The Erosion of Human Rights in Taiwan Continues: The KMT Seeks the Right to Go on Fishing Expeditions Against its Enemies.

Wednesday March 11, by Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

Whenever the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) says that it is against corruption, step back and examine what it professes to support and what it condones. Ma Ying-jeou's secretary is in jail because he "laundered" nearly a half a million US dollars into Ma's bank account; yet, Ma Ying-jeou is found innocent by the KMT courts and so walks the streets proclaiming his virtue. Diane Lee was forced to resign her position as a KMT legislator because she illegally collected US$3 million dollars in salary, but she also walks the streets free. This is not corruption in the KMT's mind and they will not pursue restitution. These are two of many examples of KMT justice. But not satisfied with that KMT Legislator Hsieh Kuo-liang wants to have the right to go on fishing expeditions against KMT enemies.

In violation of a person's right to privacy, Hsieh has proposed an amendment to allow him and his cohorts to access personal information against individuals without that person's knowledge. He wants the privileges of a police state in the name of rooting out corruption.

Anyone living in Taiwan is well aware of how Chiu Yi and other KMT Legislators including Diane Lee of past practice have abused their privilege of legislative immunity to make wild claims about people. Hsieh now wants to extend that privilege to sift through an individual's private life to find any information that could be twisted into accusations against them.

One has only to look at the recent political persecution of former National Science Council head Hsieh Ching-chih who was indicted on corruption charges. Hsieh was an innocent man but had to endure detention and his name dragged through the mud for over a year. Thus, though he was later found innocent, the damage was done to his reputation and career. This is what can happen even with the human right to privacy protected. What KMT Legislator Hsieh Kuo-liang wants now is to even void one's right to privacy so that the KMT can more freely attack its enemies. So when you hear the KMT talk of wanting to expose corruption, ask the question, "Whose corruption are they revealing?"