Democratic Taiwan Supports Tibet: Take Note World

Monday February 25, by Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

Let the control freaks in Beijing take note; Taiwan does not need an LKK (lau ko-ko, out of touch old grandfather) trying to tell it what it has the right to do and not do. Taiwan is an open democratic society. As a result, not long ago, Taiwan refused the Olympic Torch of Beijing because Beijing wanted to use its passage through Taiwan as a way to belittle Taiwan's democracy. Yesterday, however, Taiwan welcomed the Tibetan Olympic Torch to pass through its country in anticipation of the upcoming Tibetan Olympics (held in exile in India, May 15 through 25). This was clearly celebrated in front of Democracy Hall in Taipei along with Miss Tibet, Tsering Chungtak who preferred to be expelled from Malaysia's 2007 Miss Tourism competition rather than conform to China's demand that she wear a sash reading "Miss Tibet-China."

Such solidarity is commendable, especially since many countries in the world still claim to support democracy but hypocritically kowtow to Beijing's market and demands. Taiwan's support of Tibetan rights is similar to its support of religious freedom extended to the Falun Gong and all other religions. Again, how this stands in sharp contrast to the persecutions, murder and organ-harvesting that Beijing imposes on this religious group. I have repeatedly noted that the Falun Gong have never ever been a whisper of a threat to Taiwan's democracy, so why are the high and mighty in Beijing so fearful. And when will the rest of the world wake up and smell the coffee? Human Rights should never be dependent on market advantage.