President Chen Shui-bian today attended the fourth meeting during the fourth year of the Human Rights Advisory Council. During his speech, the president praised the work of the committee under the chairmanship of Vice President Annette Lu. They have drafted highly valuable legal guidelines, said the President in expressing his respect and gratitude. He also encouraged them to draw on each other's ideas and continue their work, contributing their efforts so that the government could achieve progress in its thinking and in its way of working. This would raise the standard of human rights in the country and improve people's welfare.
The President also spoke on the ad hoc National Assembly election on Saturday for National Assembly representatives who will occupy their seats for the first and last time. This election will have a great influence on the future of Taiwan. "We are very concerned and consider May 14 a very important day," he said. "We could witness the enthusiastic participation of the people and achieve 'Success for Constitutional Reform, Victory for Democratic Renewal.' These are our objectives to enable Taiwan to become a normal, complete, progressive, beautiful and great country."
After his speech, President Chen received the Survey on Human Rights Report from Vice President Lu.
During his speech, the President said:
Since the year 2000 when the present party took over, we immediately established a Human Rights Advisory Council in the Office of the President and asked Vice President Lu to act as chairman. In these four years, thanks to the efforts of Vice President Lu and its members, the Human Rights Advisory Council has come out with important legal drafts and studies. In all aspects, their contributions have received the highest approval and esteem of our countrymen. I would first like to express my deepest gratitude to Vice President Lu and I would like to encourage all members of the Council to draw from each other's ideas and continue their work, contributing their efforts so that the government could achieve progress in its thinking and in its way of working. This would raise the standard of human rights in the country and improve people's welfare.
Last month, at the Office of the President the Human Rights Advisory Council held a symposium on "Justice, Welfare and Human Rights." Heads of government agencies, representatives of civic organizations and scholars were invited to attend and share their opinions, discuss the present state of affairs and suggest policies to address some issues. I believe that this would greatly help the promotion of the welfare of Taiwan's people and raise the standards of human rights.
Taiwan has traveled a rough road to freedom and human rights and profoundly understands the importance of protecting human rights. In the year 2000, when Vice President Lu and I took office, we suggested a policy geared toward a "Human Rights-based Country" hoping that all government measures could be taken to build human rights and make the universal principles of human rights enter into the ordinary lives of every citizen.
In a few days on May 17, we will remember the 1966 incident when political prisoners oppressed by the "White Terror" walked ashore Jhungliao Coast of Green Island. On that day, we will invite the relatives of those who suffered injury to a music-filled memorial. To the sound of gentle music, we will face the sea and pray for blessings. Even though we could forgive the mistakes committed in history, we cannot forget historical truth. We have to seek the truth in an attitude of accepting responsibility and self-examination. We have to build freedom, democracy and engage in the important task of building human rights. Because of this, I have always insisted that the government should face up to historical truth and reverently acknowledge the past, and reflect on it, bravely exposing the wounds, and in so doing, cure them.
Certainly, the guarantee of human rights needs a flawless system. Taiwan has already established a fair electoral competitive environment. But the consolidation of Taiwan democracy, the entrenchment of human rights and the perfection of its system still rely on the efforts of everyone. Among these, the reform of the currently inadequate constitution is of prime importance. We need to make a fresh start.
For this reason, this Saturday's election of the ad hoc National Assembly will have a great bearing on Taiwan's future development. It will give approval to the "abolition of the National Assembly" and "making referendum a part of the Constitution." The outdated National Assembly will be abolished and power will be given to the people to decide on the constitutional reform, to decrease the number of legislative seats by half and the system of two elections per electoral district. Besides improving the electoral climate, these would prevent the candidates from following their biases and raise the quality of parliament for the people of Taiwan.
Besides abolishing the National Assembly, inclusion of referendum in the Constitution, halving the number of legislative seats and having two elections per electoral district, a legislative term shall be extended from three years to four. The present system of a three-year term combined with a four-year presidential term has negative consequences. For example, after legislators are elected and take their oath of office, the cabinet has to ask them to approve its resignation. In like manner, when a new president takes office, the cabinet has to seek his permission to resign. We have all experienced how this creates an unstable political situation. Moreover, we could harmonize the election schedule if the legislators, like the president, were to serve for four years.
We presently have election every year and we even have elections twice a year! We get tired because we are constantly on our feet! We waste money and resources. So, we hope that the year-end elections for county magistrates and mayors could become "Three-in-one." If this were not possible, we hope it could be "Two-in-one." Next year, elections for the mayors of villages and townships will be combined in one. The objective is to decrease the number of elections held. We hope that with the approval of extending the legislative term from three to four years, we could finally achieve our goal of just having one election every two years. One for the central government covering president and the legislators, and the other for local government involving county chiefs and city mayors, county and city council members, down to the most basic level of elected officials. Hence, we are highly concerned with the May 14 elections. We could witness the enthusiastic participation of the people and achieve 'Success for Constitutional Reform, Victory for Democratic Renewal.' These are our objectives to enable Taiwan to become a normal, complete, progressive, beautiful and great country.
Today is the last meeting of this council for this year. I believe that you will express yourselves with total honesty and do your best to build a human rights-based country.
Finally, A-bian would like to express his gratitude to Vice President Lu and to each member of the Council. I wish everyone good health and good life!