Representatives from various women's groups united yesterday to ask the public to wear yellow ribbons in a plea for a mutually amiable approach to the current political stalemate from both pan-green and pan-blue camp representatives.
With yellow ribbons pinned to their clothing, blue and green-gloved women from the conference joined hands, chanting, "The blue and green should hold hands and cherish Taiwan."
The women urged a "soft," or non-confrontational, approach to the situation.
"Yellow is the color of friendship. Recently, we have seen too much conflict among both politicians and citizens arising from inflammatory language and actions. We ask people wearing yellow ribbons to encourage a silencing of such negativity and the increased use of conciliatory actions," said Jane Lu (盧孳艷), director of the Taiwanese Feminist Scholars Association.
Saying that Taiwan cannot afford social division, the organizations emphasized resolving the post-election conflict through legal channels and encouraged amending of laws to allow a quick end to both political and social unrest.
The various representatives from the National Union of Taiwan Women Association (NUTWA), the Garden of Hope, Taiwan Women's Link, the Awakening Foundation, the Taiwanese Feminist Scholars Association and others said that women have historically been peacemakers in societal and familial conflicts.
They called for both parties and their supporters to follow the women's groups' example and be tolerant.
"Our organizations include people of all `colors,' from blue, green, orange, to brown, yet we are standing together," said Yu Mei-nu (尤美女), president of NUTWA, referring to the party colors of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), Democratic People's Party (DPP), People's First Party (PFP) and Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU), respectively.
When asked about the roles of first lady Wu Su-chen (
Lien has been actively supporting her husband by joining KMT-PFP supporters outside the presidential office in singing and protesting.
Recently another coalition of social groups posted ads in newspapers asking people to wear yellow in support of a "soft" approach, but with a more political slant.
The ads, taken out in The Liberty Times, United Daily News and China Times by various rotary clubs, the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, Taiwan Advocates and other groups, called for an end to the conflict caused by a candidate's unwillingness to accept his losing the election.
The women's groups said they supported the ad's goals.
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