrians exercising around a sports center in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai on Monday night. Footage showing bodies lying on the pavement appeared on social media in the hours after the crash, but had vanished by early Tuesday morning, and local police reported only “injuries.” It took officials nearly 24 hours to reveal that dozens had died — in one of the country’s deadliest incidents in years. China heavily monitors social media platforms, where it is common for words and topics deemed
Typhoon Usagi yesterday had weakened into a tropical storm, but a land warning issued by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) was still in effect in four areas in southern Taiwan. As of 5pm yesterday, Tropical Storm Usagi was over waters 120km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the southernmost tip of Taiwan proper, and was moving north at 9kph, CWA data showed. The storm was expected to veer northeast later yesterday. It had maximum sustained winds of 101kph, with gusts of up to 126kph, the data showed. The CWA urged residents of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春) to remain alert to
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