Chiu Yi-ying on Chen Shui-bian

Chiu Yi-ying on Chen Shui-bian
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
December 18, 2008

Chen Shui-bian is like a massive lead weight, weighing Taiwan down, steadily pulling it down into a dark abysss. One corruption scandal has erupted after another, provoking Blue vs. Green confrontation, consuming the island's oxygen. But Chen Shui-bian has also tested the island's mettle. Can Taiwan remove this albatross from around its neck? Can it reclaim its past vitality? These are questions both the ruling and opposition parties should be asking themselves.

Chen Shui-bian is a skilled political manipulator. He successfully hijacked Deep Green supporters and used them to control the Democratic Progressive Party. But when he was released from custody, he made the mistake of denouncing former Minister of the Interior Yu Cheng-hsien. He accused Yu of being too quick to spill his guts. Chen's denunciation chilled the hearts of Chen loyalists and provoked a backlash. DPP Legislator Chiu Yi-ying openly sided with Yu Cheng-hsien, and called for Chen's wife Wu Shu-chen to "Stand up and face the music. Stop lying. Stop abusing the goodwill of Democratic Progressive Party comrades." In fact, many people have been holding their feelings in for quite a while. Now is the time for members of the Democratic Progressive Party to speak the truth without pulling their punches.

Three simple requests: Face justice, Stop lying. And stop abusing the goodwill of party comrades. Looking back, Chen Shui-bian and his wife have always done just the opposite, and not felt one iota of remorse for their actions. They have alway sacrificed others and looked after Number One. Now they find themselves at a dead end. They are fighting back with all means possible, like cornered rats. They are hardly likely to change their nature at the drop of a hat. But now is the time for Green Camp members to confront the harsh reality of hundreds of millions of NT in being moved hither and thither. Given Chen Shui-bian and his wife's cold-bloodedness and selfishness, isn't it time for them to ask themselves the following questions: Our comrades love Ah-Bian. But does Ah-Bian love our comrades back? Or better yet, Taiwan loves Ah-Bian. But does Ah-Bian love Taiwan back?

As soon as Chiu Yi-ying spoke her mind, others in the DPP chimed in. They were no longer bound hand and foot by diehard Deep Green Chen supporters. One Chen family corruption scandal after another has erupted. If the evidence turns out to be conclusive, the Chen family must take responsibility for its crimes. By the same token, the Democratic Progressive Party must take responsibility for Chen Shui-bian. It must no longer use "due process" and "civil rights" as a pretext to evade the truth. Was the backlash among Chen's troops merely a case of unrequited love? If it involved merely personal discontent rather than moral outrage, it will not motivate the Democratic Progressive Party to thoroughly reject corruption.

For decades, the Democratic Progressive Party carried on a life or death struggle against far more powerful forces. Party members developed an intense feeling of comradeship. To cast aside such feelings is not in the nature of the Democratic Progressive Party. That is why even though many people know Ah-Bian is in the wrong, they can't bring themselves to abandon him. They even feel compelled to back him when he falsely alleges "Political persecution!" Democratic Progressive Party Chairman Tsai Ing-wen's analysis was correct. Historical factors, political realities, and personal feelings all play a part. The fact is Chen Shui-bian remains an albatross around the Democratic Progressive Party's neck.

This man, who was once your president, is consumed by unbridled greed. He is indifferent to the cost his behavior has exacted on society. He cares only about saving his own skin. This is not your run of the mill corruption. It impacts Taiwan's economic future, whether it will continue to prosper or slide into destitution. The Democratic Progressive Party has been gravely wounded. Physically and mentally, it will take time to recover. But even if the public is willing to forgive, they cannot wait patiently for the Democratic Progressive Party to grow up.

Chen Shui-bian is not merely an albatross around the Democratic Progressive Party's neck. He is an albatross around Taiwan's neck. Merely disowning him is not enough. Chen Shui-bian's wrongs were collective wrongs. His word was once law. Dissenters within the party were attacked from all sides. Those hoping to share power and partake in the spoils curried his favor. Now he has fallen from grace. Does that mean those who aided and abetted his crimes need not engage in serious soul-searching? Shifting responsibility onto him alone will not motivate this den of thieves to engage in self-introspection, and more importantly, self-betterment. History will merely repeat itself with a different cast of characters. Drawing lines in the sand is easy, especially when the other person has fallen from grace. Confronting Chen Shui-bian's crimes is difficult for the DPP, because it forces the DPP to confront its own criminal complicity. It forces the DPP to confront the things it should have done, but failed to do. It forces the DPP to confront the ideals it should have upheld, but failed to uphold. It forces the DPP to summon up the courage to prevent a repetition of the same mistakes.

That is why Chairman Tsai Ing-wen stressed that the Democratic Progressive Party is assuming all responsibility for Chen Shui-bian's wrongdoing. This is the only way the DPP and Taiwan can move forward. We hope the Democratic Progressive Party will walk the walk in addition to talking the talk.

