Defense Minister unveils military reform measures

ROC Central News Agency

2013/07/26 21:16:03

Taipei, July 26 (CNA) Defense Minister Kao Hua-chu unveiled Friday a series of measures to reform human rights protection faults in the military that were exposed by the July 4 death of an Army conscript.

Three major faults were detected when the Ministry of National Defense (MND) reviewed the case, in which 24-year-old Corporal Hung Chung-chiu died of severe heatstroke after being forced to do strenuous exercise as part of his punishment for bringing a camera phone onto his base, Kao told the press.

He listed the faults as a failure to follow proper administrative procedures, improper implementation of the military's confinement policy and flaws in the emergency response procedure.

To correct these faults, measures will be taken to improve the management of brigs, administration procedures and emergency response procedures, Kao said.

He elaborated further, saying that the reform measures for brig management will include reforming the confinement system, ascertaining that the complaint system over perceived mistreatment is operating smoothly, preventing cadre members from misconduct, and reinforcing mental health assessment programs.

Reforms related to administrative procedures will include improving the military criminal code, revising punishment regulations, guaranteeing the protection of human rights, and improve the quality of the non-commissioned officer corps.

Finally, measures will be taken to strengthen military-civilian medical care cooperation and the emergency response mechanism, to improve the ability to diagnose and treat heatstroke, and to promote the self-health management of soldiers and military officers, Kao said.

He laid out the reform measures in a press conference he held along with ministers without portfolio Luo Ying-shay and Lin Jung-tzer after returning from the Presidential Office, where he briefed President Ma Ying-jeou on the progress of the investigation into the Hung case and the MND's reform proposals.

Luo said that Ma instructed that in addition, reforms to the military legal system should be conducted in two stages.

In the first stage, Luo cited Ma as saying that military officers facing charges of abusing their subordinates must be tried in regular criminal court rather than in military court and that he will ask the Legislature to pass amendments to the relevant laws as soon as possible.

In the second stage, Luo said, the government will study whether or not military law and general criminal code should be combined.

Luo has been tasked by Premier Jiang Yi-huah with organizing a task force to guide and monitor the MND in reviewing military mechanisms. 'Now is the best time for the military to do some self-reflection,' she said.

The MND has admitted that Hung suffered overly harsh punishment for his offense and that he should not have been subjected to the excessive drills because of his physical condition and the heat.

The case drew widespread public outrage over possible abuse of power and disregard for human rights in the military.

(By Angela Tsai and Elizabeth Hsu)
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