Protesters rally to support rights of Taiwanese heads of state

By Hemesh Patel
Daily Bruin Reporter

Children as young as 6-years-old and men and women as old as 74
““ a group of about 1,000 mostly Taiwanese protesters ““
gathered in front of the Federal Building Saturday afternoon.

Another smaller group was also present, rallying support for
Gore and Lieberman.

The larger group said they came because the president and vice
president of Taiwan were put under house arrest by the State
Department on two separate occasions during their stays in the
United States.

“We all know why this is happening, Clinton wants to
please China and this is totally wrong because we are sacrificing
Taiwan,” said Chin-Ho Liao, president of the Los Angeles
Chapter of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs, a Taiwanese
political organization.

President Shiu-Ban Chen was on his way to the Caribbean in
August when he made a layover in Los Angeles, and Vice President
Annette Lu was on her way to South America in September. Both were
kept in their hotels by American authorities, Liao said.

“This kind of treatment is inhumane, the State Department
would not even allow media coverage, no president conference was
allowed ““ not even a handshake,” said Tsuann Kuo, a
graduate student in social welfare.

Despite security measures preventing others from seeing the
Taiwanese officials, Liao said one person was able to sneak into
the president’s hotel room.

Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach, dressed up as an employee
and went up the service elevator to give President Chen a
“big bear hug.”

“That was the most courageous thing anyone could do, he is
our hero,” Liao said.

Congressman Bob Schaffer, R-Colo., also came to show his
support.

He said this is typical of what he called Clinton and
Gore’s attempts at communist appeasement.

“That pair is more concerned with observing political
matters with communist leaders than with the fundamental ideals of
democracy,” Schaffer said. “The flame of liberty should
burn bright, but when Clinton and Gore allowed this to happen, this
flame was extinguished.”

Across the street, in front of the cemetery, seven students
rallied to support Gore and Lieberman on the final days of their
campaign.

The students said they were originally in front of the Federal
Building but were later advised by the police to move across the
street.

“They threatened to call the police and started screaming
at us, and we were like, dude, were just trying to (rally support
for Gore),” said Sevda Ecer, a fourth-year microbiology
student.

Ecer said the other group tried trading signs with them so that
they would be holding signs supporting the protesters’
cause.

Liao said he politely asked the Gore supporters to leave but
they refused.

“Its obvious that they wanted to take advantage of our
crowd, they were standing right in front of us, and everyone was
thinking this is a rally for Gore,” he said.

Police officers were present to direct traffic and to ensure the
safety of both groups.

“We had officers specifically to keep an eye on the (Gore
supporters) in case they were harassed,” said Rashad Sharif,
an officer of the West Los Angeles Division.

With the upcoming presidential elections, students are hoping to
see some change regarding the issue.

“I would hope that things change, Bush is supposed to be
more on Taiwan’s side,” said Carol Shau, a second-year
psychology student. “And Gore is more with China.”