US, Dutch officials to take closer look at Taiwan’s judiciary

... the foreign affairs spokesmen of the ruling and opposition parties in the Netherlands on Tuesday expressed concern to Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen during a session of the Dutch parliament about the spate of detentions in Taiwan. ...

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2008/11/13/2003428552

Attention!

I could not find any proof for the statements in this article. The questions are not included in the list of questions on the Dutch parliaments (Tweede Kammer der Staaten – General) homepage.

So always pay attention and try to check facts on your own.

Update!

People here are a bit slow, but now it is officially published:

2008Z06661 / 2080905020

Vragen van de leden Van Baalen (VVD) en Haverkamp (CDA) aan de minister van Buitenlandse Zaken over de arrestatie van oud-president Chen Shui-bian van Taiwan. (Ingezonden 13 november 2008)

1
Heeft u kennisgenomen van de berichten dat oud-president Chen Shui-bian en een aantal politici van de Democratische Progressieve Partij (DPP) op verdenking van ambtsmisbruik in Taipei zijn gearresteerd? 1)

2
Heeft u kennisgenomen van de open brief van een aantal Taiwanese en internationale rechtsgeleerden en burgerrechtenactivisten in de Taipei Times van 6 november 2008, waarin protest wordt aangetekend tegen politiek gemotiveerde arrestaties?

3
Bent u bereid de Kamer per brief nader te informeren over de kwestie Chen c.s.?

4
Bent u bereid, bij de huidige regering in Taiwan, aan te dringen op het toepassen van de beginselen van de democratische rechtsstaat bij het vervolgen van diegenen die worden verdacht van het plegen van ambtsmisdrijven?


1) Website De Telegraaf, 11 november 2008

Translation

Questions of the members of parliament van Baalen (Liberals) and Haverkamp (Christian Democrats) to the minister of foreign affairs about the detention of former president of Tawian Chen Shui-bian:

1. Are you aware of the detention of former president and a number of politicians of DPP under the suspicion of abuse of power in office?

2. Are you aware of an open letter by a number of Taiwanese and international legal experts and civil right activists published in the Taipei Times of 6. of November 2008 that is protesting against political motivated detentions?

3. Are you prepared to inform the chamber about further developments in the case Chen in written form?

4. Are you prepared to make pressure on the actual Government of Taiwan so that they follow the laws of a democratic constitutional state during their investigations against the persons that are under suspicion of abuse of power in office?



Taiwan is now on the watchlist. It might be that the European Parliament takes action too.

Mr. Ma: Big brother is watching you!

The Voice of Wild Berries--Theme music for the students with Lyrics in Mandarin and English

野草莓運動ㄧ野莓之聲 from freshfoliage on Vimeo.

Translation for the subtitles in the video: http://vimeo.com/2205674 (slide number)

(1) The Wild Strawberries Movement;

a group of students with different political views

joined together without prior planning

fighting for a common cause…

(2) we hope to serve as a reminding voice

that the current administration should protect

the invaluable yet often fragile peace and human rights

(3) The Voice of the Wild Strawberries

music & lyrics/ nelleven video/freshfoliage

photos/Andytn/sun_line/freshfoliage/wwaahhaa/hankblue/Nienyi Ho/kaizan/mutolisp

(4) on November 5^th, we saw reluctant overworked police during the Grand Formosa Regent Hotel and Sunrise Records incidents

(5) but we also witnessed inappropriate and excessive law enforcement tactics…

(6) on November 6^th, we sat peacefully outside of the Executive Yuan building

hoping to show bipartisanship

(7) by wearing all black

we simply hoped for peace

(8) we recognize the difficulty in maintaining public safety but also deeply care for the welfare of our fellow citizens

so we hope to challenge the constitutionality of some of our laws

(9) and appeal to the President and related officials to take responsibility

(10) we hope to use our strength

(11) and let our voices be heard

(12) I was not wrapped in cotton wool

(13) so please save the insincere compassion

(14) I could never understand your hypocrisy

(15) and will always remain true to myself

(16) we have dreams and ideals

(17) we have a few things to say

(18) after you have betrayed yourselves

(19) please do not also sell us out

(20) we have dreams and ideals

(21) we have a few things to say

(22) as you broke all your promises

(23) we chose to rise and join this sit-in

(24) silence does not represent acquiescence

(25) nor does peace indicate acceptance

(26) your arrogance has once again burned us

(27) and this time we will no longer remain silent

(28) we have dreams and ideals

(29) we have a few things to say

(30) after you have betrayed yourselves

(31) please do not also sell us out

(32) we have dreams and ideals

(33) we have a few things to say

(34) as you broke all your promises

(35) we chose to rise and join this sit-in

(36) (protest against police brutality, protect our liberty and human rights)

(37) we are not leaving Liberty Square

with the modest hope that our voices will be heard

(38) please visit our website and check out our statement

(39) if you agree with us

please come and sit with us peacefully

(40) The Wild Strawberries Movement

(41)

http://action1106.blogspot.com

http://taiwanstudentmovement2008.blogspot.com/

歌詞

我已經睜開眼了　撐過甦醒的疼痛
我伸開雙手迎接四方的風　抖落刺骨的操縱
我不是溫室花朵　你也不用假裝溫柔
我學不會你們虛偽的臉孔　只會真實面對自我

*我們有屬於我們的夢　我們有我們的話想說
在你背叛了自己以後　不要連我們一起出售
我們有屬於我們的夢　我們有我們的話想說
在你背棄了信念以後　灰燼裡我們選擇出走*

安靜不代表認同　和平不代表承受
你的傲慢再一次燙傷了我
這一次我不會沉默

Lyrics:

I have opened my eyes

and have withstood the aches of awakening

I opened up my arms to feel the breeze coming from all directions

and shook off the stinging pains of your control

I was not wrapped in cotton wool

so please save the insincere compassion

I could never understand your hypocrisy

and will always remain true to myself

(refrain)

* we have dreams and ideals

we have a few things to say

after you have betrayed yourselves

please do not also sell us out

we have dreams and ideals

we have a few things to say

as you broke all your promises

we chose to rise and join this sit-in*

silence does not represent acquiescence

nor does peace indicate acceptance

your arrogance has once again burned us

and this time we will no longer remain silent