Shih Ming-te
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Shih Ming-teh (; 15 January 1941 – 15 January 2024), commonly known as Nori Shih, was a Taiwanese statesman and human rights defender. He was once a
political prisoner A political prisoner is someone imprisoned for their political activity. The political offense is not always the official reason for the prisoner's detention. There is no internationally recognized legal definition of the concept, although ...
for 25-and-a-half years. Arrested at the age of 21 in 1962 and charged with creating the "Taiwan Independence League" (a study group) with the intention of overthrowing the
Kuomintang The Kuomintang (KMT) is a major political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). It was the one party state, sole ruling party of the country Republic of China (1912-1949), during its rule from 1927 to 1949 in Mainland China until Retreat ...
government, Shih was sentenced to
life imprisonment Life imprisonment is any sentence (law), sentence of imprisonment under which the convicted individual is to remain incarcerated for the rest of their natural life (or until pardoned or commuted to a fixed term). Crimes that result in life impr ...
. The sentence was commuted to 15 years in 1975, and Shih was released on 16 June 1977. Shih promptly joined the ''
Tangwai The ''Tangwai'' movement, or simply ''Tangwai'' (), was a loosely knit political movement in Taiwan in the mid-1970s and early 1980s. Although the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) had allowed contested elections for a small number of seats in the Legi ...
'' (literally meaning "outside the party", because the Kuomintang was the only legally existing political party in Taiwan at that time), became a reporter for the ''
Liberty Times The ''Liberty Times'' is a national newspaper published in Taiwan. Founded by Lin Rong-San, it is published by the Liberty Times Group. The newspaper was first published on 17 April 1980, as Liberty Daily, before adopting its current name in 198 ...
'' and married the American researcher Linda Gail Arrigo. After he played a part in organizing the 10 December 1979 pro-democracy rally subsequently known as the
Kaohsiung Incident The Kaohsiung Incident, also known as the Formosa Incident, the Meilidao Incident, or the ''Formosa Magazine'' incident,tang was a crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations that occurred in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on 10 December 1979 during Taiwa ...
(also known as the Formosa Incident or Meilitao Incident), an arrest warrant was issued charging Shih with treason, and following 26 days on the run he was again arrested and sentenced to life in prison. In 1984, while he was incarcerated, Polish politician and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
Lech Wałęsa Lech Wałęsa (; ; born 29 September 1943) is a Polish statesman, dissident, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who served as the president of Poland between 1990 and 1995. After winning the 1990 Polish presidential election, 1990 election, Wałę ...
nominated him for the Peace Prize. In July 1987,
Chiang Ching-kuo Chiang Ching-kuo (, 27 April 1910 – 13 January 1988) was a politician of the Republic of China. The eldest and only biological son of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, he held numerous posts in the government of the Republic of China and ended ...
lifted
martial law Martial law is the replacement of civilian government by military rule and the suspension of civilian legal processes for military powers. Martial law can continue for a specified amount of time, or indefinitely, and standard civil liberties ...
and offered an amnesty to Shih, but he refused to accept. On 20 May 1990 he was finally released. In total, he spent 25 years in prison, 13 years in
solitary confinement Solitary confinement (also shortened to solitary) is a form of imprisonment in which an incarcerated person lives in a single Prison cell, cell with little or no contact with other people. It is a punitive tool used within the prison system to ...
and over 4 years on hunger strike. In 1993, he was elected leader of the legalized opposition Democratic Progressive Party. He was also elected legislator on three occasions. Shih proposed a political "grand reconciliation" in Taiwan. He resigned from the
Democratic Progressive Party The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a centre to centre-left Taiwanese nationalist political party in Taiwan. As the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition, one of the two main political camps in Taiwan, the DPP is currently the ...
on 14 November 2000. In 2006, Shih carried out a huge protest, known as
Million Voices Against Corruption, President Chen Must Go Million Voices against Corruption, President Chen Must Go (百萬人民反貪腐倒扁運動) was a Taiwanese campaign led by former Chairman Shih Ming-teh of the Democratic Progressive Party to pressure then-President Chen Shui-bian to resign ...
, in an effort to force the embattled president
Chen Shui-bian Chen Shui-bian ( zh, t=陳水扁; born 12 October 1950) is a Taiwanese former politician and lawyer who served as the fifth president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2000 to 2008. Chen was the first president from the Democratic Progres ...
to resign. He led a round-the-clock sit-in in front of the Presidential Building and
Taipei Railway Station Taipei Main Station () is a major metro and railway station in the capital Taipei, Taiwan. It is served by Taipei Metro, the Taiwan High Speed Rail, and Taiwan Railway. It is also connected through underground passageways to the terminal sta ...
in Taipei City, pledging to remain there until President Chen resigned, or he reached the end of his term in March 2008. On 5 December 2006, he left Taipei Railway Station pledging to continue the protest alone in "self-reclusion" at an apartment nearby. This protest ended April 2007. Shih was one of the most prominent personalities of the ''Tangwai'' movement and greatly contributed to Taiwan's democratization. He has been referred to by some as "Taiwan's Mandela" on account of his efforts for democracy and prolonged incarceration.


