Red shock in Taipei! / NGOI Guat Peng and TAN Leang Lee
In 15 September 2006, Taipei Central Library has made an announcement as below：“Due to the depose movement at Ketagalan Boulevard, we would like to remind all the readers about the changing of the bus route. Please be careful when you are leaving the library. Thank you.” A touching reminder for readers.
As a visiting scholar in the Chinese Studies Center, I have been provided with a research office located at the sixth floor. Through my window, Chiang Kai Sek Memorial Hall, a sacrosanct spot for the democratic movement in Taipei, can be viewed directly. And now, the great social movement is taking place at Ketagalan Boulevard, which is on the right side of the library. I called it “the holy place of red wave.”
People wearing red shirt, red ribbon on the hand, and even mark a “depose Ah Bian” tattoo in their forehead. In Malaysia , I have never seen as many women and children joining the political movement. Even men are not allowed to strive for their right on the street. We don’t have marching act, we are under control in all kinds of Act by government.
I admired them. They are brave. They are not afraid of expressing their anger and demanding for a responsible president, who really cares for his people and country. They have the right to be a free soul, without silence and selfishness, to administer civil responsibility. Although I am an outsider, I wanted to be an insider in this historical period, and learn from their experience.
Special terms
Ketagalan Boulevard 凱達格蘭大道
the holy place of red wave 紅潮聖地
Author’s biography
Ngoi Guat Peng 魏月萍, eamed her master degree at National Taiwan University in 2000. Recently she is a Ph.D candidate at National University of Singapore. Her current research is focus on Late Ming Intellectual History. She was a feature reporter in Malaysia Chinese press in 2000-2003. She also has edited a comment magazine --- “Minjian” in Malaysia.
Contact address: Block 2, #03-145, Normanton Park, 118999 Singapore.
Photographer’s biography
Tan Leang Lee陳聯利, graduated from department of History at National Taiwan University in 2002. Currently he is a script creator in Da Huang company, active in Chinese independent film making.
Contact address: Block 2, #03-145, Normanton Park, 118999 Singapore.
