Taipei Times: President Loses `Soft Coup' Libel Lawsuit
Dioneae muscipula
Shui-bian lost the libel suit brough against him by James Soong and
Chan Lien as Chen made suggestions that they tried to engineer a "soft
coup" during the aftermath of the 2004 presidential election.
Read the article in
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2005/12/22/2003285461
An outline of the article:
* Chen expressed regret over the ruling but said he would appeal the
ruling and present more evidence.
* Taipei District Court ruled that Chen must pay former KMT Chairman
Chan Lien and People First Party Chairman James Soong NT$1 each
(about US$0.03), and Chen must publish half-page apologies in
Liberty Times, China Times and United Daily for one day.
* Originally Lien and Soong requested Chen making apologies in major
international newspapers, like New York Times, as well, but the judge
rejected that, citing the issue being local.
* The ruling says, "The coup remarks made by Chen were a very serious
accusation against the nation's top opposition politicians which
questioned their loyalty to the country. Therefore the court has
decided that Chen is guilty of libeling both Lien and Soong."
* According to ROC laws, Chen as head of state, is protected from
criminal lawsuits but can still be held liable for damages.
* The ruling marked the second time in Taiwan that an incumbent or
former president lost a slander lawsuit.
don_t...@hotmail.com
Dioneae muscipula 寫道：
Regardless of the ruling Chen did what he must do at the right time. It
is reasonable to assume his remark would have stopped the would-be
conspirators from further taking advantage of the already chaotic
situation. With the nightly rioting going on a few security lapses
induced or overwhelmed by sheer numbers the rioters would be enough to
gain force entry into the Presidential Palace and take it over. Who
can fathom what unthinkables could ensue then? A rebellion?? A civil
war??? Chen's remark effectively forced Lien and Soong distancing
themselves from the rioters denying them moral support and kept them
isolated until they dissipate.
God bless Taiwan!
Ace Sinica
>
> Regardless of the ruling Chen did what he must do at the right time. It
> is reasonable to assume his remark would have stopped the would-be
> conspirators from further taking advantage of the already chaotic
> situation. With the nightly rioting going on a few security lapses
> induced or overwhelmed by sheer numbers the rioters would be enough to
> gain force entry into the Presidential Palace and take it over. Who
> can fathom what unthinkables could ensue then? A rebellion?? A civil
> war??? Chen's remark effectively forced Lien and Soong distancing
> themselves from the rioters denying them moral support and kept them
> isolated until they dissipate.
>
> God bless Taiwan!
Don,
Your logic is faulty. A would-be military coup can be stopped by Chen's
"remarks"? "Nightly rioting"? As I recall, the so-called demonstration
was stationary, sit-ins, not "rioting" as you claim.
"Presidential Palace"? Presidential Office you mean. We don't see the
president as a "King". Also, Taiwan is not like some Latin American
countries where whoever takes over the president's office gets to be the
new president. It wouldn't have worked.
The real soft-coup was in Chen's heart and in yours. Come on, let's stop
wasting each other's time. Face it, we all know that this Taiwan
democracy vehicle is just a charade for hardcore TI fundamentalists to
take over Taiwan and rule it. Part of China? Not part of China? Who
gives a dick? This issue is just a tool to get into power!
There is a group of people who wants to get into power. They don't want
others to stop them, be it Chinese, post 49 Mainlanders, Americans,
whomever. Taiwanese-ism, democracy, localism, TI, US alliance, Japan
alliance, exit of party-politics-military from media, anti-China, all
these are just means to an end. I'll believe DPP really meant democracy
when they exit from TTV and CTS TV networks.
Heh, heh, we can talk of all those nice stuff like human rights and
democracy, etc. But behind closed doors, without any foreigners present,
when it's just between us, it's that "Big Seat" that everyone's after,
isn't it?
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Ace