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Ma mobbed by angry mourners at soldier's funeral
TAIPEI - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou was mobbed by hundreds of angry mourners as he attended the funeral service for a young conscript who died after allegedly being abused by his officers.
Protestors, including relatives and sympathisers, shouted "We want truth" as Mr Ma, protected by security guards, made his way to the funeral site at the soldier's home in the central city of Taichung.
The service was held a day after more than 100,000 people took to the streets of the capital Taipei to protest over the death of Corporal Hung Chung-chiu and the "sloppy" military investigation of the case.
Mr Hung, 23, who was due to begin graduate school next month, died on July 3 of heatstroke after collapsing during allegedly excessive physical training - apparently punishment for taking a smartphone onto his base. He died just three days before the end of his compulsory year-long military service.
Mr Ma pledged that no such tragedy would recur in the military as he offered his condolences to the family.
"As the President and the leader of the...three armed forces, I hereby guarantee that Hung Chung-chiu will not have died in vain and such a tragedy will not happen again," Mr Ma told Mr Hung's father Hung Chi-tuan.
A total of 18 military officials were indicted last week over Mr Hung's death, including the former commander of his brigade, after military prosecutors completed their investigation.
They were indicted on charges ranging from abuse leading to death and involuntary manslaughter to imposing illegal punishment on a subordinate and offences against personal liberty.
But four detained suspects were separately released by a military court on bail last week, fuelling public anger and complicating the Taiwanese military's efforts to transition from a mixed force of conscripts and volunteers to an all-volunteer force.
"The four are likely to further collude with each other. Why were they released on bail?" Mr Hung's father asked Mr Ma.
The President said military prosecutors had appealed against the court's ruling. Mr Ma has apologised for the incident and Defence Minister Kao Hua-chu resigned.
Mr Hung's family said he was repeatedly refused water during the punishment despite being close to collapse. He had previously filed complaints about other abuse meted out by superiors.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE,
ASSOCIATED PRESS
TAIPEI - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou was mobbed by hundreds of angry mourners as he attended the funeral service for a young conscript who died after allegedly being abused by his officers.
Protestors, including relatives and sympathisers, shouted "We want truth" as Mr Ma, protected by security guards, made his way to the funeral site at the soldier's home in the central city of Taichung.
The service was held a day after more than 100,000 people took to the streets of the capital Taipei to protest over the death of Corporal Hung Chung-chiu and the "sloppy" military investigation of the case.
Mr Hung, 23, who was due to begin graduate school next month, died on July 3 of heatstroke after collapsing during allegedly excessive physical training - apparently punishment for taking a smartphone onto his base. He died just three days before the end of his compulsory year-long military service.
Mr Ma pledged that no such tragedy would recur in the military as he offered his condolences to the family.
"As the President and the leader of the...three armed forces, I hereby guarantee that Hung Chung-chiu will not have died in vain and such a tragedy will not happen again," Mr Ma told Mr Hung's father Hung Chi-tuan.
A total of 18 military officials were indicted last week over Mr Hung's death, including the former commander of his brigade, after military prosecutors completed their investigation.
They were indicted on charges ranging from abuse leading to death and involuntary manslaughter to imposing illegal punishment on a subordinate and offences against personal liberty.
But four detained suspects were separately released by a military court on bail last week, fuelling public anger and complicating the Taiwanese military's efforts to transition from a mixed force of conscripts and volunteers to an all-volunteer force.
"The four are likely to further collude with each other. Why were they released on bail?" Mr Hung's father asked Mr Ma.
The President said military prosecutors had appealed against the court's ruling. Mr Ma has apologised for the incident and Defence Minister Kao Hua-chu resigned.
Mr Hung's family said he was repeatedly refused water during the punishment despite being close to collapse. He had previously filed complaints about other abuse meted out by superiors.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE,
ASSOCIATED PRESS
