Sunflower Movement leader Lin Fei-fan (林飛帆) said yesterday that violence and provocation will not be tolerated at the upcoming mass protest scheduled to take place on Sunday in front of the Presidential Office
Lin said that protesters will be stopped if they are found throwing objects or pulling down barricades set by the police, adding that they will not make provocative gestures at police.
When asked if protesters will occupy Ketagalan Boulevard — the road leading to the Presidential Office — indefinitely, Lin said that it will depend on the circumstances and that a definite decision on the matter has yet to be made.
Ma Speaks to University Heads
President Ma Ying-jeou yesterday met the heads of various universities, saying that the invitation for students to come to the Presidential Office and talk is still valid.
National Taiwan University President Yang Pan-chyr (楊泮池), National Sun Yat-sen University Principal Yang Hung-Duen (楊弘敦), National Yang-Ming University President Liang Kung-yee (梁賡義), National Chung Hsing University President Der-tsai Lee (李德財), National Chiao Tung University Principal Wu Yen-hua(吳妍華) and National Dong Hwa University President Wu Mao-kun (吳茂昆) on Thursday released a joint statement calling for a peaceful resolution to the protests.
When the students occupied the Legislature on March 18, their initial demand was for lawmakers to hold an article-by-article discussion and vote on the pact, the president said, adding that the Kuomintang caucus agreed to their demands three days later.
On March 22, Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) visited the Legislature in hopes of talking to the students in person, whereas the students demanded that the premier agree to their terms in exchange for dialogue, Ma said, adding that he held a press conference on March 23 to express the administration’s views on the pact, and that an invitation to the Presidential Office was extended to the students on March 25.
Means, Justification
Regardless of how reasonable one’s demands are, once an individual uses illegal, violent means to achieve an end, the demands can no longer be justified, Ma said.
The administration urges everyone to express their demands in a peaceful and rational manner, so that a solution, which all parties involved can accept, can be found, Ma added.
“I have always believed that it is through young people caring about major national policies and taking an active part that the country has a future,” Ma said, adding, however, that protesters who use illegal means lose their justification.
Student leader pledges nonviolent protest Sun. – The China Post.