World

Taiwan's former president arrested over graft probe

by JeffHuang | November 11, 2008 at 10:38 am

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Chen Shui-bian, former president of Taiwan was arrested and detained for allegedly embezzling 14.8 million Taiwan dollars ($480,500 US) from the government during his presidency. He was shown putting his cuffed hands up in the air and shouting "political persecution" before getting into a car.
The political chaos in Taiwan has been a long and problematic one. The country has been divided into two, one supporting Ma Ying-jeou (the new president) and his KMT (Kuomintang) government while the others support Chen Shui-bian and his green party. The KMT government has always been seen as a China-friendly government while Chen Shui-bian has always been heavily against China and unification of the two sides.

Taiwan's former president Chen Shui-bian was arrested on Tuesday as prosecutors sought to detain him in connection with a long-running corruption probe, officials said.

Chen is accused of money laundering, embezzling government funds, taking bribes and forging documents, a spokesman for the investigation said.

A defiant Chen put his handcuffed hands in the air as he stepped out of the prosecutor's office and shouted "political persecution" before getting into a waiting car. He was due to appear in court at 1200 GMT.

Chen Shui-bian accuses the the new President Ma-Ying-jeou for pursuing a political agenda and punishing him for the violent demonstrations last week during a Beijing's envoys visit.

"The KMT and the Chinese Communist Party see me as their number one prisoner as I am the biggest stone blocking their way to reunification," pro-independence Chen told reporters.

He accused his successor, Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou, of pursuing a political agenda and punishing him for violent demonstrations during a visit by Beijing's top envoy to the island last week.

The Chinese envoy, "Chen Yunlin, had a bad time in Taiwan... so Ma Ying-jeou wants to put me in jail as a sacrifice to appease China. I am very honoured and proud to play such a role," the former president said.

"I will not be imprisoned in vain and I will continue to strive... Long live Taiwan democracy. Long live Taiwan independence," he said.

Chen Shui-bian also accuses the special investigation team that has been investigating his money laundering case as a tool for the political struggle between the two opposing governments. Below he says that some day these people will be tried and forever remembered in history.