IN SUPPORT OF THE 528 BLUEBIRD MOVEMENT, WFTA AND FAPA INITIATE JOINT STATEMENT BY OVERSEAS TAIWANESE ORGANIZATIONS

For Immediate Release
Washington DC – May 28, 2024
Contact: (202) 547-3686

IN SUPPORT OF THE 528 BLUEBIRD MOVEMENT, WFTA AND FAPA INITIATE JOINT STATEMENT BY OVERSEAS TAIWANESE ORGANIZATIONS

Co-Initiators:

  • World Federation of Taiwanese Associations (WFTA)
  • Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA)

[Full Text of the Statement]

The Bluebirds Spread Their Wings and Set out to Protect the Homeland – We Join Hands Together to Safeguard the Defense Line of Taiwan’s Democracy!

Since the beginning of the 11th Legislative Yuan in February 2024, Taiwan’s parliament, dominated by the main opposition Chinese Nationalist Party or Kuomintang (KMT) and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), has proposed a set of controversial “legislative reform” bills, many of whose contents directly contradict the Constitution. The quality of those bills is sloppy and poor, and the legislative process seriously violates procedural justice. Taiwan’s democratic system is facing the most severe damage since the lifting of martial law.

The bills to expand the Legislature’s powers, which were forcibly passed the third reading, eventually spurred massive protests by the Taiwanese people at the end of this May. Not only in front of the Legislative Yuan, but many people across the country also stood up like rising bluebirds. They would not allow abusive politicians to invade their privacy, violate the constitutional order, and harm the people’s fundamental rights.

Most overseas Taiwanese cannot fly back to the homeland in time like bluebirds. Nevertheless, even in distant foreign lands, we still deeply care about Taiwan and support the determination of the Taiwanese people to defend democracy.

We condemn the KMT, the TPP, and those independent legislators who worked with the KMT for:

  • Forcing the third reading: The bills that arbitrarily expand the Legislature’s powers were passed without any substantive consideration and proper discussion as their passages failed to implement committee review, safeguard the minority parties’ rights to propose, and honor legislators’ rights to speak, all in violation of procedural justice.

We also urge the KMT, the TPP, and those independent legislators who worked with the KMT to withdraw the bills after the Executive Yuan requests a reconsideration, and instead:

  • Eliminate the unconstitutional power expansion clauses and strictly adhere to the separation of powers: The exercise of legislative power should not infringe on judicial power, supervisory power, or usurp administrative power;
  • Remove the abuse of legislative power clauses and protect fundamental human rights: The Legislative Yuan must not exercise any power without limits. Any provisions involving or restricting the rights of the people must strictly abide by the principles of the rule of law, clearly set out the purpose, scope, and requirements, firmly adhere to the principle of proportionality, and unambiguously stipulate procedural safeguards, in particular, shall not deprive the people of their right to assistance of counsel;
  • Add penalties for breach of duty by legislators: Any state power must be commensurate with its authorities and responsibilities. Greater power entails greater responsibility. The five “legislative reform” bills proposed by the KMT and TPP parties unidirectionally expand the Legislature’s power without limits, but there are no sanctions or penalties for legislators who violate the code of conduct and obligations. The parliamentary monster seems to be about to break out of the fence!

We also call on all Taiwanese to continue to watch closely other KMT-TPP proposed bills that would endanger Taiwan, including bills that have already been put on the agenda or introduced:

  • The three bills on Hualien-Taitung transportation, which lack environmental impact assessment and would cost as much as the Taiwan government’s total annual budget;
  • Proposals to shorten the naturalization process for Chinese spouses and to enact an absentee voting law that do not take into account Taiwan’s political realities;
  • Proposed amendments to the Anti-Infiltration Law that endanger Taiwan’s national security.

Taiwan’s democracy has never been the goodwill of the rulers, but has been guarded by the unremitting efforts of the Taiwanese people from generation to generation. The continuation of Taiwan’s democracy and rule of law must be defended by all Taiwanese together. We call on all overseas Taiwanese to speak out in support of our relatives, friends, and partners in Taiwan, so that Taiwan’s democracy can be sustained forever, and that the bluebirds can spread their wings freely and fly without fear.

