Some 10,000 Kuomintang (KMT) supporters took to the streets Monday to denounce President Chen Shui-bian, blaming his leadership for the falling economy and stock market.
The slogan-chanting participants in the "Save Taiwan" march, organized by KMT, or Nationalist party, burned effigies of Chen, Vice President Annette Lu, and Premier Chang Chun-hsiung.
Wearing red headbands and carrying national flags, they walked from Chiang Kei-shek Memorial Hall to the Presidential Office, demanding Chen step down.
They carried banners reading "Impeach Chen Shui-bian, stock market will shoot up to 10,000 point" and "Throngs of business recession victims roam the country."
"We want to let the president know that many business are in recession, more workers have lost their jobs and many companies have fled Taiwan," said Chen Chien-chih, who led the the march.
"We want to tell the president that we have already had enough of this... we hope he would listen to the people's voice."
The KMT officials urged the government to take action to resolve the chaos.
The march ended peacefully before noon.
Academia Sinica, the highest research institution, last week moved down the forecast of Taiwan's economic growth for 2001 from 5.21 percent from an earlier estimate of 6.23 percent
Taiwan's stock market plunged 45.5 percent since Chen took office on May 20 amid political uncertainties. Chen is the first non-KMT president of Taiwan -- TAIPEI (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
