Taipei, Sep. 14 (CNA) A rally scheduled to take place Saturday on Taipei's Ketagelan Boulevard hopes to present "the positive force of Taiwan" and have "the silent majority voice" heard, organizers said at an international press conference Thursday.
The rally, organized by the pro-independence Taiwan Society has been officially named "Formosa Sunrise" and will take place from 3-6 pm Sept. 16, one day after the conclusion of the ongoing anti-President Chen Shui-bian protest.
It isnot a campaign to support Chen or one to fight former Democratic Progressive Party Chairman Shih Ming-teh, who organized the anti-Chen campaign, the Taiwan Society said in a press release.
Organizers said the rally, which organizers hope will attract 100,000 participants, supports the democratic system and rule of law, rather than any single individual.
They also claimed the "anti-corruption" argument presented by the anti-Chen protesters is an "excuse" and pointed out that everyone is innocent until proven guilty.
Taiwan's young democracy needs the support of everyone, said Taiwan Society President Wu Shu-ming, adding that Taiwan also needs international support to maintain its democracy, freedom and rule of law.
"Darkness is not the color of Taiwan. We believe in love, hope, peace and democracy. Violence and hatred lead Taiwan to nowhere, " said Che Pei-chun, Taiwan Society spokeswoman and a professor at National Chengchi University.
"Our rally will not be 'anti' anything but we want to say what it is for. We are for democracy and rule of law, " said Lo Chih-cheng, a professor at Soochow University.
The president is not obliged to step down just because there are people protesting, Lo pointed out.