Ma conditionally approves 24-hour sit-in to oust Chen

Ma told a press conference that the unprecedented round-the-clock sit-in would be allowed from Sept. 11-15 after organizers promised to refrain from any activities that would disturb peace and order, or threaten the security of persons or property.

In view of the repeated rehearsals staged by organizers, Ma said city authorities were convinced that the campaign initiators are prepared for any eventuality and thereby conditionally granted their request for round-the clock sit-ins.

Ma said that city authorities may revoke permission and order the dispersal of the crowd at the sit-in if the organizers fail to keep their promises.

As the city mayor, Ma said he would take responsibility for the consequences of this decision, which he claimed was made after consulting the city’s police chief.

After Sept. 15, Ma said, the sit-in should stop and all protesters should leave as another group has applied to use the square in front of the Presidential Office where the sit-in will take place.

The mayor’s decision drew immediate fire from Premier Su Tseng-chang.

Su criticized Ma for flipflopping on his decision in a vain attempt to please people who support and who oppose the protest.

By bending the law to allow the round-the-clock demonstration, Su warned that Ma had set a dangerous precedent for similar requests in the future.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Lee Yi-yang also lashed out at Ma for allowing organizers of the anti-Chen campaign to enjoy “privileges” of conducting round-the-clock sit-ins.

Lee said Ma’s decision to allow the 24-hour-a-day sit-in rally would further fuel social conflicts, undermine social order and impact economic development.

In related news, members of a political faction of the opposition “pan-blue alliance” in the Legislative Yuan yesterday expressed their support for an ongoing anti-corruption campaign aimed at deposing President Chen Shui-bian.

The lawmakers from the “New Voice Group”, including Legislators Ko Chun-hsiung, Chang Shuo-wen and Lee Chuan-chiao of the opposition Kuomintang, as well as Legislator Wu Cheng-tien of the opposition People First Party, demonstrated their support during a visit to the Taipei headquarters of the campaign.

Chang said that because President Chen has stopped watching television news reports or reading newspapers, there is no way for them to make the president pay attention to public concerns except to take concrete actions to depose him.

Wu said the reason so many people are pushing Chen to step down is that there has never been a president in a democratic country who could continue staying on in power “after having engaged in so many controversial behaviors.”

Also yesterday, the sit-in rally, slated to officially kick off Sept. 9, will be accompanied by classical music to reflect the strength of the people’s spirit, Fan Ke-ching, one of the organizers said.

Fan said the sit-in will be staged in front of the Presidential Office against the backdrop of German composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4, titled “Fate,” Czech composer Bedrich Smetana’s symphonic poem “Ma vlast” and Finnish composer Jean Sibelius’ “Finlandia.”

Fan said the music will be played through 32 speakers aimed at the Presidential Office in hopes that President Chen Shui-bian will hear the “voice of the people.”

In order to minimize the music’s effects on people working and residing near the Presidential Office, the music will be played only after office hours or on weekends.

He also said the sit-in area will be surrounded by curtains painted with flames, intended to reflect protesters’ inner anger about Chen’s corrupt administration.

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