Cablegate: Anti-Chen Campaign Generates Little Support South
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OO RUEHCN RUEHGH
DE RUEHIN #3426/01 2761030
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 031030Z OCT 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2457
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5738
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8144
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 8090
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 1429
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 9597
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6951
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 0418
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 5397
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
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
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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