Early life

Shih Ming-teh's father Shih Kuo-tsui was a well-known practitioner of
Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. A large share of its claims are pseudoscientific, with the majority of treatments having no robust evidence of effectiveness or ...
. In February 1947, Shih Ming-teh witnessed at
Kaohsiung Station Kaohsiung Main Station () is a railway and metro station in Sanmin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan served by the Taiwan Railways Administration, Taiwan Railways and Kaohsiung Rapid Transit. It is one of four ''special class'' stations, the highest ...
that would later be known as the
February 28 Incident The February 28 incident (also called the February 28 massacre, the 228 incident, or the 228 massacre) was an anti-government uprising in Taiwan in 1947 that was violently suppressed by the Kuomintang–led nationalist government of the R ...
. The student leaders of schools were charged as instigators and some were executed as riots broke out. Students seized weapons from the Harbor Garrison and exchanged fire with the guards. Shih entered Kaohsiung's Chung-Cheng Senior High in 1957. In 1959, after failing to pass his college entrance exam, he signed up with the ROC Army, passing the admission exams for the artillery school. On occasion he vowed in public to overthrow the ROC government by force, through an armed coup d'état as an army officer. That same year, his girlfriend gave birth to a daughter when he was 19. Shih briefly served as an artillery officer in
Kinmen Kinmen, alternatively known as Quemoy, is a group of islands governed as a county by the Republic of China (Taiwan), only east from the city of Xiamen in Fujian, located at the southeastern coast of the People's Republic of China, from wh ...
.


First imprisonment: 1962–1977

In 1962 Shih was arrested for alleged involvement in the " Formosa Independence Movement"; over 30 more accomplices, mostly army school and university students, were also arrested. Shih's two brothers, poet and painter Shih Ming-cheng and medical school student Shih Ming-hsiung were among them. In 1964 Shih was sentenced to life imprisonment for orchestrating the independence movement. He was also stripped of his civil rights for life. Shih was roughed up and suffered the loss of his teeth and spinal damage at the age of 22. The
Kuomintang The Kuomintang (KMT) is a major political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). It was the one party state, sole ruling party of the country Republic of China (1912-1949), during its rule from 1927 to 1949 in Mainland China until Retreat ...
regime considered outspoken Shih as a highly dangerous political criminal and therefore prevented him from doing any forced labor that would put him in contact with the world outside prison. This gave him time to do research and study. Shih focused on philosophy, history, international law, linguistics and Japanese. He also developed a strong and resolute personality in prison. In the 1970s, Taiwan's government suffered several blows to its international status. First, its seat at the United Nations was taken over by the People's Republic of China, then the United States established official ties with Beijing, severing those with Taipei. A rebellion in the Taiyuan prison, where many of the inmates were political prisoners, was planned. Access to the Taitung radio station and a publicly broadcast declaration of Taiwan's independence from China was one of their goals. Many pro-independence prisoners took part in the plot. On 8 February 1970 five prisoners murdered a guard and tried to take his gun. Ultimately the five inmates broke from prison, only to be caught soon after. The breakout plot was foiled. The Kuomintang believed Shih was one of the masterminds of the uprising and therefore kept him in isolation during his time in Taiyuan. To this day, the investigation documents are still kept confidential and the implication of Shih was disputed by Shih himself, who sued Lin Shu-chi for defamation. In 1974, after 12 years of imprisonment, Shih's first wife Chen Li-chu asked for a divorce. She had had an affair with one of Shih's friends, who had been released before Shih. In 1975, when president Chiang Kai-shek died, his son
Chiang Ching-kuo Chiang Ching-kuo (, 27 April 1910 – 13 January 1988) was a politician of the Republic of China. The eldest and only biological son of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, he held numerous posts in the government of the Republic of China and ended ...
succeeded him as KMT Chairman. Under his rule, a leniency policy was implemented. On 16 June 1977, Shih was released after serving only 15 years of a life sentence.


