FALLOUT OVER AIRPORT VIOLENCE CONTINUES

UNCLAS TAIPEI 001960

SIPDIS

STATE PASS AIT/W

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC TW
SUBJECT: FALLOUT OVER AIRPORT VIOLENCE CONTINUES



1. (SBU) The April 26 clash between Pan-Green and Pan-Blue
radicals at Taipei's Chiang Kai-shek (CKS) International
Airport over KMT Chairman Lien Chan's visit to Mainland China
continues to dominate the Taiwan media, attracting almost as
much attention as Lien's ongoing visit itself. The violence
erupted despite the presence of some 3,500 National Police
Agency (NPA) officers around the airport. The Chen
government has expressed outrage and embarrassment over the
violence and the police failure. Premier Frank Hsieh stated
the violence has tarnished Taiwan's international image and
pledged a full investigation. Both media and legislators
have also harshly criticized the NPA, and there were media
reports that few of the airport police officers had received
riot training. Hsieh announced April 27 that NPA Aviation
Police Bureau Chief Chen Juei-tien had been relieved of his
duties because of his failure to direct the police on the
scene to quell the violence. Protesters from both camps have
vowed to return to CKS airport when Lien returns on May 3,
but NPA officials have announced that police officers with
anti-riot training will be present and will not allow
protesters to enter the terminal or the demonstrations to
turn violent.


2. (SBU) Police have started rounding up alleged ringleaders
of the violence with ten arrested so far. Prosecutors also
notified three deep-"Green" Legislative Yuan (LY) members as
well as popular talk show host and Taiwan Solidarity Union
(TSU) supporter Wang Ben-hu that their activities on April 26
were under investigation. Police have charged Democratic
Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Wang Shih-chien with
instigating the violence and DPP legislator Hsu Kuo-yung and
TSU Caucus Leader Lo Chih-ming with fueling the clashes. Lo

SIPDIS
Chih-ming resigned as TSU Caucus Leader and Minister of
Interior Su Jia-chyuan offered his resignation, which was
refused by Premier Hsieh. Both ruling DPP and TSU leaders
formally apologized for the violent actions of their
supporters. In his apology, DPP Caucus Whip Lai Ching-teh
vowed to discipline any party members or public office
holders found to have engaged in unlawful activities.


3. (SBU) Several members of the ethnic Mainlander Bamboo
United Gang caught on camera violently beating Pan-Green
demonstrators were also detained. Leaders of the
pro-unification KMT New Party faction, which brought pro-Lien
demonstrators to the airport, denied any links with the
Bamboo United Gang, which had participated in violent
anti-DPP clashes after the March 20, 2004, presidential
election. New Party Chairman Yok Mu-ming, however, was
publicly embarrassed when a photograph of him at the airport
with well-known Bamboo Gang leader Wang Lan surfaced in the
press.


4. (SBU) Comment: The violence that erupted over Lien's
visit is particularly damaging to the DPP government, which
has tried in recent days to portray the Lien visit in a
positive light, after earlier acerbic criticism. The shock
over the violence in Taiwan has overshadowed the local
coverage of the early stages of the Lien visit, and further
protests could stoke additional animosity between Pan-Green
and Pan-Blue camps in the LY. Images of the CKS airport
violence broadcast worldwide on April 26 also handed the PRC
a propaganda coup, portraying Taiwan as violently divided and
unstable. The CKS scenes, on the other hand, could also
reinforce pressure from a public tired of unification and
independence extremes to move to the pragmatic middle ground
in support of the status quo. President Chen's quick
condemnation of the clashes suggests he might try to use
public revulsion to claim he is seeking moderation and
cooperation with the opposition after Lien returns from
Beijing.
PAAL