How Long Must Taiwan Endure the Curse of Chen Shui-bian?

How Long Must Taiwan Endure the Curse of Chen Shui-bian?
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
April 21, 2013

Summary: Chen Shui-bian is billed as the "Son of Taiwan." In fact, Chen led Taiwan's democracy down the path of social divisiveness. Is the DPP, a self-styled "nativist political party," determined to chain Taiwan to Chen Shui-bian?

Full text below:

Chen Shui-bian has been transferred from the Taipei Prison to the Taichung Prison Pei-de Hospital for treatment. The DPP reacted by obstructing legislative business, idling the Legislative Yuan for an entire day. A contingent of Green Camp legislators arrived at the Ministry of Justice, determined to punish evil-doers. In a fit of apoplexy, they kicked down the door to the office of the Minister of Justice. Chen Chih-chung, as usual, mobilized protests. He accused the Ministry of Justice of lacking humanity.

This was a stormy day. For the public on Taiwan though, it was utterly meaningless. Chen Shui-bian was indicted for corruption five years ago. Since then the slightest sign of trouble would provoke the DPP, the Chen family, and Chen fanatics into public displays of hysteria. This has been the case with court appearances, judgments, medical treatment, and hospital transfers alike. The Green Camp is still milking Chen Shui-bian for all he is worth. Chen is a lever by which the DPP can apply pressure on the ruling KMT. He is also a means by which the DPP can emotionally blackmail the Taiwan public. He is a means by which the DPP can hijack Taiwan's democracy and rule of law. Chen Shui-bian has been in prison for five years. The DPP persists in chaining Taiwan to Chen forever. But just exactly what is its destination?

Chen Shui-bian's right to medical treatment cannot be ignored. That goes without saying. But he was transferred to Special Quarters in the Pei-de Hospital Central Taiwan Medical Treatment Center. He luxuriates in a private 800 square meter large recovery room and green space. His family members are allowed unlimited visits. He is diagnosed, treated, and cared for by an expert medical team. Only former presidents receive this five-star treatment. Buddhist Master Hsing Yun once suggested that President Ma put Chen Shui-bian under house arrest. In fact the conditions of the Pei-de Hospital are comparable to those of house arrest. Besides, Chen Chih-chung is currently unemployed. He is there all the time. Chen is probably even better off than he would be recuperating at home. Yet the DPP is determined to demagogue the issue. Why?

Veterans General Hospital is a conventional general hospital. If it continues treating Chen Shui-bian in the future, it is sure to undermine the rights of other patients, and squander precious medical resources. Chen Shui-bian must eventually be discharged. But the Ministry of Justice need not return him to the Taipei Prison. It can transfer him to the spacious and tranquil Pei-de Hospital. Here he will enjoy luxurious treatment, consistent with the law. If Chen Shui-bian is actually suffering from depression and other disorders, he will receive immediate attention from the medical staff. This is probably as far as humanitarian considerations can be taken.

Currently 2091 convicts on Taiwan are afflicted with mental illnesses. Among them 445 suffer from depression. Pei-de Hospital has admitted 150 of them. Which of these patient/inmates is eligible for "medical parole?" Which of them is eligible for "home recuperation?" Which of them luxuriates in his own private, 800 square meter "five-star house arrest ward?" The DPP's abetting of Chen Shui-bian is shameless. Does it really not know when to leave well enough alone?

Chen Chih-chung is leading Chen fanatics in hysterical protests. As Chen's son, his destiny is tied to his father's. He has personal motives. But what about the DPP? Chen family corruption has been exposed for all to see. Public attitudes are changing. But the DPP dithers. It dare not cut its ties to Chen Shui-bian. The prosecution of the Chen family has yet to be concluded. Yet the DPP has apparently forgotten the disaster Chen visited upon the Green Camp. It persists in clinging to him, as if he were a political asset. Is the DPP not a wee bit confused?

If the DPP persists in putting Chen Shui-bian on a pedestal to worship, that is its choice. But in order to abet Chen Shui-bian, the DPP mobilized its legislators. They paralyzed the legislature, at the expense of the nation and society, dragging them through the muck. Its behavior was both selfish and obtuse. Out of political calculations, the DPP played up Chen's incarceration for all it was worth. This may reveal the Ma administration's impotence. But it also reveals Green Camp legislators' brutality and arrogance, for a single political party and a single politician. Its move probably cost the DPP more points than it gained.

The Democratic Progressive Party is a political party seeking to regain political power. It is not a splinter party whose role is merely devil's advocate. It cannot afford to be too cavalier about obstructing legislature business. If we were living under authoritarian rule, and Chen Shui-bian a persecuted martyr, the DPP would be fully justified in throwing its support behind him. It would receive support from the people as well. But this is not authoritarian rule. Chen Shui-bian is not a persecuted martyr. He is corrupt kleptocrat who betrayed the public and stole from them the fruits of democracy. The DPP's behavior reveals its political favoritism and indifference to justice.

