Protestors took to the streets yesterday demanding improvements in work environments, bridging the wealth gap, better support for those in poverty, the abolition of the temporary worker system, and an overall improvement in the quality of life. The majority of the march was organized by labor groups and unions, with others like women's and youth groups joining in. Some protestors dressed like Sun Yat-Sen, the founder of the Republic of China, to protest the ruling party's failure to enact his "good living for all" vision.
 |
| May Day protests in Taipei |
The protest numbered around five thousand, with the biggest demand being an increase in the minimum wage, from 17,880 NT per month to 22,115 NT per month (an increase of about 130 USD). The demand is in response to the rising poverty rates, mostly due to increasing education costs which drive students deep into debt.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has expressed support for the protests. Spokesman Cheng Wen-tsan encouraged people to "voice your anger and dissatisfaction with the Ma Ying-jeou administration."
The last statement by the DPP is particularly telling about the political climate in Taiwan. The protests are, at best, a tangentially partisan issue and yet the DPP insists that these social woes be laid at the feet of the KMT. It's a political hotbed in Taiwan, with any and everything being turned into a political attack on the opposing party.
Source:
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2011/05/02/300732/Thousands-rally.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment