Walking in Taiwan
(<- Previous Report) March 7, 1998 (Next Report ->)Back to Start
Some excitement this morning
This morning as I sat at my desk in my hotel room in downtown Taipei I heard a commotion coming from the street outside. Now, as I have been in Taiwan for a few days, this type of noise did not strike me as odd. It was the sound of a loudspeaker and a voice repeating a phrase over and over. In each city I have heard this same type of thing and have assumed it to be a sort of announcement or advertisement, but the little inquisitive reporter inside my head nagged me and said, "Katie, get up and take a look outside." What did I see? Two banners strung up in facing the hotel and two men pacing back and forth carrying ROC flags. Though I couldn't read the banners, again, the voice in my head telling me, "They are here for us." I decided to go down and check it out.
In the lobby I asked the hotel manager what was happening. "There is a group of people staying in the hotel who support independence. They are protesting that group." I informed the manager that I was a member of 'that group' and would he help me communicate with the protesters to find out what they wanted. I soon learned that they had a letter to deliver and would someone come down and receive it?
A brief meeting was held upstairs and it was decided that Tashi Jamyangling would go down and receive the letter.
After the letter exchanged hands, the words on the banner which read, "Taktser Rinpoche Get Out" were torn off, and bundled up with a carton of eggs. With what I'm sure were some choice words from the ROC representative, the bundle was thrown at the feet of Jamyangling and stomped on.
With their mission accomplished the small group of protesters quietly packed up their loudspeaker, banners and flags and were on their way.
Back upstairs the letter was briefly translated as stating:
To Taktser Rinpoche and other aspirational people of Tibet, Eastern Turkistan and Inner Mongolia. You are not allowed in Taiwan to do this separation. To propose this separation is illegal. The joint statement that was signed on February 28 that promotes the separation of ROC's territory is in violation of the constitution. You should be kicked out of the country.
The letter also informed us of a planned demonstration at tonight's rally.
We shall see....
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