Taiwan Church News

3266 Edition

September 22 - October 5, 2014

Headline News

PCT Pays Homage To The Scottish Independence Referendum

Reported By Lin Yi-yin

As the ratio of votes for Yes vs. No, regarding the Scottish Independence Referendum, is 45 to 55 under a 84% turn out rate, Scotland decides to remain in United Kingdom.

PCT also sends an observation group to monitor this independence referendum with 12 members, including Rev. Lo Ren-quei, Moderator of PCT General Assembly and the leader of this observation group; Professor Tsai Din-quei, President of Taiwan Plebiscite Union; Wu Juin-yen, Vice President of Restoration of Taiwan Social Justice; Chou Mei-li, Deputy General Secretary of Taiwan Solidarity Union(TAU); Iwan Sing, an aboriginal; Pasang, representative of ATIPP(Association of Taiwan Indigenous Peoples' Policy); some PCT committeerepresentatives from ecumenical and women, and reporters from Taiwan Church Press. This observation group launched on September 12 and back to Taiwan on September 23, then, holding a press conference in congress to report their findings during this Scottish Independence Referendum vote on September 24.

In the press conference, Rev. Lo Ren-quei expressed his thanksgiving to the arrangement and hospitality extended from Church of Scotland (CoS), making possible PCT's observation group to invite more Taiwan political parties, social groups and youth representatives to join. Lo said, the observation group is further divided into 4 units to watch more closely different dimensions of this referendum vote. The atmosphere of the independence referendum is peaceful, Lo said, and England does not threat Scotland in guns like China did toward Taiwan with thousands of missiles.

Rev. Lo thinks the referendum result shows that most Scottish young people support Yes camp, as they hope Scotland can have more sovereignty; most elderly people stand behind No camp, for they worry about the uncertainty caused by a drastic economical, financial and political change. And one thing deserves to be reminded, said Lo, the proposition of this independence referendum is very clear: Should Scotland be an independent country? Such clear-cut choice for the Scotland people cannot ever be more conspicuous, said Lo, and this is wholly different from Taiwan's referendum act, castrated by a bird-cage like legal mechanism and a practically impossible high threshold, leading nowhere yet have to be scrutinized by a rubber stamp committee before the proposition can be established. Taiwan has a long way to go before her people can cast their ballots for an independence referendum free of obstruction, Lo commented in a straight talk.

Iwan Sing, an aboriginal representative, said she finds that 80% of the native Scottish people are proud to claim they are the Scottish, even the remaining 20% as immigrants also highly identify themselves as the Scottish. She, therefore, urge the people on Taiwan island to bravely claim: "We are Taiwanese!"

Professor Tsai Din-quei, President of Taiwan Plebiscite Union, remarks that plebiscite is the most peaceful way to decide on the independence or unification issue. Evidenced from the Scottish Independence Referendum, which legitimacy supersedes over Scotland's constitution, Taiwan people no doubt has right to determine whether to unite with China or not, and is privileged to decide whether the extrinsic ruling of the Republic of China should be terminated for ever, said Tsai.

Chou Mei-li, Deputy Secretary of TAU, thinks the greatest significance she learned from this Scottish Independence Referendum is that "People Decide", as such self-determination is the most basic value of democracy.

Based on a 95% of voter's registration and 85% turn out, Pasang, representative of ATIPP, concludes this referendum vote is near a total mobilization of the Scotland, yet the absence of radical conflicts or bodily fighting is more remarkable. He praises CoS could hold a reconciliation service, reflecting the common values and goals of the Scottish people after this historical vote for independence. And this is a democracy mind set worthy to be learned by Taiwan society.

Translated by Peter Wolfe