Taiwan's jailed ex-leader addresses supporters

TAIWAN: Taiwan's jailed ex-leader Chen Shui-bian addressed hundreds of supporters in a 20-minute speech at a ceremony for his late mother-in-law Friday, just a week before the island goes to the polls.

Chen, allowed to leave Taipei Prison under escort for the event, made his longest public statement since being jailed over two years ago at a sensitive time when his old party is struggling to regain the island's presidency.

"I want to thank my mother-in-law for giving me a good wife to encourage me to be brave and insist on Taiwan sovereignty during my eight years," Chen, who was president from 2000 to 2008, said via loudspeaker.

The ritual took place at a funeral home in the southern city of Tainan, a centre of support for the anti-China Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), once chaired by Chen, who now serves a jail term of 17 and a half years. More than 300 supporters turned up outside the venue, some of them waving campaign flags for Tsai Ing-wen, the current chairwoman of the DPP who is running for president in the January 14 election.

"I'm very moved and very saddened by Chen's talk," said one of the backers, Yang Chao, as she clutched a doll with the former president's likeness.

"I hope Tsai Ing-wen will win the election so she can pardon Chen and release him from prison and also protect Taiwan from China." Others chanted slogans against incumbent President Ma Ying-jeou, chanting "Ma step down."

Taiwan has been ruled separately from China since the end of a civil war in 1949, but Beijing still claims sovereignty over the island and has vowed to get it back, by force if necessary.

The DPP urges a cautious approach towards economically powerful China, while Ma's Kuomintang party is seeking closer trade and investment ties with the mainland.

The last opinion surveys released last week show Ma in a slight lead over Tsai.

Chen also said that his late mother-in-law, who died last week at age 85, had been ordered to testify in his corruption case despite her frailty.

Her funeral is set for next week, but he has been barred from attending that event by authorities apparently worried it could lead to tumultuous scenes if he emerged in front of a large number of people. AFP