Dr. Peng Ming-min, Senior Adviser to President Shui-bian Chen, gives a speech on 17 October at 10.30 in the Culture House (Hringbo)

16.10.2007

Introduction For Dr. Peng Ming-min

The Icelandic Human Rights Centre invites you to a morning meeting on the 17th of October at 10.30 where Dr. Peng Min-min will give a speech. The meeting is open to all and entrance is free of charge. The speech will be given in English. Below you will find some information regarding Dr. Peng Ming-min.

Born in Taiwan during the Japanese occupation period, Dr. Peng Ming-min first received his primary education in Taiwan before going to Japan for secondary school and university. During World War II, he studied law and political science at the Imperial Tokyo University. In 1945 he left Tokyo for the countryside in order to avoid the American bombing of Japan's capital. After reaching Nagasaki, Dr. Peng lost his left arm in a bombing raid and witnessed the atomic blast that destroyed Nagasaki. As a survivor of one of the most horrific chapters of world history, Dr. Peng has remained committed to peace throughout his life.

At the end of the World War II as the Kuomintang (KMT) army began arriving from China, Dr. Peng returned to Taiwan in October 1945. Dr. Peng witnessed the KMT's brutal month-long massacre which began on February 28, 1947. The looting and violence perpetrated by the KMT left a lasting impression on Dr. Peng and many Taiwanese. Subsequent decades of political oppression during the "White Terror" era of the 1950's and 1960's had subjected the Taiwanese living in fear. After completing his bachelor's degree at the Law School, the National Taiwan University, Dr. Peng went on to pursue a Master's degree at the Institute of International Air Law at the McGill University in Canada, later a doctoral degree in law at the University of Paris in 1954. During his studies, Dr. Peng wrote some of the first essays on international air law published in France, Canada and Japan. His publications attracted considerable international attention and distinguished Dr. Peng as a pioneer in the new field of international air law.

Upon his return to Taiwan, Dr. Peng embarked on a brilliant academic and public career. In 1957, at age 34 Dr. Peng became the youngest full professor at the National Taiwan University during the post-war period. While Dr. Peng was a professor and chairman of the Department of Political Science from 1961 to 1962, he attracted the attention of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and other KMT leaders. Chiang appointed Dr. Peng as the advisor to Taiwan's delegation to the United Nations, then the highest political position held by any Taiwanese, and hinted of future high-level governmental appointments.

Dr. Peng's appointment came at a time when the KMT government representation of China in the United Nations was losing international legitimacy due to KMT's opposition to Mongolia's admission into the U.N. To this day, the KMT government still claims territorial sovereignty over Mongolia despite the fact that Mongolia voted for independence in a 1945 Plebiscite. Sensing that the Nationalist government faced imminent expulsion from the UN and that the interests of the Taiwan people would be sacrificed, Dr. Peng's opposition to the KMT government grew. In July 1962, he wrote an article, entitled "The Sentimental Basis for Pan-Africanism, "which discussed the African emergence from colonialism and its struggle to attain independence, identity, and nationhood. Many local observers recognized his work as an allegory to the situation in Taiwan.

In 1964, Dr. Peng and his students issued "A Manifesto to Save Taiwan" with three objectives: To affirm that recovering Mainland China is absolutely impossible; To rewrite the constitution to guarantee human right and genuine democracy; To participate in the UN as a new member and to establish diplomatic relations with other countries working together for world peace. While revolutionary at the time, many of the proposals in the Manifesto have become government policy today, leading many observers to hail Dr. Peng as the "Father of Democracy and Independence" in Taiwan.

Before the Manifesto could be distributed, Dr. Peng and his students were arrested. Dr. Peng was sentenced to eight years of imprisonment by a military court. His case attracted worldwide attention prompting Amnesty International, Professor John K. Fairbank, Dr. Henry Kissinger and many others to express their concern to the KMT regime. Bowing to the increasing international pressure, Chiang Kai-shek released Dr. Peng from military prison 14 months later, but placed him under house arrest for life with strict surveillance.

In January 1970, Dr. Peng dramatically escaped to Sweden where he was granted political asylum. Despite strenuous objections from the KMT government, the United States granted Dr. Peng a visa and he arrived in Michigan in August 1970. During his two decades of exile Dr. Peng had lectured at the University of Michigan, Harvard, Stanford, Berkeley, and the University of London. In 1972 in addition to serve as Director of Formosan Studies in New Jersey, Dr. Peng also published a personal memoir entitled A Taste of Freedom which was later translated into Chinese. His book has become a major source of hope and inspiration for many Taiwanese around the world.

During his time in the United States, Dr. Peng continued to be a leading figure in Taiwan politics and American foreign policy issues. In 1981, he co-founded the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA'S), a Taiwanese lobbying organization based in Washington D.C. Dr. Peng served as FAPA's president from 1986 to 1988 and chaired the Asia-Pacific Democracy Association in 1989. He also testified on Taiwan issues before the US Congress on several occasions.

In 1990, Dr. Peng was invited to attend the National Affairs Conference in Taiwan in which scholars and politicians from all political factions sat down for the first time to discuss future policies for Taiwan. However, Dr. Peng refused the invitation because there was still a warrant outstanding for his arrest in Taiwan. When President Lee Teng-hui finally granted a general amnesty for political offenders in 1992, Dr. Peng made immediate plans to return to Taiwan. After 23 years of exile abroad, Dr. Peng returned to Taiwan on November 1, 1992.

In 1994, Dr. Peng established the Peng Foundation for Culture and Education which sponsored seminars and lectures to raise awareness about Taiwan identity. On September 28, 1995, after an arduous two-tiered nomination process involving 49 public debates around Taiwan, the Democratic Progressive Party nominated Dr. Peng as the candidate for Taiwan's first presidential elections in March 1996. In sharp contrast to other presidential candidates, Dr. Peng is committed to implementing genuine democracy, guaranteeing fundamental human rights, and protecting Taiwan's current independent sovereignty. Dr. Peng's vision and direction was and still is much needed during the time of Taiwan's historic and difficult transition.

After the election, Dr. Peng formed The Nation-Building Union of Taiwan and has served as its president. On May 20, 2000, when the people of Taiwan finally elected the nation's president from the opposition party (DDP) for the first time since KMT control, Dr. Peng became Senior Adviser to President Shui-bian Chen.

Since then, he was invited to participate in the 5th Forum 2000 Conference hosted by the President Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic. He was also twice the chief delegate of Taiwan to the "National Prayer Breakfast" hosted by the President of the U.S.A. Since 2000, he also serves as the Secretary General of the Asian Pacific League for Freedom and Democracy(APLFD).

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