Leader of the Kaohsiung Incident

During
Chiang Ching-kuo Chiang Ching-kuo (, 27 April 1910 – 13 January 1988) was a politician of the Republic of China. The eldest and only biological son of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, he held numerous posts in the government of the Republic of China and ended ...
's presidency, political opposition to the
Kuomintang The Kuomintang (KMT) is a major political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). It was the one party state, sole ruling party of the country Republic of China (1912-1949), during its rule from 1927 to 1949 in Mainland China until Retreat ...
was suppressed. After Peter Huang's attempt to assassinate Chiang proved unsuccessful, the KMT became more aware of opposition. Shih Ming-teh created a "party without a name" amidst the absence of freedom of association in Taiwan at that time. In September 1978 Shih became active in the ''Tangwai'' movement. In May 1979 this group of non-Kuomintang activists established the '' Meilitao Magazine,'' of which Shih was named general manager. During this time, he adopted the English nickname "Nori", after the Japanese pronunciation of the second
Chinese character Chinese characters are logographs used to write the Chinese languages and others from regions historically influenced by Chinese culture. Of the four independently invented writing systems accepted by scholars, they represent the only on ...
in his given name, "Teh". For historical reasons, this nickname served as a
shibboleth A shibboleth ( ; ) is any custom or tradition—usually a choice of phrasing or single word—that distinguishes one group of people from another. Historically, shibboleths have been used as passwords, ways of self-identification, signals of l ...
to enrage ''
Waishengren ''Waishengren'', sometimes called mainlanders, are a group of migrants who arrived in Taiwan from mainland China between the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II in 1945 and sometime following the Kuomintang retreat at the end of the ...
'' people in Taiwan (mainlanders whose ancestors fought the Japanese), and endear him to the ''
benshengren Benshengrenhttp://taiwanease.com/theknowledge/index.php?title=Native_Taiwanese are ethnic Hoklo or Hakka Taiwanese nationals who settled on the island prior to or during the Japanese colonization of Taiwan. Its usage is to differentiate the dif ...
'' (less-recent Hokkien migrants disenfranchised by the Waishengren, and who have a more positive view of Japanese colonization). On 10 December 1979, the ''Tangwai'' group commemorated
Human Rights Day Human Rights Day (HRD) is list of minor secular observances#December, celebrated annually around the world on 10 December every year. The date was chosen to honor the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation, on 10 December ...
in Kaohsiung. The rally operated without prior approval, with specific stipulations that no torches and weapons were allowed. Police intervened and clashed with the protestors resulting in various damage. The event would be known as the
Kaohsiung Incident The Kaohsiung Incident, also known as the Formosa Incident, the Meilidao Incident, or the ''Formosa Magazine'' incident,tang was a crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations that occurred in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on 10 December 1979 during Taiwa ...
, a milestone in Taiwan's democratization process. Three days later, Shih dramatically escaped:
Chang Wen-ying Chang Wen-ying (or Chang Wen-ing; ; born 26 July 1950) is a Taiwanese politician. She was imprisoned for two years after performing plastic surgery on Shih Ming-teh, who was attempting to flee Taiwan shortly after the Kaohsiung Incident. After ...
, then a dentist and later Mayor of
Taichung City Taichung (, Wade–Giles: '), officially Taichung City, is a special municipality in central Taiwan. Taichung is Taiwan's second-largest city, with more than 2.85 million residents, making it the largest city in Central Taiwan. It serves as th ...
, performed plastic surgery on Shih to change his looks so he could escape overseas. Shih was later caught along with the dentist, and sentenced to life in prison for the second time. During the 1980 Meilitao Incident trials Shih was defiant and proud facing a potentially fatal court-martial decision. He declared during his defense: "Taiwan should be independent, in fact, it already is, it has been for 30 years and currently it is known as the Republic of China". Shih also demanded an end to the political monopoly of the Kuomintang, the control of the Taiwanese press, and martial law, so that the 30-plus-year rubber-stamping legislative session could be dissolved.


