Taiwan protesters mass for anti-president rally

Taipei, Sept 9: Crowds opposed to Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian began gathering in central Taipei today in response to calls for a huge weeklong demonstration aimed at unseating the scandal-plagued leader.

Taiwan's financial markets have come under pressure this week in the run-up to the protest, which is organised by the ''Million Person Depose Bian'' movement led by Shih Ming-teh, former chairman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

''Our goal for the demonstration is to gauge the passion level of the public,'' campaign spokesman Chang Fu-chung told Reuters.

''It'll come to a point when it will be difficult for him to ignore public pressure,'' he told Reuters, adding that he was optimistic that Chen would be ousted despite the president's repeated vow to serve out his term until May 2008.

Despite heavy rain in Taipei early today, campaigners expected between 240,000 and 300,000 people to show up for the demonstration, set to begin at 0700 GMT.

Organisers said the mass protest, which was expected to continue until next Friday, was triggered by public frustration over a series of scandals involving Chen's family and officials in his administration.

Chen and his wife have been questioned over the use of the presidential office's state affairs budget, while son in-law Chao Chien-ming has been charged with insider training.

Several high-level officials have also stepped down prematurely this year due to a series of corruption scandals.

Demonstration organisers planned to have more than 500 marshals on hand over the coming week to help prevent or control any violence, a campaign staffer said. Local media said 20,000 police would be on duty.

Chen's office has said the president would neither step down nor meet the crowd. He rejects the allegations of corruption and says he did not pocket any money from the state affairs budget.

''I am politically responsible and I am morally responsible,'' Chen said in Palau earlier this week when he meet diplomatic allies in the South Pacific.

Yesterday, about 4,000 people demonstrated in Taipei to express support for Chen, who was elected in 2000 and 2004, and for Taiwan's independence from China. China regards self-ruled Taiwan as a breakaway province.

REUTERS