Letter from Scholars at Risk

3/1/2002 5:12 AM
Subject: Re: Update on my case in TaiwanTo: yuhwen.ling@eudoramail.com


Yuh Wen Ling wrote:

> Dear Professor de Canio,
> Thank you for your email of February 23. We will update your case promptly.
>
> In the meantime, we ask that you keep us updated after the March 6th hearing. Please let us know a) the nature

of the hearing and b) what happens, if anything. We look foward to your email and wish you the best.
>
> Sincerely,
> Yuh Wen Ling
>
> ---
> Yuh Wen Ling
> Scholars at Risk Network ~ Human Rights Program
> The University of Chicago
> 5828 South University Avenue
> Chicago, Illinois 60637
>
> *Telephone: 773-834-4659
> *Website: http://scholarsatrisk.uchicago.edu
> *Email: yuhwen.ling@eudoramail.com
>

Dear Yuh Wen Ling,
Thanks for your message. As you can see, democracy in Taiwan is
somewhat different from our understanding of the word elsewhere.
In the last several days (from 20-28 February), I have sent
numerous faxes to the new Minister of Education in an attempt to provoke
intervention, especially stopping that lawsuit, which in effect
challenges the
Ministry's own ruling (a few of these faxes are attached, below)! The
only response was a vague phone call to a colleague that they were
handling a complaint from several weeks back. For all we know, the
person who phoned might have been a college student assisting at the
phones.
Most recently, I sent a long fax to a dean of National Cheng Kung
University, who has repeatedly ignored my attempts to investigate a
student who sent a malicious and secret letter from a student that was
instrumental in my dismissal in 1999. Again, I have been ignored.
I also sent a message to the President of Taiwan (attached).
As I understand, Scholars at Risk did make contact with the
Ministry of Education a while back. If I can be informed of the
substance of the communication made, I would appreciate it. A Ministry
official seemed a little concerned about the exposure, which doubtless
helped. But
bureaucracies here are very good at stonewalling: What is a special
crime called "obstruction of justice" in our country is really routine
administration here (I think this is a safe generalization to make).
This is
why it is so difficult to effect change here, because there is really no
onus of blame, no burden of culpability, no sense of responsibility.
Thanks again for assistance and concern.
Richard de Canio.