Taipei Times
Date: Sep 01, 2016
By: Abraham Gerber / Staff reporter

More than 100 protesters from a number of Kaohsiung groups yesterday demonstrated outside the

Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) headquarters in Taipei, saying that Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) has ignored residential, environmental and labor rights.

“We have to let President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) know what the people of Kaohsiung are thinking, because after Chen was re-elected there have been a number of incidents, but basically no channels for us to make our voices heard,” Kaohsiung Civil Servant Watch president Chen Ming-pin (陳銘彬) said, adding that many demonstrators left their homes as early as 4am to arrive in the capital in time for the mid-morning protest.

He accused Chen Chu — who was a prominent political prisoner and human rights activist during the Martial Law era — of failing to live up to promises she made to promote human rights, particularly pledges to end forced evictions.

“President Tsai has said the DPP should be humble and communicate with the people, but that attitude is not at all apparent in Kaohsiung,” Chen Ming-pin said. “In its drive to promote development, the city government has turned a deaf ear to the voice of the people.”     [FULL  STORY]