August 22, 2020
In the past 5 days, Taiwanese youth have marched to the Ketagalan Boulevard twice in response to the calling “Save human rights, Fight for Taiwan”. The movement has spread to 22 nations around the world through internet. Tai Ji Men case was selected by Control Yuan as the hallmark case of human rights violations in 2005. Tai Ji Men has won 18 times against tax office in the administrative court. However, on August 21, the properties of Tai Ji Men were auctioned and confiscated by the state.
Properties auctioned to inflict second wound on Tai Ji Men
Law-bending officials bully civilians. Scholars and experts have spoken out for Tai Ji Men.
Former professor of law in National Taiwan University, Chih-Lung Chen, commented “This auction is the combined action of enforcement agency and tax office to illegally confiscate civilian properties.” It was reported in the press that in March, the Hsinchu branch of enforcement agency demands half of the credit of the upcoming auction. Professor Chen also reveals that this auction is planned to benefit the investigators who fabricated evidences in 1996 and 1997.
Professor Chen believes this is a scandal. The political purge was intentionally changed into a tax case. Officials tried to win bonus by depressing innocent people. The so-called administration if not rule by law, but outright human rights violations.
Unjust tax bills are everywhere in Taiwan. Tai Ji Men case is just the tip of iceberg. According to statistics, there is 1.89 million cases of overdue taxes and fees pending for enforcement. In 2004 160 legislators proposed to repeal tax bonus. But the bonus came back in 2008 in different forms. As a result, the cases pending for enforcement increase to 11.04 million in 2019, up by 5.84 times in 18 years.
The Taiwanese government is kidnapped by tax office and enforcement agency. Rule of law and democracy is at risk.
The unreasonable remedy system in Taiwan is hard to find around the world. Ministry of Finance monopolize the interpretation of administration, judiciary and legislation. Tax office pushes the burden of proof to taxpayers. And taxpayers always lose in administrative court against tax office. In the administrative court, the odds of people losing case is more than 90%. No wonder it is known as the losing court for the people. Statistics shows that from 2012 to 2016, Judge Chiu-Hua Lin
Judge Si-Hsian Liu
Judge Chin-Chang Chuang ruled 178 tax disputes and taxpayers lose all cases.
The Tai Ji Men criminal case was ruled with the final verdict of no crimes committed and no tax codes violated in 2007. Tax office should have withdrawn tax bills according to the criminal court ruling. However, the pain on Tai Ji Men has never ends. Justice does not prevail and the human rights abuser got promoted.
Prosecutor Ho, who pressed the charge against Tai Ji Men in 1997, was investigated by Control Yuan with 8 violations of due process of law. Control Yuan asked prosecutor Ho to be disciplined. But Ministry of Justice ignored the demand from Control Yuan and let the disciplinary period lapse. In 2018, prosecutor Ho was even promoted to vice director of Anti-Corruption Agency.
Taiwan prides itself of being a democracy in 2020. However, the chaotic and insensible tax regime is even worse than during the martial law period.
Human rights abused and culture destroyed
In the past 24 years, 296 legislators have spoken out for Tai Ji Men and revealed the flaws of tax agency. The auction wipes off the endeavors in the past and is the outright violation of human rights.
Tai Ji Men dizi have appealed to the President’s Office and other government agencies. However, the appeal is just being transferred from one agency to another with no one government organization responsible to address the issue and correct the wrong.
For 54 years, Tai Ji Men has been dedicated to the promotion of cultural exchanges with all cultural programs funded by Tai Ji Men shifu and dizi. In 1999, 1200 Tai Ji Men went to Seattle to take part in the Sea Fair parade on a charter flight. The splendid performance won applauses from audiences on both sides of the street with people shouting “I love Taiwan. I love Tai Ji Men”. The performance was exclusively broadcast by Kiro 7 to all the Americans. At the invitation of Senator Jesse Helms, former Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Tai Ji Men conducted a cultural program in Capitol Hill in 2000. Anthony Allen Williams, the fifth mayor of the District of Columbia, USA , declared March 22, 2000 the “Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy Day” in recognition of Tai Ji Men achievement in promoting peace and cultural exchanges. Tai Ji Men is the first ever martial arts group to perform in the Sydney Olympics 2000.Jeremy Harris, mayor of Honolulu, USA (1994 to 2004) , declared September 16, 2001 the “Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy and Dr. Hong Tao-Tze Day” for outstanding achievements in cultural exchanges and promotion of peace and harmony.
Tai Ji Men has visited 101 nations around the world promoting love and peace, achieved remarkable people diplomacy and won international friendship. Destroyer of culture will be blamed in history. We urge President Tsai to take a good look at the people on Ketagalan Boulevard and ask your administration to redress Tai Ji Men case. Please remember your pledge to the people and to the nation.
P1.Tens of thousands people holding SOS sign in protest of illegal auction
P2.Youth in front of Presidential Hall asking President Tsai to save people
P3.Appeal to Control Yuan to redress Tai Ji Men case and to reprimand law-bending officials
P4.Tai Ji Men dizi protest in peace in front of enforcement agency
P5.Cultural performance in front of Capitol Hill and recognized “International Ambassador of Peace”