Motivated by long-term comradeship, the Democratic Progressive Party condoned Chen Shui-bian's wrongdoing. Motivated by long-term comradeship, The public on Taiwan condoned the Democratic Progressive Party's wrongdoing. Experience has shown that ignoring right and wrong and condoning another's wrongdoing undermines his growth, and is detrimental to society's development. The Chen family's scandals are not the fault of Chen Shui-bian alone. The DPP and the public on Taiwan are also responsible. Everyone is busy pointing fingers at others. We should take a long, hard look in the mirror, and learn from our mistakes. If we do so, the Chen family corruption scandals will no longer be a lead weight that drags Taiwan down into the abyss. They will be rungs on a ladder that allow us to reach a higher level.

中時電子報
中國時報 　2008.12.18
從邱議瑩的真心話談起
中時社論

陳水扁像個沉重的鉛塊，緊緊纏著台灣，不斷向黑暗漩渦的底層拉。咕嘟咕嘟冒個不停的弊案，翻攪著藍綠對立，消耗台灣的氧氣，但也在測試台灣的肺活量。能不能擺脫這個向下沉淪的包袱，為台灣重新找回向上的活力，是朝野全民都必須努力的課題。

藉著熟練的政治操作，陳水扁原已成功做到挾深綠以令民進黨，但停止羈押後，他對前內政部長余政憲的招供有所埋怨，引發嫡系子弟兵的寒心與反彈，民進黨立委邱議瑩公開聲援余政憲，並要求扁嫂吳淑珍「好好面對司法，不要再說謊，不要再玩弄民進黨同志的感情」。這些話，其實在很多人心裡都憋了很久，也是最近這段期間裡，民進黨人士最不虛矯圓滑的真心話。

很簡單的三件事：面對司法、不說謊、不玩弄同志感情。但回顧陳水扁夫婦這一路走來，事事樣樣都朝相反的方向做，而且毫無悔意，依舊犧牲他人照亮自己。如今窮途末路，無所不用其極作困獸之鬥時，恐怕也很難突然轉性，但綠營其他人士，到了這個時候，面對著幾億現金搬來搬去的事證，以及阿扁夫婦的自私冷血，是不是應該好好問自己：同志愛扁，但扁愛同志嗎？或者，台灣愛扁，但扁愛台灣嗎？

在邱議瑩的真心話之後，民進黨內可能會出現更多類似的聲音，不再被死忠挺扁的深綠群眾綁得動彈不得。而隨著扁家弊案一一浮現，如果罪證確鑿，不只扁家需要好好面對司法，民進黨也必須好好面對陳水扁，不能再以捍衛司法人權來顧左右而言他。現在子弟兵的反彈，如果只是出於個人忠心換絕情的憤怒，而不是基於道德上的大是大非，那未必能證明民進黨真的唾棄貪贓枉法。

數十年來，民進黨以弱搏強生死與共，黨員之間有深厚的戰友情義，如果能輕易割裂，坦白說，那也就不是民進黨了。這也是為什麼，許多人即使理智上知道阿扁做錯了，感情上卻怎樣也無法捨棄，甚至還要在阿扁吶喊司法迫害時出面相挺。民進黨主席蔡英文剖析得很清楚，這其中，有歷史環境的因素，有現實政治的因素，也有感情的因素。陷在阿扁困境中的民進黨，其實是需要被了解的。

但是，一位曾經貴為總統的人，可以如此厚顏貪婪，而且不顧社會代價繼續翻雲覆雨以求自保，這已經不是一般的弊案，而是涉及台灣將向上提升，抑或向下沉淪的嚴肅課題了。現在民進黨受傷慘重，身心都需要一段調適期，但民眾即使願意體諒，也不會無盡期地等待民進黨長大成熟。

如今陳水扁既是民進黨的包袱與共業，也是台灣的包袱與共業。切割並不是最好的作法，因為陳水扁犯的錯，是在一個集體情境與分享體系下實現的。曾經他一呼百諾，黨內異議者痛遭圍剿，想分享權利與利益者鑽營不已。如今他樓塌了，過去幫他撐場幫腔者，就完全不需要檢討了嗎？如果把責任全推到他一人身上，這整個共犯性的集體運作，就沒辦法作真正深刻的檢討，當然也沒機會進行改進，結果可能相同的事再度上演，只是主角換個人而已。劃清界線是很容易的事，尤其當對方失勢時，難的是在面對陳水扁的同時，也好好面對自己曾有的角色，以及應做而未做的事、應堅持而未堅持的理想，並且勇敢負起責任，不讓錯誤重演。

因此，蔡英文主席強調，概括承受是民進黨負責任的表現，也是讓民進黨與整個台灣社會向前走的唯一方法，我們期待未來能看到民進黨更具體的作為。

由於長期的同志情感，民進黨曾經縱容陳水扁，台灣社會曾經縱容民進黨，事實證明，是非不明的縱容不但無助於對方的成長，也有害於整體的發展。扁家弊案不只是陳水扁的過錯，民進黨與台灣社會都有程度不同的責任，在忙著指責別人的同時，如果大家都能回頭好好省思自己，並且從中學習到教訓，那麼，扁案將不再是個讓台灣陷入深淵的鉛塊，而是能踏著向上提升一步的階梯。