Taiwan Democratic Alliance for Peace plans massive rally on Saturday

March 25, 2005

Over 500 groups, including the Democratic Progressive Party, are planning a massive march and rally for Saturday in Taipei City. March promoters are vowing to bring one million people onto the streets to protest the People's Republic of China's "anti-secession" law aimed at thwarting Taiwan independence.

The march, titled "326 March for Democracy and Peace", will begin in ten different locations, converging on the square near the Presidential Office in downtown Taipei City.

"Democracy and peace are the ultimate goal of the march," said Joseph Wu, the Mainland Affairs Council Chairman. Wu announced on Friday that he would take part in the rally, but did not disclose in which part of the parade he would appear.

Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian announced on Thursday that he will also attend the event with his family.

"I cannot and will not be absent on March 26, and I will take my entire family to participate in this sacred moment in history to walk and stand up together with the Taiwanese people," Chen said. Chen further declared that he has, "heard the outrage and anger of the Taiwan people."

A Chinese scholar warned that the situation could become "further aggravated" by Saturday's planned event.

"The secessionist forces plot to stir up public sentiments to embolden themselves. Such moves are doomed to meet failure," said Huang Jiashu, a professor at the People's University of China. He stated that secessionist forces had "malevolently distorted" the anti-secession law.

The Taiwan Domestic News Hour on ETTV is running a 326 graphic to note the march and rally during its news reports about the upcoming event, and also has an animated graphic with marchers carrying signs in the lower-left hand corner of the screen.