Lin Fei-Fan’s Speech On Ketagalan Boulevard On 330
Lin Fei_Fan's speech on Ketagalan Boulevard on 330
The following speech was given by Lin Fei-Fan (林飛帆) on Ketagalan Boulevard on 330. The original Chinese language text can be seen here.
Brave, strong, gentle, Taiwanese full of strength, to all the students, to all of our partners, you’ve all worked hard, hello everyone!
We have been within the Legislative Yuan thirteen days already, in these past thirteen days, we have cried many tears for those students who have shed blood on the streets with pain in our hearts. Many of our partners have wanted very much to go home, but we have not left, we have stayed strong, and defended the Legislative Yuan. In the area surrounding the Legislative Yuan, students have stayed out on the streets. The wind is strong daily, but they have endured 13 days already. Everyone, our actions have already created a new page in Taiwanese history that will never be forgotten.
Photo credit: billy1125/Flickr/CC
From the day we occupied the Legislative Yuan, we already made history. This is not because we occupied the Legislative Yuan, but because within our demonstration have led to deep social reflection on Taiwanese constitutional government and the democratic system. We have also set a new standard for relations between Taiwan and China; we have made it known to the government that the future of Taiwan belongs to Taiwan’s 23 million people and that Taiwan’s future should be decided by us.
These thirteen days, much focus have been placed upon a small minority of individuals within the movement, but I must say here to everyone, the successes of this movement are absolutely not because of any individuals, not because of me, not because of Chen Wei-Ting (陳為廷), or any of our partners inside or outside the Legislative Yuan for thirteen days. The successes of this movement belong to all of the students and members of society who have participated in this movement.
Too much focus has been placed upon us, claiming that Chen Wei-Ting or I are the leaders of this movement, but we have to say to our friends, this movement does not belong to us individually. This meeting belongs to all those sitting here today. The people are the leaders of this country and the government should be those who are led by us. To the recalcitrant government and to President Ma, please accept the leadership of the people.
We have raised four demands:
- First, repeal the CSSTA.
- Pass the Cross-Straits Oversight Bill—and what we want is a special law, and not an executive order. We ask for the Legislative Yuan to provide oversight; this is a demand that we have strongly urged for from the first day of our occupation. If this does not change, with improper leadership, there is no way to divide us or weaken us.
- We hope to hold an open constitutional hearing, we because before the government failed in its legitimacy in government, which led to protest from the people. We invite that representatives from every aspect of politics and society in order that there is the ability to break through a deadlock and establish a new page of history and to resolve the present issues.
- That the Legislative Yuan meet again and the opposition party can stand up and support the demands of the people.
Photo credit: billy1125/Flickr/CC
Why we charged into the Legislative Yuan should have been very clear from the first day. Representative politics in Taiwan today and the democratic system of the nation have been placed before the altar of executive power. The present situation is very dangerous and our representative politics has fallen into the control of the party system, swallowed up by the political power of individuals, and there is no way for there to be a response for the people’s will. It is because of this situation that we occupied the Legislative Yuan, in order to make the legislature something belonging to the people again. Everyone, President Ma yesterday held a press conference, his words sounding gentle, laughing pleasantly as though he has already understands our demands and heeds our words. But everyone, yesterday the Ma administration responded to our demands without any concrete statements whatsoever. Consequently, our occupation movement will not stop. We will continue, knowing that the citizens of Taiwan stand beside us.
Today is not the end. Today, 500,000 people have taken to the streets, and we have written yet another page in Taiwanese history, and everyone should give themselves a round of applause. From beginning as a student, to all of Taiwanese civil society, this already isn’t something that students could accomplish on their own, but something which required individuals and groups from all over Taiwan to accomplish. This success, this accomplish, belongs to the Taiwanese people.
It’s 7 o’clock. We’ve said and done what we said we would. Before today’s action, we said very clearly that today will be a peaceful, non-violent protest, for the sake of the Taiwanese people expressing their will. We stated this to the Ma administration yesterday, that we would end our demonstration at 7 PM. Everyone, at this point in time, we ask everyone to look around you at the people next to you, to take a look at their faces, to get to know them, to exchange contact information. Don’t laugh! To exchange contact information. From tomorrow onwards, you will serve as the center, get know the seven friends by your side, make plans from Monday to Sunday, arrange your schedules, and report to the legislature!
Photo credit: billy1125/Flickr/CC
This isn’t the end today, but we must end at 7 PM, and so the protest activity on Ketagalan Boulevard has reached a certain point. To all of our 500,000 citizen friends, we once again thank you. Thank you!
Raise your right fists, 500,000 people! President Ma, please listen to the voices of the people, to listen to the voices of all of the people of Taiwan. We say to you: President Ma, come out and answer us! Give us a concrete answer! Repeal the CSSTA! Protect democracy! First pass the Cross-Straits Oversight Agreement then oversight! The people have stood up! The people have a future! Taiwan will have a future!
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