Mainland China envoy Chen Yunlin (陳雲林) flied back to Beijing 7, Nov after his 4-day “ice-breaking” visit to Taiwan.

As the chairman of China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), Chen, led the highest-ranked official delegation ever from mainland to Taiwan, to negotiate for new deals that set down agreements on direct shipping and flights, mail services and food safety. It's said to be a historic leap on cross-strait tie.

In spite that Chen allegedly came to for the peaceful and constructive purpose that is to “enhance the economic cooperation across the strait”, people sided with the “one China, one Taiwan” principle viewed it more than abhorrent. Even though as many as 20000 police were dispatched to guard the visitors, swarms of Taiwanese numbered by 100,000, most of them mobilized by the present out-party Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), still flowed to wherever Chen showed up to brandish their topmost hostility. It goes without saying to be a straightforward political demonstration to mainland that “you are not welcomed, F**K off!”

But the firepower is not only directed at the visitor. The Taiwan president Ma Yingjiu, has been railed against in these days for the crackdown of protests, speech freedom black-out, and the downgrading of Taiwan's sovereignty.

During the “Action of Seige”　designed by DPP to trap the envoy Chen in the hotel, city police responded, unfortunately, in a way to catalyze it into a violent clash. On 4, Nov, when Lian-zhan, the Honor President of KMT was dining Chen at Yuanshan hotel, the alerted police guarding outside forced a shop across the street to shut down the “Song of Taiwan” being played aloud. People exhibiting Taiwan's national flag and emblem were dispersed and blocked from the hotel, and speeches like “Taiwan doesn't belong to China” were muzzled.

The bloody clash finally broke out at the night when the present KMT president Guo-Boxiong dined Chen on another hotel. The police were confronted by a group of thousands of agitated people, including a few aldermen. Stones and clubs were hurled, barricades were pulled down, and gasoline bombs were fired. More than one hundred police were injured, many of them sent to hospital, while the opposing party suffered as well, scores of the protesters injured or arrested. Chen is thereby trapped in the hotel for 8 hours until midnight, a quite embarrassing situation to the host. The Democratic Progressive Party played a major role in the incident by a fanfare mobilization.

In the days following, Taiwan witnessed a mutual accusation. The president of Republic of China, Ma-yinjiu, criticized DDP of irresponsible ,who rebutted that they were just calling for a protest against the government's crackdown upon speech freedom.

Taiwan bloggers gave enthusiastic responses. A GV post by Taiwan author I-FAN shows the native bloggers' anger with the way police restrained people's legitimate right to protest. Some of them moaned the value of democracy is lost.

Meanwhile, a broadcast is on air to record a sit-in of college students and scholars in Taipei, against the resurgence of marshal law and violent authority in Taiwan.

But the other side of voices is not out of its momentum.

Blogger Xinhua posted his opinion on Duowei blog, analyzing the motive behind DDP's action

民进党为了摆脱其深陷“阿扁门”贪腐案而无法切割、民意极其低落的困境，企图抓住陈云林到达台湾的机会，发动如影随形的抗议行动，动员绿营支持者“上街”抗争，重新制造岛内族群对立，以挽救其不断沉沦的态势。

民进党街头闹事、诉诸暴力的作为被国际社会看作是民主之耻，也遭到岛内舆论的普遍谴责…甚至台湾一些大学生不去质疑民进党的街头暴力，反而到台“行政院”门前静坐示威，抗议警察维安行为过度。显示出这些大学生对于“民主”的幼稚理解。

民主包含了和平、和解、和谐，包含着宽容、谅解、妥协，包含着沟通、协
商、谈判，恰恰没有街头抗争、聚众闹事，更不容许诉诸暴力。所以，民主首先是一种包容对方、严以律己的素养；“街头”运动显示一种浮躁不安，往往孕育着对抗与冲动，常常出现非理性、
无约束的行动，当自己的诉求久久实现不了时，会作出过激的反应，狂躁地向对手、向社会宣泄自己的情绪，导致社会动乱。

没有法制，也就没有民主。你可以聚会、游行、自由表达，但必须在法律允许的限度内进行，必须依法申请，在规定的路线或场合进行，不得
妨碍公共秩序，不得影响交通，不得妨碍、更不得伤及他人，更不得威胁社会、乃至国家安全。

He conclude that, there is not a slight of democracy in DPP's actions.

On youtube, a comment was made following the footage of the clash:

hastobright :

台灣的民主已經到了人民濫權的地步

不是暴民的選民應該站出來
不能再容忍這些假藉民主之名
卻破壞法治 欺負善良百姓的流氓

Now a critical question: is Taiwan over-democratic? Is citizen disobedience allowed to such an extent of violence?