Second imprisonment and hunger strike: 1980–1990

In 1983, one of Shih's allies,
Chen Wen-chen Chen Wen-chen (, sometimes romanized as ''Chen Wen-cheng'') was a Taiwanese assistant professor of mathematics (specializing in probability and statistics) at Carnegie Mellon University who died on under mysterious circumstances. After the con ...
, was murdered; Shih Ming-teh began a 1-month hunger strike to protest what he believed to be an assassination ordered by the secret police.
Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken * Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...
union leader
Lech Wałęsa Lech Wałęsa (; ; born 29 September 1943) is a Polish statesman, dissident, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who served as the president of Poland between 1990 and 1995. After winning the 1990 Polish presidential election, 1990 election, Wałę ...
(Nobel Peace 1983) nominated Shih Ming-teh for the 1984
Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize (Swedish language, Swedish and ) is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the Will and testament, will of Sweden, Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Nobe ...
.. In 1985, Shih commenced an indefinite
hunger strike A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance where participants fasting, fast as an act of political protest, usually with the objective of achieving a specific goal, such as a policy change. Hunger strikers that do not take fluids are ...
. He demanded an end to
martial law Martial law is the replacement of civilian government by military rule and the suspension of civilian legal processes for military powers. Martial law can continue for a specified amount of time, or indefinitely, and standard civil liberties ...
and state-sponsored political murders, implementation of a democratic system and release of all Meilitao Incident political prisoners. Shih was sent to the Tri-Service General Hospital and underwent
force-feeding Force-feeding is the practice of feeding a human or animal against their will. The term ''gavage'' (, , ) refers to supplying a substance by means of a small plastic feeding tube passed through the nose (nasogastric tube, nasogastric) or mouth (o ...
through a
nasogastric tube Nasogastric intubation is a medical process involving the insertion of a plastic tube (nasogastric tube or NG tube) through the nose, down the esophagus, and down into the stomach. Orogastric intubation is a similar process involving the insertion ...
during his four and half years of protest. On 15 July 1987, the 38-year-long order of martial law was declared over by the KMT government, when President
Chiang Ching-kuo Chiang Ching-kuo (, 27 April 1910 – 13 January 1988) was a politician of the Republic of China. The eldest and only biological son of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, he held numerous posts in the government of the Republic of China and ended ...
announced nationwide sentence reductions and conditional releases. Shih declined the offer. In 1988, Shih went on another hunger strike protest with his brother Shih Ming-cheng. His brother died on 23 August 1988; Shih survived.


Release

On 20 May 1990, the new president
Lee Teng-hui Lee Teng-hui (; pinyin: ''Lǐ Dēnghuī''; 15 January 192330 July 2020) was a Taiwanese politician and agricultural scientist who served as the fourth president of the Republic of China, president of the Taiwan, Republic of China (Taiwan) unde ...
officially assumed the presidency and ordered a special amnesty for all Meilitao Incident prisoners. Shih ripped up his amnesty document and demanded an unconditional release. When President Lee announced the invalidation of the Meilitao Trials, Shih Ming-teh finally accepted his release as an innocent person. Upon recovering his freedom, he joined the now legal
Democratic Progressive Party The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a centre to centre-left Taiwanese nationalist political party in Taiwan. As the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition, one of the two main political camps in Taiwan, the DPP is currently the ...
, which originated in the Tangwai movement.


