National Tsing Hua University’s Institute of Sociology and National Taipei University’s sociology department on Saturday took the unprecedented step of calling a week-long moratorium on all classes in support of students protesting inside and outside the legislature.
“The institute is always there whenever society needs it... Our students have been fighting on the frontline for justice and for society, and they do not show even an ounce of fear in the face of violence from the state apparatus,” institute director Yao Jen-to (姚人多) said in an open letter to students.
“Our only request is that all of you try to stay safe,” Yao said, adding that normal classes would resume once the government made a “satisfactory response” to the students’ demands.
Yao issued the moratorium four days after a group of students occupied the legislative chamber in protest against the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus’ move to send the cross-strait service trade agreement directly to a second reading on Monday last week.
One of the movement’s leaders, Chen Wei-ting (陳為廷), is a student at the institute.
Yao and several professors from the institute, including Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉), Wu Jieh-min (吳介民) and Chen Ming-chi (陳明祺), have been rallying outside the building for the past few days.
The occupation is expected to continue, particularly after President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) reiterated his determination yesterday morning to bring into effect an “agreement that will do more good than harm” and said the legislative siege should not be tolerated.
National Taipei University’s sociology department dean Tsai Ming-Chang (蔡明璋) announced a similar moratorium in a text message to his faculty and students on Saturday.
“In light of the ongoing student-led protests against the cross-strait treaty, the department has decided to suspend all classes for the following week and will reschedule the canceled classes,” Tsai said.
“Please return to school if the government responds to the people’s call for a clause-by-clause review of the agreement sooner than expected,” Tsai said, adding that the protests, which some reports have dubbed the “Sunflower Student Movement,” was an important learning opportunity for the students.
National Tsing Hua University president Ho Cheng-Hong (賀陳弘) said that Yao’s unilateral cancellation of classes could infringe on students’ right to education.
“No supervisor of the school’s teaching units is allowed to unilaterally announce a suspension of classes,” Ho said.
Lin Yu-shan (林裕山), secretary of National Taipei University’s president’s office, said the president respected the department’s decision and would ensure that it rescheduled the canceled classes.
Minister of Education Chiang Wei-ling (蔣偉寧) said it was “inappropriate” for universities to reschedule or cancel classes, as they are obligated to safeguard students’ rights to education.
Additional reporting by Tsai Chang-sheng
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by