Whatever clash is left on the island, CPC this time made itself a big gain. It wins popular support, embarrasses the Taiwan authority so that it can further pressure it near the mainland, and signs treaties with practical meaning. That might be why the chief of State Office of Taiwan, Wangyi, praised the home-coming Chen Yunlin: You don't disappoint your mission.

About 500 students gathered peacefully in front of the Executive Yuan on 11/6 to protest against the current Parade and Assembly Law (集會遊行法). The government abusive use of the law has violated people's rights in protest in the past few days during the visit of Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chair Chen Yunlin. To prevent the return of a police state, the students demanded the government to apologize and amend the law in their open statement.

baladaily explained what in the Parade and Assembly Law needs to be revised:

The current law restricts the right of citizens to peaceably assemble, by forcing them to apply for permits which the government may deny at will after reviewing the protest topic, allows the government unrestricted rights to close off large areas from protesters, and allows police to forcibly disperse protesters even if they are not violent. The students are demanding the law be revised to require the government to grant permits upon receiving an application without the current content review (”government shall grant a permit” vs. the current “government may grant a permit”), while requiring police to follow the rule of law and due process in all arrests and detentions. In other words, the law should protect the rights of protesters - not restrict them.

Photo courtesy of judie.
Banner said: Revise the Parade and Assembly Law. President Ma Ying-jeou and Premier Liu Chao-shiuan must publicly apologize to all citizens.

Seeing how this sit-in was organized, David was impressed.

I was so impressed to see the students staging such a well organised, democratic and peaceful protest. Members of NGOs held a press conference discussing to talk about problems with the Assembly Law. A student got up with a guitar and sang songs. Several university professors came in support and one gave a long speech talking about his experiences of the Assembly Law from the days of martial law and the early years of the democratic era. Donations of water and food piled up. There was also a media centre distributing information and broadcasting the protest online. One aspect of the protest was that the students maintained political neutrality. They wore black shirts and removed any partisan political symbols.

judie reported the failure of negotiation between the government and students:

經過一夜堅守後， 11月7日上午行政院派出秘書長薛香川前往溝通，現場學生陸續提問，對薛的回答感到相當不滿意，決議繼續靜坐。不久傳出下午將會遭到驅離的訊息。

baladaily described how the police took action to remove the students:

At 4PM, three large police buses pulled up in the street behind the protesters, with squads of police officers emerging. “Remember!” the organizers shouted: “No violence! It is not the fault of the police that their orders are unconstitutional! No one is wrong here. Remain peaceful! We reassemble in 2 hours at Liberty Square!”.

Sitting on the ground, the 500+ students* links hands and sang, in English, “We Shall Overcome”. As the last lines of “We are not afraid today” faded, and the crowd of police grew larger, the students chanted “和平！” (”Peace!”).

*According to another source, there were about 300 students by the time the police started to remove the students with force.

The police left, and students insisted to stay till the government gives them a satisfactory answer. Then the police moved in again and forcibly removed them again. The students began chanting “人權!” (”Human Rights!”), along with the crowd which quickly joined in.

Photo courtesy of judie.

Photo courtesy of judie.

After the forced removal, students gathered again:

The protesters are now reassembling at Liberty Square, welcoming anyone who is willing to join in peaceably, without political flags or placards, and without a partisan agenda. Reports indicate taxi drivers who heard of their plight are picking them up and taking them to Liberty Square for free.

Now, several similar protests are being organized by students across Taiwan:

台南的成大校門前，一群學生靜坐呼應台北的運動，已決議要繼續一直坐下去，直到馬政府正面回應為止。新竹、台中的學生正在集結。

On 11/8, it rained in Taipei. Johnny reported:

一反昨夜近10部的SNG新聞採訪車，當場只餘兩部。一位女學生正在滂沱大雨中，清唱《美麗島》，這些坐 在濕漉漉地面的年輕朋友仍在煎熬。天氣驟變，可能只是對身體的有形考驗，執政黨和社會冷漠的回應，才是最艱困的無形試煉。

…離開廣場時，我突然有個夢：哪天這些青年也能那些美國年輕人創造歷史，讓台灣擺脫舊時代思維的政客，社會只講是非公義， 而不再分藍綠。

YES, YOU CAN!

Photo courtesy of judie.