Political career

In 1992, Shih was elected
legislator A legislator, or lawmaker, is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are often elected by the people, but they can be appointed, or hereditary. Legislatures may be supra-nat ...
for the Tainan County constituency in the
Legislative Yuan The Legislative Yuan () is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China (Taiwan) located in Taipei. The Legislative Yuan is composed of 113 members, who are directly elected for four-year terms by people of the Taiwan Area through a ...
. This election was the first free direct legislative elections in Taiwan history. Between 1994 and 1996 Shih was elected Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party. During his tenure, he claimed that "Taiwan is already an independent and sovereign nation, when the Democratic Progressive Party is in power, there is no need and it will not announce Taiwan's independence". At the same time Shih proposed a political and social Grand Reconciliation. Elected legislator for a new term in 1996, he ran for the presidency of the Legislative Yuan, gaining a vote from former archrival New Party but losing one from Democratic Progressive Party legislator Chang Chin-cheng. Liu Sung-pan was elected the
President of the Legislative Yuan The president of the Legislative Yuan is the presiding officer of the Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China. The incumbent president is Han Kuo-yu, a legislator from the Kuomintang. Election The president is elected by and from among al ...
. On 23 March 1996, Taiwan's first direct presidential election was held. The Democratic Progressive Party's candidate was defeated by incumbent president
Lee Teng-hui Lee Teng-hui (; pinyin: ''Lǐ Dēnghuī''; 15 January 192330 July 2020) was a Taiwanese politician and agricultural scientist who served as the fourth president of the Republic of China, president of the Taiwan, Republic of China (Taiwan) unde ...
, with only 21.1% of the vote (The DPP got around 30% in before regional elections). Shih Ming-teh resigned to his position as party chief, and Chang Chun-hsiung assumed as acting leader of the opposition party. Shih shifted his attention to the completion of the "Meilitao
Oral History Oral history is the collection and study of historical information from people, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews. These interviews are conducted with people who pa ...
Records". On 1 April 1997, Shih was indicted for a violation to the Mass Gathering and Demonstration Act. He had organized in 1992 a protest demanding direct presidential elections.
Huang Hsin-chieh Huang Hsin-chieh (; 20 August 1928 – 30 November 1999) was a Taiwanese politician, Taipei city council member, National Assembly representative, Legislative Yuan legislator, publisher of ''Formosa Magazine'' and Taiwan Political Theory magazi ...
,
Hsu Hsin-liang Hsu Hsin-liang (; born 27 May 1941) is a Taiwanese politician, formerly Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). He was a supporter of the Pan-Blue Coalition from 2000 to 2008 but then supported the DPP in the 2008 presidential elect ...
and
Lin Yi-hsiung Lin Yi-hsiung (; born 24 August 1941) is a Taiwanese politician and lawyer. He was a major leader of the Democracy, democratization movement in Taiwan. He was first exposed to politics in 1976 while serving as attorney for (1908–1985) who sue ...
went to prison with Shih for 50 days. This was the third time Shih was imprisoned, but now as a legislator. He was released after 41 days. In 1998, Shih was re-elected legislator but this time representing a
Taipei City , nickname = The City of Azaleas , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Countr ...
constituency. He would continue his efforts for the completion of the "Meilitao Oral History Records". In three years, 200 individuals of the political spectrum. The oral testimonies amounted to over 6 million words, and were edited to a 600,000-word four-volume version. To date, this is the most comprehensive historical research of the 1970–1990 era in Taiwan's development, earning it a publishing prize. This was the result of Shih's individual efforts, using his own financial and personal resources. Neither the Democratic Progressive Party nor the government of Taiwan has helped complete this overwhelming historic research project. In 2000,
Chen Shui-bian Chen Shui-bian ( zh, t=陳水扁; born 12 October 1950) is a Taiwanese former politician and lawyer who served as the fifth president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2000 to 2008. Chen was the first president from the Democratic Progres ...
, the former Mayor of Taipei City, was elected president. Shih congratulated the leader of the Democratic Progressive Party
Lin Yi-hsiung Lin Yi-hsiung (; born 24 August 1941) is a Taiwanese politician and lawyer. He was a major leader of the Democracy, democratization movement in Taiwan. He was first exposed to politics in 1976 while serving as attorney for (1908–1985) who sue ...
for the triumph. He said in an interview that since his childhood dream of ousting Chiang's KMT regime had been accomplished, he would leave the political party. In May, Chen before he assumed the presidency, visited Shih's office to personally ask him if he was willing to be appointed senior political advisor. Shih rejected Chen's offer once more, but instead proposed Hsu Hsin-liang for the position. Shih condemned President Chen for leading the country with a minority government, ignoring the KMT majority in the Legislative Yuan and risking political stability. After Chen rejected his suggestion for an alliance with the opposition majority in the Legislative Yuan, Shih further walked away from the party. Believing that Taiwan's greatest challenge in the 21st century was globalization, together with former colleagues Hsu Hsin-liang and Sisy Chen, the famous Wen Shih-ren and a dozen other intellectuals and entrepreneurs, founded the "''Shan'' (Mountain) Alliance". Their goal: to draw a road map for Taiwan in the 21st century. Shih ran as an independent twice, in December 2001 and December 2004. On the first occasion he lost with 24,925 votes, on the second he narrowly lost the race by receiving 26,974 votes in the highly contested Taipei North Constituency. He had proposed a parliamentary political system to overcome the aggravation of political differences in Taiwan's society. In December 2002, Shih ran as a mayoral candidate for Kaohsiung City. His platform: turn the port-city into a
free port A free-trade zone (FTZ) is a class of special economic zone. It is a geographic area where goods may be imported, stored, handled, manufactured, or reconfigured and re-exported under specific customs regulation and generally not subject to ...
, much like Hong Kong or
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
, to cope with the challenge of
globalization Globalization is the process of increasing interdependence and integration among the economies, markets, societies, and cultures of different countries worldwide. This is made possible by the reduction of barriers to international trade, th ...
. Direct maritime links with Chinese ports were also part of the proposal. Shih perceived that the political division was so severe that he decided to announce his withdrawal three days before the election. In September 2003, Shih Ming-teh was a visiting scholar at
George Mason University George Mason University (GMU) is a Public university, public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., the university is named in honor of George Mason, a Founding Father ...
for a one-year period. During his tenure, Shih researched what he called the "One China: European Union Model" as a means of ending the impasse between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, and reiterated his proposal for a constitutional amendment in favor of a parliamentary system, in an attempt to put an end to the political polarization into the two camps (blue or Kuomintang-based and green or Democratic Progressive Party-centered) which was deteriorating into ethnic rivalry between Chinese refugees coming to rule Taiwan in 1949, and those who were there before that time. On 6 October 2005, the Department of Political Science at the
National Taiwan University National Taiwan University (NTU; zh, t=國立臺灣大學, poj=Kok-li̍p Tâi-oân Tāi-ha̍k, p=, s=) is a National university, national Public university, public research university in Taipei, Taiwan. Founded in 1928 during Taiwan under J ...
opened the "Shih Ming-teh Lecture" series; ethnic harmony, political reconciliation and cross-strait peace are its core values. In May 2006, the "Shih Ming-teh Lecture" invited
Frederik Willem de Klerk Frederik Willem de Klerk ( , ; 18 March 1936 – 11 November 2021) was a South African politician who served as the seventh and final state president of South Africa from 1989 to 1994 and as deputy president alongside Thabo Mbeki under Preside ...
, Former
State President of South Africa The State President of the Republic of South Africa () was the head of state of South Africa from 1961 to 1994. The office was established when the country 1960 South African republic referendum, became a republic on 31 May 1961, outside the ...
, to a dialog with Shih Ming-teh: "Maintaining Peace: South Africa's Experience, a Perspective for Taiwan?" was the topic. In May 2015, Shih announced his intention to run for president as an independent candidate in 2016. He again reiterated the Broad One China Framework first proposed in 2014, in which China and Taiwan govern one legal entity separately. Both governments would be allowed to join international organizations and not use military force against the other, instead "resolving issues through consensus." Shih ended his campaign in September, as he had not been able to fulfill the
Central Election Commission An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...
requirements needed to stand in the 2016 election.


