ANTI-CHEN CAMPAIGN GENERATES LITTLE SUPPORT SOUTH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003426 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AIT/W, EAP/TC, INR/EAP FROM AIT KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV TW SUBJECT: ANTI-CHEN CAMPAIGN GENERATES LITTLE SUPPORT SOUTH OF THE CHUO-SHUI RIVER SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED, PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On October 2 the "Depose Chen" movement motorcade crossed the Chuo-shui river into the deep Southern counties that make up the heartland of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Movement leader Shih Ming-teh, denied permission by local DPP authorities to hold events in the southern counties of Kaohsiung and Tainan and in Kaohsiung City, met counter-protests from local DPP supporters and enjoyed only limited resonance in the pro-Green areas. So far, police have been deployed in sufficient numbers and have proven able to maintain order by separating anti-Chen and pro-Chen supporters. Scheduled to move on October 4 to Taitung County on the east coast, which is governed by the opposition Kuomintang, the motorcade will soon be entering more friendly territory. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Shih Ming-teh, leader of the "Depose Chen" movement, crossed the Chuo-shui river and made his first southern stop in the heavily pro-Green southern county of Chiayi on October 2, 2006. County officials denied Shih a permit to hold a "sit-in" protest in front of county government offices, forcing him to make an impromptu stop in the outlying town of Minghsiung. Approximately 200 local people wearing red, the color associated with Shih's movement, came out in support and were confronted by 100 pro-Chen supporters, who blocked the motorcade's advance. Shih gave a short two-minute speech from his motorcade near a downtown park, criticizing southern DPP magistrates for being "un-democratic" by denying him the right to exercise his freedom of speech. ¶3. (SBU) Despite minor confrontations between pro-Chen and anti-Chen groups, no major incidents of violence were reported. The 1500 police deployed for the event were able to effectively keep the anti-Chen motorcade and pro-Chen supporters apart. Many of the DPP supporters appeared to be in their late 50s and 60s and some told AIT/K they were "mobilized" to come to the site. Local police followed standard protocol, warning Shih that he did not have permission to speak publicly or hold a political gathering in the park. ¶4. (SBU) Later in the afternoon the motorcade left Chiayi County, continuing south to Tainan County, where local DPP authorities had also not granted the anti-Chen convoy permission to hold rallies. Police on the outskirts of the Tainan County government seat stopped the 20-bus convoy, which was greeted by approximately 60-70 red-clad supporters. Another 100 people from the motorcade staged a sit-in to protest the police blockade, jamming up roads for several hours. The anti-Chen protesters were confronted by over 200 pro-Chen supporters, who repeatedly tried to break through the police line without success to attack the protesters. Police detained and removed several of the pro-Chen supporters and by 8:00 PM had dispersed the local residents. On the road to its next stop, the anti-Chen convoy was pelted with rocks and bb-ball fire. ¶5. (SBU) On October 3 the anti-Chen caravan reached Danshan Township in Kaohsiung County, where an opposition legislator had received a permit for Shih to hold his first legal rally in the south. The Danshan mayor, a member of the opposition Kuomintang, bucked his superior, Kaohsiung County Magistrate Yang, to grant the permit. More than 2,000 anti-Chen protesters from the area turned up at the township council building to show support for Shih. Approximately 300 DPP supporters, many of whom live in senior citizen housing near the hall, congregated outside the building and heckled the anti-Chen protesters. Police kept the two groups divided and prevented any clashes. ¶6. (SBU) Members of Shih Ming-teh's campaign refused to answer reporters' questions regarding their next stop, noting that they would no longer reveal details of the motorcade's intended route because Tainan police had used the advance TAIPEI 00003426 002 OF 002 warning to block their entry into the city. The motorcade passed by the Kaohsiung City government offices, where there was a heavy police presence, despite having no permit to hold activities there. Some minor altercations led to several arrests. Shih's next stop is expected to be Pingtung County, where he has permission to hold an anti-Chen rally beginning at 6 PM, before moving into the more friendly territory of Taitung County, where the KMT Magistrate quickly granted Shih a rally permit upon application last week. THIELE WANG WANG