Over 200 writers including award-winning Wu Ming-yi (吳明益) and Yang Shuang-zi (楊双子) have jointly issued a statement in support of removing unqualified legislators from their positions until they can “stop destroying Taiwanese literature” this Monday. Their movement is part of a recall campaign wave sweeping across Taiwan as civil groups submitted 20 recall vote proposals to remove legislators to the Central Election Commission last week.
DPP Legislator Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜), who has worked in the publishing industry, spoke to the importance of freedom of speech in Taiwan, saying she is concerned about it disappearing due to different political parties’ decisions. She noted that many writers have spoken out, calling for stability in the Legislature, and that she believes more people will stand up in the near future.
Those who work in cultural fields were the first to unite in opposition against the KMT and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) coalition that slashed the budget, according to DPP Caucus Chief Executive Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤). Wu suggested that the added support of the publishing industry and writers banding together should be a wake-up call, indicating to the Legislature the need to revisit their decisions.