June 22, 2012: Three Catholic peace groups have urged President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan
to cancel the government’s weapon purchasing program and disarm. Their call comes
ahead of a July 2 – 27 UN Conference on the arms trade.
Since Ma took office
in 2008, Taiwan has agreed to buy US$18.3 billion worth of weapons from the United
States, the groups said. Ma began a second four-year term in May this year.
“We
should remember the lessons of war. It never brings peace but brings hurt, pain, and
sacrifice to the lives of millions of innocent people,” the groups said in an open
letter this month. “Why not become a leader who invests technology, human resources,
and money into helping poor countries?” they asked, adding that they hope Ma could
become a “peacemaker.”
The open letter is the first peace initiative made by
Pax Christi International together with the Justice and Peace desks of Caritas Taiwan
and the Religious Major Association of Taiwan, said Father Willy Ollevier, the convenor
of the Justice and Peace desk of Major Superiors in Taiwan.
The local Catholic
Church plans to invite other religions to participate in a joint action to call for
disarmament, said Fr Ollevier.
The president’s office responded by letter,
thanking the groups for their advice and promising to take it under consideration,
Fr Ollevier said.
Taiwan’s US$6 billion arms deal in 2008 was the first arms
purchase from the US in 15 years, adversely affecting US-China diplomatic relations.
A second US$6 billion deal was struck in 2010, while a third was signed in September
last year.