Million Voices Against Corruption, Chen Must Go Campaign


Chronology

On 9 August 2006, Shih wrote an open letter to President
Chen Shui-bian Chen Shui-bian ( zh, t=陳水扁; born 12 October 1950) is a Taiwanese former politician and lawyer who served as the fifth president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2000 to 2008. Chen was the first president from the Democratic Progres ...
, whose aides, wife and son-in-law were implicated in several corruption cases. Shih urged Chen to resign as a display of strength in times of crisis, respect for public opinion and acknowledgement of wrongdoing. Ironically, Chen Shui-bian had been Shih's defense attorney in the aftermath of the
Kaohsiung Incident The Kaohsiung Incident, also known as the Formosa Incident, the Meilidao Incident, or the ''Formosa Magazine'' incident,tang was a crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations that occurred in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on 10 December 1979 during Taiwa ...
and had been imprisoned for 18 months himself. On 12 August 2006, Shih gave a keynote speech to kick-start the "Million Voices Against Corruption-Chen Must Go" campaign in the 28 February Incident Memorial Park. He argued that the people could not bear with so much corruption anymore. Shih asked of all those who supported the movement a NT$100 (US$3, €2.3) donation as a symbol of commitment and consent, as well as a display of determination to ask Chen Shui-bian to leave the Presidential Office. Shih vowed to lead the people in a protest until Chen Shui-bian stepped down if the donations came in. By 22 August 2006, a sum equivalent of that from over 1 million people had been received (the actual number of donors cannot be computed because there was no restriction on the maximum amount of money one could transfer to the designated account) in only seven days. The designated account was quickly closed and the preparations for the marathon protest started. On 1 September 2006, the anti-corruption campaign organizers started training for the sit-ins (emergency procedures in case of police intervention). The sit-in began on a rainy day on 9 September 2006. According to the Chinapost, over 300,000 people gathered that day on Ketagalan Avenue, in front of the Presidential Building in Taipei under the pouring rain. The Taipei Police Department claimed there were only 90,000 protestors. According to the organizers' request, most of them were wearing red shirts; no controversial flags or political icons should be displayed, not even the Republic of China flag, perceived as a pro-Kuomintang device. Some protestors still brought along a small Republic of China flag or other campaign items with them. On 15 September 2006, a Democratic Progressive Party Taipei city counselor booked the Ketagalan Boulevard site where the red-clad protestors were still gathered. Shih Ming-teh decided to move the protest to Taipei Railway Station. A climax was reached the night of the procession: a large perimeter of over 5.5 kilometers around the heavily guarded Presidential Building and Residence at the heart of Taipei was quickly flooded by peaceful red-clad protestors: the ''China Post'' reported that over 8 hundred thousand people had joined the candlelight encirclement; the Taipei Police again contradicted this with an estimate of 3 hundred thousand. On 22 September 2006, Shih declared that he would not form his own political party nor participate in any political negotiations, he also made it clear that he was not willing to engage in negotiations with former president Lee Teng-hui; instead he would stay with the red-clad anti-Chen protestors. On 20 November 2006, Shih Ming-teh urged Taipei City Mayor
Ma Ying-jeou Ma Ying-jeou ( zh, t=馬英九; pinyin: ''Mǎ Yīngjiǔ''; ; born 13 July 1950) is a Taiwanese politician, lawyer, and legal scholar who served as the sixth president of the Republic of China from 2008 to 2016. A member of the Kuomintang (KMT ...
(the Kuomintang's 2008 presidential hopeful) to resign amidst accusations of corruption. Shih said he was not contemplating anti-corruption protests against Ma, but insisted there should not be double standards regarding corruption allegations. Ma was acquitted. On 30 November 2006, the last night of protest by the Million Voices Against Corruption, Chen Must Go Campaign. Shih Ming-teh later travelled to Thailand for a TV interview and panel discussion. On 7 December 2006, the Special State Funds case of President Chen and his wife was underway, campaign organizers claimed that Taiwan needed to go back to normal, but Shih would protest until Chen stepped down. On 1 April 2007, Shih announced the end to his self-imprisonment and started preparations for the second stage of the anti-Chen campaign. Plans involved presenting candidates for the next legislative elections. Originally scheduled for late 2007, the elections would instead be carried out in early 2008.