Co-Signatory Organizations:

(Please see the list following the Hanji version)

響應528青鳥行動，世台會與台灣人公共事務會共同發起全球海外台灣人社團連署

連署發起人：

  • 世界台灣同鄉會聯合會（WFTA）
  • 台灣人公共事務會（FAPA）

《聲明全文》

青鳥展翅，動身護土 – 攜手捍衛民主的防線！

自今年2月22日第11屆立法院開議以來，藍白兩黨主導的國會發動了一連串的立法提案，許多提案內容直接牴觸憲法，立法品質草率粗糙，立法審查過程更嚴重違反程序正義，台灣的民主制度正經歷著解嚴以來最嚴重的斲傷。

強行三讀通過的國會擴權法案終於在五月天終結之際引發了台灣人民的集體抗議，不僅在立法院前，全國各地都有許多民眾站出來，猶如青鳥奮起，不容濫權政客侵門踏戶，違憲亂政，傷害人民權利。

身處海外的台灣人，不能如青鳥一般及時飛回家鄉，但我們仍然心繫台灣，在遙遠的異鄉支持台灣人民捍衛民主的決心。

我們譴責國民黨以及與之唱和的民眾黨、無黨籍立委：

  • 強行通過三讀：未經實質審議的國會擴權法案，未落實委員會審查，未保障少數黨的提案權以及國會議員的發言權的法案違反程序正義

我們也呼籲國民黨以及與之唱和的民眾黨、無黨籍立委在行政院覆議案提出後，退回法案：

  • 廢除違憲擴權條款，嚴守權力分立：立法權之行使不應侵犯司法權、監察權、架空行政權；
  • 廢除國會濫權條款，保障基本人權：立院行使任何權力不得漫無分際，任何涉及、限制人民權利之條款必須嚴守法治國原則，明確訂立目的、範圍、要件，恪守比例原則，明定程序保障，尤其不得剝奪人民的律師協助權；
  • 增訂立委違反義務罰則：任何國家權力必須權責相符。更大的權力必須負起更大的責任。藍白兩黨提出的國會五法單向無限擴權，卻對違反行為準則及義務的立委毫無制裁、罰則，國會怪獸彷彿即將破欄而出！

我們也呼籲所有台灣人繼續監督藍白兩黨的接下來的危台法案，包括已經排案或已拋出的提議：

  • 未經環評、花費達台灣政府一年總預算的花東交通三法；
  • 未考量台灣政治現實的縮短中籍配偶入籍年限提案以及不在籍投票法；
  • 危害台灣國安的反滲透法修改提案。

台灣的民主從來不是統治者的善意，而是由一代又一代的台灣人民的不懈心力守護而成。民主法治的持續，也只能由所有台灣人一起攜手捍衛。我們呼籲所有海外台灣人發聲支持台灣的親友、夥伴，讓台灣的民主永續長久，青鳥可以自由展翅，無懼飛翔。

