Anti-nuclear activists cycle across Taiwan to amass petitions to initiate alternative referendum question
Reported by Chiou Kuo-rong
Written by Lydia Ma
In an attempt to counter the Ma administration’s “birdcage” referendum and to stop the building of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, Taiwan Anti-Nuclear Alliance recently began promoting an alternative referendum question. The referendum question that the Alliance is advocating is the following: “Do you agree that the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant should load nuclear fuel rods and start trial operations?” In contrast, the Ma administration has proposed the following question, which has drawn sharp criticism for the way it is phrased: ““Do you agree that the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant should be halted and that it not become operational?”
Because at least 100,000 signed petitions are required to apply for a plebiscite, a group of people led by the Alliance’s convener, Kao Cheng-yen, made plans to cycle through the whole country and collect signed petitions. Their journey through the country began and ended at the front steps of the Legislative Yuan. This location was purposely chosen to show the resolve of anti-nuclear groups in Taiwan. Kao said that there have been many anti-nuclear events throughout the whole country already. He confidently predicted that it should not be difficult to reach the required 100,000 threshold and pass the first phase of this process to get a plebiscite proposal approved.
The Alliance’s nationwide trip began on June 5, which coincided with World Environment Day, and lasted 13 days. Participants cycled through 16 counties and cities and covered about 456 kilometers in total. “These past 2 weeks, we have collected several thousands of petitions by approaching people in the streets of Taiwan. This turned out to be a fruitful mission!” said Kao upon completing the journey on June 18. He added that though the expedition has ended for now, efforts to garner as many signatures as possible have just begun to spread across the country.
Kao made a point to thank all supporters from around the country and mentioned the PCT by name during a press conference. He said that he was very grateful to PCT churches for providing accommodation to those who bicycled around the country with him, adding that it helped them tremendously in accomplishing their mission smoothly. “I don’t know the names of the churches or the names of the pastors who hosted us. But I want to express my deepest gratitude to the PCT. The pastors who gave us lodging even gave us financial donations. I am very touched by their kindness,” he said.
During this press conference, former Premier Frank Hsieh delivered many signed petitions that the DPP had managed to collect recently from various regions across Taiwan. Through the DPP, the Alliance received 10,000 petitions from Ilan County, 20,000 from Taoyuan County, 3,000 from Hsinchu County, 10,000 from Changhua County, 10,000 from Yunlin County, 20,000 from Tainan City, 25,000 from Kaohsiung City, 10,000 from Pingtung County, and 4,000 from Keelung City.
Kao said he was confident that if petitions from Taipei City, New Taipei City, and Taichung City were collected, it would not be difficult to meet the required 100,000 threshold to apply for a plebiscite. Commenting on this initiative by the Alliance, Kao said that the people of Taiwan will get a much clearer picture of reality and a real choice if the KMT’s referendum question and the Alliance’s referendum question are placed side by side for the people to vote.
Frank Hsieh and Kao Cheng-yen show the petitions they have collected.
Photo by Chiou Kuo-rong
