http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/03/26/taiwan.recount/index.html
Clashes as Taiwan mulls recount
Friday, March 26, 2004 Posted: 1136 GMT (1936 HKT)
Thousands have hit the streets since the vote, demanding a recount.
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Angry protesters have stormed Taiwan's Central Election
Commission, which has formally declared President Chen Shui-bian the
winner of Saturday's disputed poll.
Demanding a recount, hundreds of opposition supporters hurled eggs
and clashed with riot police Friday as they tried to break through
a security cordon.
The demonstration took place while lawmakers were gathering to thrash
out legislation that could call for a speedy recount of the disputed
election vote.
Friday's legislative meeting had raised hopes the election controversy
and ensuing political crisis might be resolved soon.
Chen won the March 20 poll by a razor-thin margin of 0.2 percent.
His challenger, Lien Chan, demanded a recount and pushed to nullify
the vote.
Lien says the vote was marred by irregularities, and he claims an
assassination attempt on the eve of the vote that left the president
and Vice President Annette Lu slightly injured unfairly influenced
the outcome.
With little details about the shooting available, Lien has demanded
a full explanation of the incident before the election results can
be accepted.
The opposition's claims have brought thousands of protesters to the
streets since the vote, demanding a recount.
Ballot boxes have been sealed and the matter is before Taiwan's court.
But it could take several months before the matter is resolved through
the court process.
Chen's Democratic Progressive Party is pushing for a bill that would
trigger a recount should the winning election margin be less than 0.5
percent. The legislation would be applied retrospectively to Saturday's
vote.
The DPP says the bill would allow a quick recount, but the opposition
has been at odds with lawmakers -- who came to blows earlier this week
when discussing the legislation.
But on Friday a compromise seemed likely. The DPP proposal calls for
the Central Election Commission to hold the recount, overseen by
prosecutors.
The KMT proposal is similar, but it wants the recount to be done by
election officials and judges and completed within 30 days.
An agreement on the legislation may go towards ending the political
uncertainty that has gripped Taiwan and prompted concern from the
mainland and the United States.
The capital Taipei was bracing for a massive weekend rally from KMT
supporters to protest the election and demand an independent investigation
into the shooting.
Though the government has tried to debunk widespread speculation the
shooting was somehow staged, many in Taiwan are still suspicious.
Taiwan is at a political crossroads.
Photos have been released of Chen and Lu's injuries and the medical
attention they received.
And it was reported on Friday that Taiwan police were seeking a balding
man who was caught on a security camera as he ran from the scene of the
assassination attempt. (Full story)
The political crisis is also being closely monitored in China. For
Beijing, which views Taiwan as a renegade island that must eventually
be reunited with China, a Chen re-election would be a big headache.
Chen has been pushing for more formalized recognition of the island's
independence from China -- a position that aggravates Beijing.
Beijing fears Chen, with a new electoral mandate, could cross the red
line by re-writing Taiwan's constitution to legally establish the
island's independence.
And even if a ballot recount finds Chen the winner by a narrow margin,
Beijing will still believe he has no popular mandate.
Fair or not, that may make it difficult for Chen to govern effectively
in Taiwan and to make peace with China.
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