President Chen Shui-bian, center, joins hands with members of the Taiwan Democracy Alliance for Peace at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday./Associated Press President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) announced yesterday that he will take part in the massive "Democratic and Peace to Protect Taiwan" movement tomorrow in Taipei City to protest China's anti-secession law, but will not give any speech or play a prominent role in the rally, which organizers hope to attract one million people. Chen made the announcement after meeting with representatives of the Taiwan Democratic Alliance for Peace, a coalition of over 500 civic and political groups including the governing Democratic Progressive Party that is organizing the "326 March for Democracy and Peace" in Taipei. After accepting an invitation to participate in the demonstration from TAPD Convener Su Chi-hsiung, Chen said, "I cannot and will not be absent on March 26 and will take my entire family to participate in this sacred moment in history to walk and stand up together with the Taiwan people." "I will call with everybody to tell the other side of the Taiwan Strait that 'we want democracy, we love peace,"' added Chen, speaking to the accompaniment of the antiwar folk song "Blowing in the Wind" song written by Bob Dylan in the 1960s in the United States. Chen offered a rewriting of Dylan's song, including "How many roads must the Taiwan people take before they can have true democracy? How much time must the people on both sides spend before they can find lasting peace? How long must China engage in intimidation before it can move toward peace? The answer, the great Taiwan people, will be blowing in the wind on March 26!" The president said he has heard the outrage and anger of the Taiwan people against the arbitrary enactment on March 14 by the PRC's rubber-stamp National People's Congress of the anti-secession Law which authorizes the use of "non-peaceful means" against Taiwan. Beijing's action disregarded the objections of the vast majority of the people in Taiwan and widespread condemnation from the international community. Chen related that Taiwan's people know very well that the island country's achievements in terms of democratic and economic development are likely to be undermined by the undemocratic and non-peaceful means adopted by PRC. The president related that more than two million Taiwan people formed a 500-kilometer "Hand-in-Hand to Protect Taiwan" human chain last February 28th to form a "Great Wall for Taiwan democracy" and displayed to the world the collective resolve of the Taiwan people to resist China's missile threat. "Two days from now, one million Taiwan people will take to the streets in the President Chen to walk, not talk, at tomorrow's anti-secession demonstration most rational, democratic and modest manner to again express the genuine voice of Taiwan for 'democracy, peace and security," Chen stated. The president stated that one million people will say in one voice to Beijing and the world community that the passage of the anti-secession law has damaged the peaceful status quo across the Taiwan Strait, posed a serious threat to the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights and marked a regression in human civilization. Chen affirmed that democracy and peace are not only the best remedies for dictatorship and force but also the most powerful assets Taiwan has to win international support. "Eventually, the 1.3 billion people in mainland China will stand on the side of democracy and peace," Chen predicted. In related news, Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) stated that ranking officials will "not be in the front line" in the demonstration and will not give any speeches in order to play down the government's role in the demonstration, which was initiated and organized by civic groups. Hsieh again urged government functionaries to actively take part in the rally and also urged the public not to criticize those who decide not to participate. "In a democracy, all sorts of opinions are acceptable," Hsieh pointed out. Cabinet Spokesman Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) told reporters yesterday evening that the premier will participate in a manner that "will not be obvious or announced in advance" and declined to reveal which of the 10 lines of march Hsieh will attend.
Over 500 groups, including the Democratic Progressive Party, are planning a massive march and rally for Saturday in Taipei City. March promoters are vowing to bring one million people onto the streets to protest the People's Republic of China's "anti-secession" law aimed at thwarting Taiwan independence.

The march, titled "326 March for Democracy and Peace", will begin in ten different locations, converging on the square near the Presidential Office in downtown Taipei City.

"Democracy and peace are the ultimate goal of the march," said Joseph Wu, the Mainland Affairs Council Chairman. Wu announced on Friday that he would take part in the rally, but did not disclose in which part of the parade he would appear.

Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian announced on Thursday that he will also attend the event with his family.

"I cannot and will not be absent on March 26, and I will take my entire family to participate in this sacred moment in history to walk and stand up together with the Taiwanese people," Chen said. Chen further declared that he has, "heard the outrage and anger of the Taiwan people."

A Chinese scholar warned that the situation could become "further aggravated" by Saturday's planned event.

"The secessionist forces plot to stir up public sentiments to embolden themselves. Such moves are doomed to meet failure," said Huang Jiashu, a professor at the People's University of China. He stated that secessionist forces had "malevolently distorted" the anti-secession law.

The ''Taiwan Domestic News Hour'' on ''ETTV'' is running a ''326'' graphic to note the march and rally during its news reports about the upcoming event, and also has an animated graphic with marchers carrying signs in the lower-left hand corner of the screen.