About 500 students gathered peacefully in front of the Executive Yuan on 11/6 to protest against the current Parade and Assembly Law (集會遊行法). The government abusive use of the law has violated people's rights in protest in the past few days during the visit of Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chair Chen Yunlin. To prevent the return of a police state, the students demanded the government to apologize and amend the law in their open statement.

baladaily explained what in the Parade and Assembly Law needs to be revised:

The current law restricts the right of citizens to peaceably assemble, by forcing them to apply for permits which the government may deny at will after reviewing the protest topic, allows the government unrestricted rights to close off large areas from protesters, and allows police to forcibly disperse protesters even if they are not violent. The students are demanding the law be revised to require the government to grant permits upon receiving an application without the current content review (”government shall grant a permit” vs. the current “government may grant a permit”), while requiring police to follow the rule of law and due process in all arrests and detentions. In other words, the law should protect the rights of protesters - not restrict them.

Photo courtesy of judie.
Banner said: Revise the Parade and Assembly Law. President Ma Ying-jeou and Premier Liu Chao-shiuan must publicly apologize to all citizens.

Seeing how this sit-in was organized, David was impressed.

I was so impressed to see the students staging such a well organised, democratic and peaceful protest. Members of NGOs held a press conference discussing to talk about problems with the Assembly Law. A student got up with a guitar and sang songs. Several university professors came in support and one gave a long speech talking about his experiences of the Assembly Law from the days of martial law and the early years of the democratic era. Donations of water and food piled up. There was also a media centre distributing information and broadcasting the protest online. One aspect of the protest was that the students maintained political neutrality. They wore black shirts and removed any partisan political symbols.

judie reported the failure of negotiation between the government and students:

經過一夜堅守後， 11月7日上午行政院派出秘書長薛香川前往溝通，現場學生陸續提問，對薛的回答感到相當不滿意，決議繼續靜坐。不久傳出下午將會遭到驅離的訊息。

baladaily described how the police took action to remove the students:

At 4PM, three large police buses pulled up in the street behind the protesters, with squads of police officers emerging. “Remember!” the organizers shouted: “No violence! It is not the fault of the police that their orders are unconstitutional! No one is wrong here. Remain peaceful! We reassemble in 2 hours at Liberty Square!”.

Sitting on the ground, the 500+ students* links hands and sang, in English, “We Shall Overcome”. As the last lines of “We are not afraid today” faded, and the crowd of police grew larger, the students chanted “和平！” (”Peace!”).

*According to another source, there were about 300 students by the time the police started to remove the students with force.

The police left, and students insisted to stay till the government gives them a satisfactory answer. Then the police moved in again and forcibly removed them again. The students began chanting “人權!” (”Human Rights!”), along with the crowd which quickly joined in.

Photo courtesy of judie.

Photo courtesy of judie.

After the forced removal, students gathered again:

The protesters are now reassembling at Liberty Square, welcoming anyone who is willing to join in peaceably, without political flags or placards, and without a partisan agenda. Reports indicate taxi drivers who heard of their plight are picking them up and taking them to Liberty Square for free.

Now, several similar protests are being organized by students across Taiwan:

台南的成大校門前，一群學生靜坐呼應台北的運動，已決議要繼續一直坐下去，直到馬政府正面回應為止。新竹、台中的學生正在集結。

On 11/8, it rained in Taipei. Johnny reported:

一反昨夜近10部的SNG新聞採訪車，當場只餘兩部。一位女學生正在滂沱大雨中，清唱《美麗島》，這些坐 在濕漉漉地面的年輕朋友仍在煎熬。天氣驟變，可能只是對身體的有形考驗，執政黨和社會冷漠的回應，才是最艱困的無形試煉。

…離開廣場時，我突然有個夢：哪天這些青年也能那些美國年輕人創造歷史，讓台灣擺脫舊時代思維的政客，社會只講是非公義， 而不再分藍綠。

YES, YOU CAN!

Photo courtesy of judie.

Lin Jiaxiang, (CPC) party secretary of the Shenzhen maritime bureau in the Guangdong province of China, is the target of an investigation after he allegedly grabbed an 11-year-old girl in an attempt to molest her. Jiaxing was reportedly drunk and to have asked the 6th grade girl for directions to the restroom at the Plum Garden Seafood Restaurant where he was dining. He proceeded to grab her by the throat and tried to coax her into the men's restroom.

Restaurant video recorded the poor11-year-old  girl running back into the dining area after the alleged attempt to molest her took place .(The video below is censored now, and for browsing the website, proxy is required)

嘉祥猥褻女童后與家長的爭吵被酒店錄像記錄

Lin Jiaxiang's notorious response to the girl's father who questioned him for what Lin had done angered Chinese netizens. Here's what he said when the girl's parents confronted him:

“Do you know who I am? I am from the Ministry of Transport. I rank as high as your mayor. How dare you fight with me.”

without any sense of shame, he tried to bribe the parents ,saying:

“Yes I did it, so what? How much do you want, just tell me. I'll give you the money.”

