MEDIA REACTION: CAMPAIGN TO OUST PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN,

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 003140 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - DAVID FIRESTEIN DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: CAMPAIGN TO OUST PRESIDENT CHEN SHUI-BIAN, GWOT ¶1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies gave significant reporting and editorial coverage September 9-11 to former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-teh's sit-in rally to oust President Chen Shui-bian, which kicked off Saturday. All the major Chinese-language papers carried a half-page paid announcement by KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou September 9, which was entitled "Give Taiwan a Clean Future!" and called on the DPP to stand forward and join other political parties to launch a recall of President Chen. The pro-status quo "China Times" ran a front-page banner headline September 11 that read "If Bian Disregards Sit-in and Siege, Major Strike Will Be Launched in October." ¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, an editorial in the pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's biggest daily, urged the public to value Taiwan's democratic achievements and not to destroy them just to vent their personal hatred. An editorial in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" said both President Chen and the DPP will distance themselves from the mounting voices in Taiwan society and will move towards their political grave if they simplify the anti-graft movements as confrontations between the Blue and Green camps, between different ethnic groups, and between unification and independence. An editorial in the pro-unification "United Daily News" said the movements to oust Bian are actually not the most severe punishment for President Chen. The real, most severe punishment for Chen, the article said, would be to torture Chen and the DPP and put them to a slow political death until 2008. With regard to the fifth anniversary of the September 11 tragedy, an editorial in the limited-circulation, conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" said even the military might of the world's only superpower has a limit. End summary. ¶3. Campaign to Oust President Chen Shui-bian A) "Who Is the Real Killer That Has Turned Taiwan into a Vegetarian?" The pro-independence "Liberty Times" [circulation: 600,000] editorialized (9/11): "... The biggest lurking danger to the stability Taiwan society now enjoys is the attempt to excessively politicize everything; there seems to be differences in political stances only, while there is no objective judgment between right and wrong. ... All politicians and media should cherish Taiwan's democratic achievements. They should not go to extreme lengths to destroy them just to vent their personal hatred. A democratic society needs no saviors or martyrs, and no person is so great as to be able to go beyond the laws and the system. A democratic society is composed of many ordinary people, whose votes are of equal value. In other words, only mutual respect, peaceful co-existence, and adherence to the rules of the game in a democracy can maintain Taiwan's democratic lifeline. No matter how noble the objective of a mass protest is, if it encourages riots and resentment, it will result in disasters and calamity, as evidenced in the many lessons learned during human history. ..." B) "Tumbler Politician A-Bian Defeats Masters of This Nation" The mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 500,000] editorialized (9/11): "... Judged from the nature and members of the anti-graft movements over the past two days, there were many Taiwanese people from all walks of life joining the movements. As a result, these movements are by no means confrontations between the Blue and Green camps, between different ethnic groups, and between unification and independence, as claimed by President Chen's supporters; neither are they struggles to usurp power, as called by A-Bian in Nauru. If A-Bian and the DPP view the Taiwan people's outrage as [polarities] between Blue and Green, between different ethnic groups, between unification and independence, and a move to usurp power, they are just trying to deceive others and themselves, or to shift the people's attention. Should this be the case, both that man and his party cannot tell right from wrong or black and white; they distance themselves from voices in society and are on their way to the grave of their political death. Was the corruption of the A-Bian administration a made-up story? What does it have to with Blue and Green, ethnic groups, or power usurpation? It is related to nothing but the administration's shamelessness. ..." C) "From September 9 to December 9" The pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation: 400,000] commented in an editorial (9/10): "... The campaign this time is aimed at 'ousting Bian,' but the public generally believe that given Chen Shui-bian's severe resistance and insistence that he would never step down, it will not be easy to fulfill this objective. In reality, however, 'ousting Bian' may not necessarily be the most severe punishment for Chen. The real, most severe punishment is to torture Chen and his accomplice, the DPP, until 2008, put them to a slow death, and ask them to shoulder all the political responsibilities they are supposed to. "The Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral elections slated for December 9 will be a turning point during this stage. If the DPP suffers a severe defeat in the year-end Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral races, the strategic option for those who are anti-graft and want to oust Bian should no longer be to urge Chen to step down. As long as Chen stays on in his position, the DPP infighting will surely escalate, and the party will also face mounting criticism from outside. As a result, chances will be slim for the DPP to win the legislative elections in 2007 and the presidential election in 2008. Until then, for those anti-graft and anti-Bian people, Chen's stepping down and the DPP's falling apart will be a double victory. ..." ¶4. GWOT "In the Aftermath of 9-11, American Power Has Limits" The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" [circulation: 30,000] noted in an editorial (9/11): "... Bush was right in the assessment of the new aspect of terrorist warfare. Al-Qaida, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations had attacked Americans before, but those attacks took place outside the United States. The president was right again in sending American troops to Afghanistan to catch Osama bin Laden and his terrorist group, which the Taliban government were harboring. But the al-Qaida leader could not be trapped. The Taliban regime was toppled, and the United States, together with the United Kingdom, has to station large forces to keep peace in Afghanistan since. In short, the right action was taken, albeit no success was achieved. ... The post-9-11 wars have failed to end the terrorist war on the United States. The Islamist terrorists are expanding their war, which has put the world, the West in particular, under constant threat of suicidal attacks. The neo-conservatives have forgotten the military might of the world's only superpower has a limit." YOUNG