President Chen Shui-bian attended the founding ceremony of the "Lei Chen Public Interest Trust Fund for Human Rights and Democracy" on March 7, citing the importance and victory of freedom, democracy, and human rights.
Lei Chen, a high-ranking Kuomintang (KMT) official and advisor to late President Chiang Kai-shek, published the far-reaching and influential magazine, "Free China Journal", and was imprisoned on treason charges due to his urging the KMT to introduce democratic reforms.
"Today," the president said, "marked the 27th anniversary since Lei Chen's death." "Attending the founding ceremony of the 'Lei Chen Public Interest Trust Fund', I have mixed feelings and reflections," the president recollected Lei Chen's life and efforts in striving for Taiwan's democracy.
In 1988, together with the other two lawyers, Frank Hsieh, former Premier, and Chow Hsien-hong, the president filed a lawsuit against the country, ruled by the KMT at that time, for having destroyed the controversial and provocative book, "Memoir of Lei Chen." Since he took presidency in 2000, the president has paid much attention to the Lei Chen case, and has finally expedited the publication of the "Compilation of Historical Documents on Lei Chen." "I have witnessed Mr. Lei's contribution to Taiwan and his struggling for democracy and human rights," said the president.
"Democracy is a way of no return, on which we either progress or regress," the president added. Through the founding of the "Lei Chen Public Trust Fund for Human Rights and Democracy," the president hoped the whole country and its people would persist in pursuing democracy and human rights. "No matter where we are originally from and which socio-economic class we are born into, we are all man of democracy and liberty," said the president, indicating the main areas on which the fund will be focusing.