Personal life

Shih was married to Linda Arrigo from 1978 to 1995.Arrigo and Lin (2011). "5. Revolutionary Lovers: A Match Made by the Taiwan Garrison Command". He later married . Chen was an advocate for
LGBTQ rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Nota ...
and
same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
in Taiwan. Chen also led the Shih Ming-teh Culture Foundation.


Death

Shih died on 15 January 2024 of cancer at
Taipei Veterans General Hospital Taipei Veterans General Hospital () is a national first-class medical center and a teaching hospital that provides tertiary patient care, undergraduate medical education programs and residency programs in Taiwan. It was founded in 1958 and admin ...
, on his 83rd birthday. Several Taiwanese political figures acknowledged Shih's death.
Lai Ching-te Lai Ching-te (; pinyin: ''Lài Qīngdé''; born 6 October 1959), also known as William Lai, is a Taiwanese politician and former physician who is currently serving as the eighth president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) since May 2024. He is ...
described Shih as a "trailblazer for democracy, a staunch defender of human rights, and a wise and courageous politician."
Tsai Ing-wen Tsai Ing-wen (; pinyin: ''Cài Yīngwén''; born 31 August 1956) is a Taiwanese politician and legal scholar who served as the seventh president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2016 to 2024. A member of the Democratic Progressive Party ...
stated that Taiwanese people would "consolidate all our endeavors and persist in building a better Taiwan," reflecting Shih's dedication to the same cause.
Chiang Wan-an Chiang Wan-an ( Chinese: 蔣萬安; born Chang Wan-an; 26 December 1978), also known by his English name Wayne Chiang, is a Taiwanese politician and lawyer who has served as the mayor of Taipei since December 2022. A member of the Kuomintang (KM ...
commended Shih's advocacy for Taiwanese people and efforts to monitor government actions.


Controversy

Shih was often considered a "romantic revolutionary" in Taiwan media. He believed that he was rooted in his ability "to pursue unlimited aspirations and ideals under restrictive conditions". The latest editions of Taiwan's High-School textbooks list Shih Ming-teh as a political activist. Shih's former Legislative Yuan secretary, cartoonist and writer , thinks Shih "is never quite sure of his own place in history". Shih was accused by his former wife Chen Li Zhu, in her book ''The Innocent Song of a Taiwanese Woman'', of using her as a sex toy, and failing his responsibility as a husband. Chen also claimed Shih had been indifferent to his responsibility toward their daughter. Shih Ming-teh often said: "I have been locked up for 25 years, where were you then?". Another former secretary of Shih, Kuo Wen-pin, wrote about his opinion of Shih in Taiwan Daily (15 October 2000): Taking a look at 40 years of his struggle for Taiwan's democracy, he revealed himself as a visionary, making several pioneering proposals ahead of his time. Over 20 years ago, Shih already said the four evils of Taiwan's path towards democracy were the political monopoly by the Kuomintang, the press control in Taiwan, the martial law and the " Ten-thousand-year Congress". Risking the death penalty, Shih advocated for a "Republic of China, Taiwanese Independence Model", and added that "Taiwan is already an independent country, it has been so for over 30 years". For his opinions, Shih was considered seditious and the media, organizations, academia, everyone attacked him and humiliated him, only for the Democratic Progressive Party to adopt and implement his ideas; they even led the way to Lee Teng-hui's "Silent Revolution" political compromises. When the Kuomintang's 50 years in power ended, the Chen Shui-bian administration accepted some of his teachings. Arrests and repression are no longer the defensive measures of the regime when facing harsh criticism, but the abuse of public power and the media by individuals to insult, humiliate, and defame others is still common practice. The DPP party has vowed to improve its image with more diplomatic means, but this has yet to be seen. In the aftermath of Shih's "red-shirt" movement, he became a darling of PRC-controlled media, including CCTVPhoenix TV, and the People's Daily. Shih's efforts in discrediting the DPP have been widely praised and reported by various media outlets controlled or owned by the Chinese government. On 20 November 2006, ifeng.com, web portal of pro-CCP television channel Phoenix TV, reported Shih planned a trip to Thailand to discuss his "red shirt" philosophy. In the same article, Shih also rebutted claims by representative of the American Institute in Taiwan that the red shirts instigated violence and caused social upheaval. On 16 January 2010
chinanews.com.cn, a PRC media outlet, reported the possibility of Shih running for presidency in 2012.
On 19 April 2010, www.chinataiwan.org, a Chinese government sponsored site, reported Shih claimed numerous prominent DPP leaders, including Chen Shui-bian and Hsieh Chang-ting, were undercover agents for the Kuomintang against political dissidents during the 1980s. According to Huaxia.com, yet another pro-CCP website, Shih's accusations have caused a general panic in the DPP. A former supporter and pastor of the Presbyterian Church, Wang, Jie Nan, wrote an opinion piece highlighting his disappointment with Shih, starting from Shih's "red shirt" movement and his subsequent efforts to undermine the DPP with outlandish accusations. On 17 April 2011, Shih courted controversy when he asked
Tsai Ing-Wen Tsai Ing-wen (; pinyin: ''Cài Yīngwén''; born 31 August 1956) is a Taiwanese politician and legal scholar who served as the seventh president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2016 to 2024. A member of the Democratic Progressive Party ...
to publicly disclose her sexual orientation before she participated in her presidential bid. Despite his own support for
LGBT rights in Taiwan The rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the Republic of China (Taiwan) are regarded as some of the most comprehensive of those in Asia. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity are legal, and same-s ...
, Shih was roundly criticized by major women's groups including the Awakening Foundation, the Taiwan Women's Link and the Taiwan Gender Equity Education Association. Tsai herself characterized the request as "surprising" and refused to reply.