The Legislative Yuan has been idled for an entire day. The public is not witnessing a DPP victory. It is witnessing a political party that has acquired political tricks, but lost its moral compass. Today Green Camp legislators flew into a rage and kicked down the door to the office of the Minister of Justice. The public watched as the DPP engaged in crude violence. It watched as the DPP attempted to score political points. Twenty years later, the DPP is still chasing its own tail. Even more frightening, the DPP has chained Chen Shui-bian to Taiwan's leg, as if it were an iron ball.

Chen Shui-bian is billed as the "Son of Taiwan." In fact, Chen led Taiwan's democracy down the path of social divisiveness. Is the DPP, a self-styled "nativist political party," determined to chain Taiwan to Chen Shui-bian?

台灣還要被陳水扁魔咒糾纏多久
【聯合報╱社論】
2013.04.21 03:37 am

陳水扁從北榮轉送台中監獄培德醫院治療。為此，民進黨杯葛國會議事，讓立法院空轉一天；一群綠委到法務部興師問罪，甚至發飆踢破法務部長辦公室大門。陳致中則照例率眾抗議，痛批法務部沒有人性。

這是很不平靜的一天，對台灣而言，其實也是毫無營養的一天。陳水扁涉貪五年來，他的任何風吹草動，都會引發民進黨、扁家和扁迷們類似的激情演出；出庭、判決、移監、送醫、轉院，無不如此。綠營還在榨取陳水扁最後的利用價值，因為這是可以向執政黨施壓的槓桿；但這也是在勒索人民的感情，綁架台灣的民主法治。陳水扁繫獄五年，如果民進黨還要把台灣和他緊緊綁在一起，請問你們的終點站在哪裡？

陳水扁的受刑處遇和醫療人權，當然不可忽視。但他被送進培德醫院醫療專區，享有兩百多坪的休養和綠地空間，家屬可不限次數探視，有專業醫療團隊的診治和看護，這恐怕也只有總統級受刑人才享有的五星待遇。星雲法師曾建議馬總統，以「軟禁」的方式寬待陳水扁；而培德醫院的休養環境和條件，其實已形同給了他「軟禁」待遇。何況，只要目前無業的陳致中勤於探訪，其實幾與「居家療養」無異，且優於「居家療養」。而民進黨卻仍要大肆藉題發揮，道理何在？

榮總是一般性綜合醫院，若無限期收治陳水扁，勢必影響其他病患權益，也浪費醫療資源。在陳水扁必須出院的前提下，法務部未將他送回北監，而選擇送到寬敞、寧靜的培德，這已是受刑人所能享受的最優厚的待遇，也是法律考量的極限。在此，陳水扁罹患的憂鬱症及其他疾患，都可獲得醫療人員的即時照護，這應已是人道考量的極限。

試問：全國有二○九一名精神病患受刑人，其中四四五人患憂鬱症，在培德病監即有一五○人；這些病患受刑人，誰能「保外就醫」？誰能「居家療養」？誰有二四三坪獨門獨院的「五星級軟禁病房」？民進黨挺扁若不知恥，難道也不知足？

陳致中率扁迷激動抗議，那是因為他和陳水扁是命運共同體，身為人子，有其個人不得不然的動機。但民進黨呢？在扁家貪瀆曝光、社會輿意滔滔之際，民進黨始終囁嚅，不知如何和陳水扁切割。而今扁案審判尚未全然終結，民進黨卻似又已忘卻阿扁帶給綠營的災難及恥辱，把他當成政治資產緊緊擁抱，這難道不嫌錯亂？

事實上，民進黨要把陳水扁放在神桌上供奉到幾時，那是黨自己的選擇。但民進黨動員黨籍立委為扁撐腰，乃至不惜癱瘓立法議事來為扁造勢，把國家和社會前進的腳步拴住、甚至拖入泥沼，那就太過自私，也太過愚昧。從政治的算計看，藉阿扁的題目大肆發揮，或許能凸顯馬政府的瞻顧失據；但從民眾的角度，卻只看到綠委為了一黨一人之私的粗暴囂張及無理取鬧，這對民進黨恐怕只會減分而不是加分。

區別就在，民進黨畢竟是一個以奪回執政權為目標的政黨，而不是只想做一個以唱反派角色為己足的小反對黨；那麼，它在杯葛議題的選擇上，就不能太過輕重顛倒。如果今天是威權統治，而陳水扁是個受迫害的烈士，民進黨盡可傾力相挺，也會獲得人民支持；但他是一個欺騙了台灣人民感情、盜取了民主果實的政客，民進黨的大動作，不僅只是暴露自己徇私護短，更扭曲了司法的公義天平。

這一天，立法院鎮日空轉，人們看到的不是民進黨杯葛的勝利，而是它的問政手段已經走到失去目標的地步。這一天，綠委怒踢法務部長大門，人們除了看到粗野暴力，也看到一味追求「技術性」勝利的民進黨還在繞著自己廿年前的尾巴打轉。更可怕的是，它已把陳水扁魔咒的鐵球，鏈鎖在台灣的腳上。

號稱「台灣之子」的陳水扁，把台灣民主帶向了分裂的深谷。而自封「本土政黨」的民進黨，真的要繼續利用阿扁來困住台灣嗎？