連署單位 (Co-Signatory Organizations)：

  • 德國臺灣協會北區分會 Taiwan Verein in Deutschland e.V. Bezirk Nord
  • 澳洲昆士蘭台灣同鄉會 Taiwan Friendship Association of Queensland (TFAQ)
  • 紐西蘭台灣同鄉會
  • 台灣獨立建國聯盟，美國本部 World United Formosans for Independence – United States of America (WUFI-USA)
  • 全日本台灣連合會 All Japan Taiwanese Union (AJTU)
  • 全美台灣同鄉會 Taiwanese Association of America (TAA)
  • 奧地利台灣協會 Vereinigung der Taiwanesen in Österreich
  • 德國台灣協會 Taiwanverein in Deutschland e.V.
  • 德國台灣協會中南區分會 Taiwan Verein Deutschland, Bezirk Mitte-Süd
  • 在日台灣同鄉會 Taiwanese Association in Japan
  • 哥斯大黎加台灣協會 Asociación de Taiwan en Costa Rica
  • 澳台文化基金會 Australia Taiwan Culture Foundation
  • （澳洲）世界多元文化藝術協會 World Arts & Multi-Culture Inc. (WAMCI)
  • 菲律賓台灣同鄉會 Taiwanese Compatriot Association in the Philippines (TCAP)
  • 日本台灣後援會
  • 歐洲台灣協會 European Federation of Taiwanese Associations (EFTA)
  • 法國台灣協會 Association Formose en France
  • 英國台灣協會 Taiwanese Association in the UK
  • 瑞典台灣協會Taiwan Association in Sweden
  • 德國信賴後援會
  • 德國台灣心協會
  • 比利時台灣協會 Taiwanese Association in Belgium
  • 德國臺灣協會東區分會
  • 全美台灣人權協會 Formosan Association for Human Rights (FAHR)
  • 北美洲台灣婦女會 North America Taiwanese Women’s Association (NATWA)
  • 北美洲台灣人教授協會 North American Taiwanese Professors’ Association (NATPA)
  • 瑞士台灣協會 Taiwanese Association in Switzerland
  • 加拿大台灣同鄉會聯合會 Taiwanese-Canadian Association
  • 巴西台灣同鄉會
  • （美國）福爾摩沙藝術科技博物館 Formosan Arts & Technology Museum
  • 愛爾蘭台灣協會 Taiwan Ireland Association
  • TEAM TAIWAN 台美挺台灣
  • 在日台灣婦女會
  • 美國台灣文化協會 Taiwanese American Cultural Association (TACA)
  • 加拿大信賴台灣之友會
  • 歐洲信賴台灣後援會
  • 世界台灣人大會 World Taiwanese Congress (WTC)
  • 台灣獨立建國聯盟，加拿大本部 World United Formosans for Independence – Canada (WUFI-Canada)
  • 王康陸博士記念基金會
  • 華府信賴後援會
  • 北美洲台灣婦女會夏威夷分會 NATWA – Hawaii Chapter
  • 美國宇宙台灣社 TheUniTaiwan
  • 北美台灣客家公共事務協會 Taiwan Hakka Association for Public Affairs in North America
  • 加拿大信賴台灣之友會
  • 加拿大大溫哥華台灣同鄉會 Greater Vancouver Taiwanese-Canadian Association
  • 華府台灣同鄉會 TAA – Greater Washington Chapter (TAA-GWC)
  • 紐澤西台灣同鄉會 TAA – New Jersey Chapter (TAA-NJ)
  • 哥倫布台灣同鄉會 TAA- Columbus Chapter (TAACOLS)
  • 北加州台灣會館 Taiwanese American Center of Northern California
  • 北澤西台灣同鄉會 TAA – Northern New Jersey Chapter (TAA-NNJ)
  • 西雅圖信賴台灣後援會
  • 北美洲台灣人教授協會北加州分會 NATPA – North California Chapter
  • 聖地牙哥台灣同鄉會 San Diego Taiwanese Cultural Association
  • 巴爾地摩台灣同鄉會 TAA – Greater Baltimore & Columbia (TAA-GBC)
  • 巴拉圭台灣同鄉會 Asociación Cultural de Taiwan en Paraguay
  • 華府台灣文化中心 Greater Washington Taiwan Culture Center
  • 阿根廷台灣僑民聯合會 Asociación Civil de los Taiwaneses en Argentina
  • 大華府台灣合唱團 Greater Washington Taiwanese-American Chorus
  • 底特律台灣同鄉會 TAA – Detroit Chapter
  • 北美洲台灣人教授協會南加州分會 NATPA – South California Chapter
  • 紐西蘭台灣僑民協會 Taiwanese in New Zealand Association Inc. (TINZA)
  • 大洋洲信賴台灣之友會
  • 澳洲墨爾本台灣同鄉會 Taiwanese Association of Australia – Melbourne Chapter – 大紐約地區台灣人社團聯合會