Lin Jiaxiang was dismissed on November. 3 by ministry of transport. However, Lin was announced innocent of the assault charge today. Public is not satisfied with the judgment. A “whether Lin should be pardoned” poll is made by Xinmin net.

截至11月6日14时，近2000名网友参与调查，约95%网友对警方结论表示”气愤”，主张搜集证据对林嘉祥”定罪且重罚”，仅2%的网友表示”尊重深圳警方的定性”。

According to Shenzhen Late Post, police gave five reasons to deny the assault charge.

1:林确实与小陈有肢体接触，但接触部位仅限于肩膀靠脖颈位置

2:小陈摆脱林嘉祥的地点距离洗手间约有8米远，但只能看到洗手间的指示牌，还看不到洗手间的门口.

3:林嘉祥身高1．79米、体重103公斤，小陈身高仅为1．48米，小陈能够摆脱林的双手，表明林当时在小陈肩膀靠脖颈处施加的力量有限。

4:现场监控探头摄录到的内容中未发现林嘉祥有猥亵的举动，这与当事人双方对有关肢体接触情况的陈述能够吻合。

5:经现场勘查及模拟事发经过，证实林嘉祥、小陈途经转往洗手间方向的转角处的时间极为短暂，小陈在此处挣脱林的双手后即转身跑步离去。

Although the key evidence to charge Lin Jiaxiang, that is, the video at toilet door which taped what actually happened,  was mystically lost, public believe Lin's crime is obvious.Here's what Xinhua net says.

首先必须明确的是，诸如强奸、猥亵这类的违法犯罪行为，尤其是在犯罪未遂的情况下，最是缺少直接证据的。这是此类违法犯罪案件的普遍规律。从这个意义上讲，警方非要找到林嘉祥猥亵小兰的“直接证据”才予定案，表面上看是严格依法办案，而实质上却是(至少客观上)纵容了违法犯罪嫌疑人，对受害人是极不公平的。

小女孩在事后表现出了精神受到严重刺激、心理受到严重伤害的症状，不敢见外人，不敢上学读书，甚至发誓永远不去大酒店吃饭，这些都印证了对小兰猥亵行为的存在。

Insightful and detailed accounts of the 6 November protests by the Far-Eastern Sweet Potato and Michella. The Bala Daily reports on a student protest at the Executive Yuan that was broken up by police.

Different from the fierce encounter between protesters and police forces during the day in front of the Presidential Office, there are more than 400 students peacefully gathering in front of the Executive Yuan in order to bring everyone's attention back to the real question: Is the freedom of expression still belong to Taiwanese? And they protest against President Ma and its government for lowering Taiwanese human right standard as to the level in Mainland China(zh).

Wenli is now there and livecasting via Yahoo!Live along with 400 online watchers.

Following David's article on “The Phantom of Police State” coming back with Chen Yun-lin (陳雲林)'s visit to Taiwan on 3 of Nov, I have collected some visual materials showing the conflict between the protesters and police with brief translation.

Since Nov 3rd, many protesters wearing pro-Taiwan T-shirt or banners or waving the ROC national flag have been harassed by the police, and some of them were wounded. To the extent that people playing Taiwanese songs (Sunrise records, 上揚唱片) were disrupted with force, and a cup of coffee became all too dangerous.

Manuscript translation:

Defending rights to protest

Facing these incidents, Carolina thought Taiwan President Ma Ying-Jeou should take the responsibility.

在滿街的旗幟被拔走，民眾持旗被沒收的錯愕中，馬英九今天還唬爛說他絕對沒有下令撤旗。

OJ is also very disappointed with the current government.

當我們看到我們的政府是這樣對待自己的人民，我們真的只能很心寒地覺悟了…那些好不容易爭取來的民主法制、人權價值，都被這個自我作賤的政府給徹底丟棄了。

However, citizens prepare to fight back, non-violently. Francais asked citizens to collect evidence if they see these incidents.

今年12月的國際人權日，亞裔人權團體將會在巴黎集體發聲，我們原本只是想要再次聲討中國對台灣的打壓，沒想到，自己的政府被打出獨裁專政原形，台灣正式列入人權受危害的國家。因此，我們想請大家集思廣益，提供馬政府上任後種種侵害人權的事件，我們會整理後在國際人權日的活動上，一起向國際媒體揭露。很遺憾，眼睜睜看台灣的沈淪，這卻是我們唯一可以做的；也請大家各自努力。

ESWN translated a commentary from China youth daily on the dichotomy of opinions in the Internet public sphere in China.

ESWN translated a photo essay on village-level election with Chinese characteristics.

Inside-Out China blogs about various discussions about the U.S presidential election and its implication on China economy.