Taiwan Church News 3300 Edition May 25 - 31, 2015 Church Ministry Chan I-hua, Pro-Democracy And Taiwan Independence Activist Is Remembered Reported by Chen Yi-hsuan In the afternoon on May 19, a commemorative ceremony was held for Mr Chan I-hua, who was respected as one of Taiwan's nation-founding martyr after his public self-immolation 26 years ago in a 1989 funeral parade for the outspoken journalist Mr Cheng Nan-jung who was defiantly self-immolated during a police raid in order to protest the authority's cramp down of his press freedom to publish a constitutional draft of the Republic of Taiwan. Many citizens and civil groups, including the General Assembly for Farmers' Rights, Nation-Founding Martyr Chan I-hua Memorial Foundation and etc, queued with flowers before the bronz statue of Chan I-hua to pay their respect. Mr. Su Beng, famous writer of Taiwan's 400 years history and an TaiwanIndependence activist, led the crowd to chant: "Love Live! A-hua!". "The Taiwanese people has to unite in the solidarity", said Su Beng, "as an independent Taiwan could only be fulfilled in the solidarity of the people. We can not just fight for our bellies, the future of Taiwan deserves a more serious thought and fight!". A musical and commemorative service ceremony was held, prelude by a song -"The Marine State", sung by Chen Min-chan, who was a renown musician with devour social-politically consciousness. Rev. Wang Lien-su, Moderator of PCT Chiayi presbytery, delivered his sermonthemed on love quoting John 3:16 as his core message. "Because God loved us first, then we could love Taiwan this mother land", pointed out Rev. Wang, "Chan I-hua sacrificed for Taiwan as he loved this land so much, his spirit deserves our commemoration and imitation." Many pastors from Chiayi presbytery came to attend this ceremony; Rev. Hwang Chu-en and Rev. Song Hsin-sie of the Church and Society Committee of Tainan Presbytery also attended. Twu Shiing-jer, Mayor of Chiayi City, remarked that if Taiwan wanted to becomea new and independent country then the Taiwanese people should learn the sacrificial spirit of Chan I-hua. Chan Chan-kun, father of Chan I-hua, also attended this memorial service in alow-key manner without walking up the stage. Dai Jeng-yao, Chairman of Chan I-hua Memorial Foundation, expressed hisappreciation for the continuous commemoration of Chan in the past 26 years. Especially, he paid tribute to the long term engagement of PCT to care and concern about Taiwan's democracy and social reform like recruitment and training of Urban Rural Movement (URM) movement and etc. In the end of the memorial service, accompanied by the beautiful saxophonemusics by Chen Jin-sen, a long term Taiwan Independence inclined musician, the crowd took flowers to pay their tribute before the bronze statue of Chan I-hua located in Teh-gia Hydro-Fraternity Park. Translated by Peter Wolfe |