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Fishermen, lawmakers dissatisfied with U.S. report

ROC Central News Agency

2011/07/25 16:25:19

By Nancy Liu

Taipei, July 25 (CNA) The U.S. should offer the family of a fishing boat captain killed during an anti-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia reasonable compensation, a group of fishermen and legislators from both the ruling and opposition parties said Monday.

The remarks came one day after the release of a highly anticipated investigation report on the incident by the U.S. authorities. There has been dissatisfaction in Taiwan over a U.S. failure to apologize for killing the captain or compensate the victim's family.

Forty fishermen from southern Taiwan, home to the deceased skipper, decided to take action and head for Taipei to stage a "peaceful but strong" protest in front of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) the following day.

The AIT is the de facto U.S. embassy and represents that country's interests in Taiwan in the absence of diplomatic ties.

"We are dissatisfied with the one-sided story," said Tsai Pao-hsing, secretary-general of the Liouciou Fishermen's Association. "The U.S. should provide photos and video footage taken at the time of the shooting."

Although the report states that Wu Lai-yu, the captain in question, was "killed inadvertently by ammunition fired from the SWG (USS Stephen W. Groves)," Tsai said the U.S. did not present evidence to support the conclusion.

"We are not convinced," he said.

Wu was taken hostage in March 2010 by Somali pirates who hijacked his vessel, the Jih Chun Tsai 68. On May 10, the SWG, on a NATO anti-piracy mission in the Indian Ocean, fired on the pirates in an operation that ended with Wu dead.

Not only should the U.S. back up the report with evidence, it should also make an official apology and provide compensation to the dead man's family, said Tsai. Wu's wife said in an interview a day earlier that she was disappointed with the report.

Meanwhile, lawmakers from both the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) and opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to take a strong stance and help Wu's family seek compensation.

MOFA should take the case to the International Court of Justice and demand both an apology and compensation from the U.S., said DPP Legislator Tsai Huang-liang.

Chao Li-yun, a deputy whip of the KMT legislative caucus, agreed that MOFA should continue to communicate with Washington through various channels to fight for fair treatment.