Works

* Shih Ming-te, 2021, "死囚 ("Death row inmates ")—— Memoire of Shih Ming-te 1962-1964 volume I ", new edition. Taipei, China times publishing Co. * Shih Ming-te, 2006, "" ("''Spring in a Prison Cell''"), new edition. Taipei, Linking books. * Shih Ming-te, 2002, " ("''The Selfless Devotee''"). Taipei, Commonwealth Publishing Group. * New Taiwan Foundation, 2002, "" ("''A timeless theme: dialogs between Shih Ming-te and Wei Jingsheng''"), Taipei, Linking books. * Shih Ming-te, 2001, " ("''Reading Shih Ming-te''"). Taipei, New Taiwan Foundation. * Shih Ming-te, 1988, "" ("''Shih Ming-te's Political Testament: The Formosa Incident Hearings''"). Taipei, Avanguard. * Shih Ming-te, 1989, "" ("''Spring in a Prison Cell''"), Kaohsiung, Tunli Publishing. * Shih Ming-te, 1992, "" ("''Spring in a Prison Cell: A Collection of Essays''"). Taipei, Avangard. * New Taiwan Foundation, 1995, "" ("''Shih Ming-te's Three-year Term in the Legislative Yuan''"). Taipei, New Taiwan Foundation.


See also

*
Politics of the Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is governed in a framework of a representative democracy, representative democratic republic under a five-power system first envisioned by Sun Yat-sen in 1906, whereby under the constitutiona ...
*
Kaohsiung Incident The Kaohsiung Incident, also known as the Formosa Incident, the Meilidao Incident, or the ''Formosa Magazine'' incident,tang was a crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations that occurred in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on 10 December 1979 during Taiwa ...
*
Million Voices Against Corruption, President Chen Must Go Million Voices against Corruption, President Chen Must Go (百萬人民反貪腐倒扁運動) was a Taiwanese campaign led by former Chairman Shih Ming-teh of the Democratic Progressive Party to pressure then-President Chen Shui-bian to resign ...


Notes and references


Notes


References


Further reading

* Chee Soon Juan, 1998, 《To be Free – stories from Asia's Struggle against Oppression》Australia, Monash Asia Institute Monash University * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Shih, Ming-Teh 1941 births 2024 deaths Democratic Progressive Party Members of the Legislative Yuan Taiwan independence activists Civil rights activists Democratic Progressive Party chairpersons Taiwanese male writers Taiwanese revolutionaries Taiwanese democracy activists Taiwanese human rights activists Taiwanese people of Hoklo descent Taiwanese prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Taiwan Politicians of the Republic of China on Taiwan from Kaohsiung Tainan Members of the Legislative Yuan Members of the 2nd Legislative Yuan Members of the 3rd Legislative Yuan Members of the 4th Legislative Yuan Taiwanese hunger strikers Taipei Members of the Legislative Yuan Deaths from cancer in Taiwan