Houston Community News >> Chiang Kai-Shek Statue Removal Causes Outrage
2/7/2007-- The Kuomintang (KMT),
which Chiang once led, said the move was another example of the ruling DPP party
trying to cut off Taiwan's Chinese heritage.
The DPP said the statues represented Chiang's authoritarian rule and were thus
not in keeping with democracy.
Chiang Kai-Shek died in 1975 after ruling Taiwan for 26 years.
The KMT said the removal was intended to unilaterally change history and has
charged that the statues are being taken down to appease President Chen
Shui-bian.
But the DPP - in office since 2000 after 51 years of KMT rule - said the statues
had been removed to protect them from erosion by the weather.
Sinking profile
The removal of the statues from military premises is the latest example of links
with the late Nationalist leader being sundered.
Like him or not, Chiang is part of Taiwan's history
Over the past 20 years, Chiang statues have been removed from parks and other
public places.
The DPP dropped Chiang Kai-shek's name from Taiwan's main airport last year.
On Monday, the Military Police Headquarters in Taipei removed Chiang's statue
from its premises.
A group of DPP MPs also said they would press for the name of Chiang Kai-shek
Memorial Hall in Taipei - a popular tourist attraction - to be changed to Taiwan
Democracy Memorial Hall.
And the DPP is set to table a proposal on Wednesday recommending the removal the
military guards from Chiang Kai-Shek's mausoleum, CNA news agency reported.
Chiang Kai-shek led the Nationalist forces against the Communists in a civil war
in which he was defeated and forced to flee to Taiwan.
"Like him or not, Chiang is part of Taiwan's history," said KMT legislator Tseng
Yung-chuan.
(Contributed by BBC News)