Former DPP Chairman Shih Ming-teh dies at age 83

Taipei, Jan. 15 (CNA) Shih Ming-teh (施明德), one of the main leaders of Taiwan's democracy movement, who spent more than 25 years of his life in jail for defying Taiwan's authoritarian regime in the late 20th century, has died at the age of 83, Taipei Veterans General Hospital said Monday.

Shih, who dedicated his life and career to the advancement of human rights in Taiwan, was called the "Nelson Mandela of Taiwan."

He was jailed between 1962 and 1977 for sedition after calling for Taiwan's independence from China, and again between 1980 and 1990 for his role in the Kaohsiung Incident, in which the then authoritarian Kuomintang regime cracked down on pro-democracy demonstrations in Kaohsiung in December 1979.

Shih later became the chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) from 1993 to 1996 and served as a legislator from 1993 to 2002.

He would later split with the DPP and become a powerful foe of DPP President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), leading a movement in late 2006 that tried to topple Chen for alleged corruption in the DPP administration.

Shih was also the founder of the Shih Ming-Te Foundation, a nongovernmental organization based in New Taipei's Xizhi District aimed at promoting the advancement of ethnic reconciliation, national freedom, equality, democracy and human rights.