Culture of abuse threatens to undermine Taiwan's armed forces

Want China Times, Sun Ching-yu 2013-07-27

Thousands took to the streets in Taipei on July 20 to protest over
the death of Corporal Hung Chung-chiu. (Photo/Chen Chen-tang)

The death of Corporal Hung Chung-chiu was yet another "homicide" that Taiwan's military thought it could easily cover up, but the strong protests led by Hung's family, the general public and the media have forced President Ma Ying-jeou to apologize and investigate the incident.

Hung died on July 4 after spending nearly a week in disciplinary confinement to which he never should have been subjected. He succumbed to a heatstroke after being forced to do harsh physical exercise in high temperatures. The public and an ongoing investigation are pointing toward a culture of bullying in the military in the case of Hung, a conscript who had nearly completed his compulsory military service. A number of senior officers and non-commissioned officers have been taken into custody for their part in the affair.

Each year, hundreds of deaths take place in the military that are ruled to be accidents or suicide. Hung's death was just the tip of the iceberg. What was a minor matter for the military suddenly became a major issue for the public because the incident triggered memories of abuse and injustice suffered by many former servicemen and their families.

Soldiers are trained for war and respect for the profession is fundamental in the military. However, the Republic of China's military appears accustomed to abusing soldiers and trampling their dignity for fun. A closed military legal system has also resulted in the abuse of power. Hung was placed in the brig just a few days before he was to be discharged and after he died military officers involved in the incident allegedly covered for each other and destroyed evidence.

The military legal system should not violate Articles 77 and 80 of the Constitution, which stipulate that justice should be independent and free from any interference. When the military legal system cannot work in accordance with the Constitution or is brought into question by the victim's family and the general public, the judicial system should be involved or else the military's human rights record cannot be assessed. Taiwan has been a democratic state for two decades but in the military it is as if martial law were still in place.

Conscript soldiers are not career soldiers. But they should not be treated with discrimination, much less tortured by career soldiers. A country that does not care for its troops is one that cannot fight a war — the Kuomintang should have learned that lesson from China's civil war, when poor morale meant its numerical advantage was swept away by highly motivated Communist forces. How can the government expect to claim great military power and the support of its people in a country where we find plentiful examples of cases like that of Hung and of Chiang Kuo-ching — a serviceman who was wrongfully executed for a rape and murder he did not commit, an injustice for which the government has only recently apologized.

(The author is a famous writer in Taipei.)

Kao Hua-chu, Taiwan's defense 

minister. (Photo/CNA)

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“…  Government

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