Huang Hua ( Chinese: 黃華; born 16 August 1939) ^[1] is a Taiwanese activist. He was repeatedly jailed for advocating Taiwanese independence and democratization. Huang spent over twenty years in prison and was named a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International.

Activism

Early activism and imprisonment

A native of Keelung born in 1939, ^{[2] [3]} Huang worked with Lei Chen in 1960 to form a political party, the China Democracy Party [ zh], with several others. ^{[4] [5]} As Taiwan was under martial law at the time, the pair's actions were illegal. ^{[6] [7]} Huang contested the Keelung City Council election of 1963, but was arrested before completing registration, and jailed for two and a half years. ^{[3] [4]} In 1967, Huang cofounded the Society to Promote the Unity of Taiwanese Youth, and was charged with sedition. Sentenced to ten years imprisonment, he was granted amnesty in 1975. ^[4] Huang then worked for Kuo Yu-hsin [ zh] and the tangwai publication Taiwan Political Review, run by Kang Ning-hsiang. ^[4] Though Kang asked him to carefully consider his involvement, Huang joined the Review in December 1975, as a deputy editor. ^[8] Soon after the Review was suspended, Huang opened a noodle shop with Chang Chun-hung. ^[9] In July 1976, Huang was arrested for his writings in the Review. ^[10] During his third prison term, Huang was designated a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International. ^{[11] [12]} His mother died in February 1984, ^[4] and Huang was prohibited from leaving Green Island to attend her funeral, held the next month. ^[13] Huang began a hunger strike in April 1985, to show solidarity with fellow political prisoner Shih Ming-teh. ^{[12] [14] [15]} Though it was reported that Huang began eating in August, he chose to continue his protest in September. ^[16] Huang was moved to Jen-ai Prison in 1986. ^[2]

After Huang was paroled in 1987, ^[17] he joined the Association of Political Prisoners. ^[18] Later, Huang organized a nationwide march for independence in November 1988. ^[19] The following year, Huang formally founded the New Nation Alliance [ zh], linked to a movement of the same name. ^{[20] [21]} He was barred from contesting the 1989 legislative elections because limitations on his civil rights were still in effect. ^[22] For his association with the New Nation movement, Huang was convicted of sedition by the Taiwan High Court shortly after the elections were held. ^[23] Subsequently, backed by the Democratic Progressive Party, ^{[24] [25]} Huang Hua declared his candidacy for the presidency, ^[23] a symbolic move and violation of electoral law, ^{[23] [26]} as the president of the Republic of China was selected by the National Assembly, not directly elected by popular vote. President Lee Teng-hui fully restored Huang's civil rights in May 1990. ^[27] Despite Lee's action, Huang was arrested after attending the funeral of Liu Wen-hsiung in November. ^{[28] [29]} Huang was sentenced to another ten years in prison, ^[25] and did not appeal. ^[28] He was not considered for amnesty in January 1991. ^{[26] [28]} His continued imprisonment was described by United States Senators Ted Kennedy, Claiborne Pell, Joe Lieberman, John Kerry, and Paul Wellstone as a "serious setback" to Taiwan's democratization in a letter to Lee Teng-hui. ^[30] Lin Tsung-kuang nominated Huang for the Nobel Peace Prize later that month, and a march protesting Huang's imprisonment was held in February. ^[30] By May, Huang had become Taiwan's final political prisoner. ^[26] After Huang's imprisonment came to international attention, the Legislative Yuan began discussing revisions to Article 100 [ zh] of the Criminal Code [ zh]. ^[31] He remained in prison through the National Assembly elections held in December 1991. ^[32] After Article 100 of the Criminal Code was amended in May 1992, Huang was released. ^{[33] [34]}

2019 hunger strike

Huang began fasting on 19 May 2019 in support of a petition advocating Taiwan independence. He called for small political parties and other political organizations to form a coalition and replace the Kuomintang as Taiwan's second major party. ^{[35] [36]} During his hunger strike, Huang's conversion to Christianity was overseen by a Presbyterian Church in Taiwan official. ^[37] Supporters of Huang's hunger strike included several former members of the Democratic Progressive Party, who called for a new political party advocating Taiwan independence to be established. ^[38] Huang ended his hunger strike after 52 days, and agreed to go to the hospital on 9 July 2019. ^[39]

Formal political activity

Huang served in the presidential administration of Chen Shui-bian as a national policy adviser. ^[40] He also assumed the chairmanship of the Taiwan-Mongolia Exchange Association. ^{[41] [42]} In 2005, he left the Democratic Progressive Party for the Taiwan Solidarity Union. ^[43] Upon the founding of the Taiwan National Party [ zh] in July 2011, Huang served as its first chairman. ^{[44] [45]} Under his leadership, the TNP nominated its founder Chang Mung-hsieh as presidential candidate for the 2012 elections, ^[46] and joined with other civic organizations to sue the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office Special Investigation Panel. ^[47] Huang was succeeded by acting chairman Kao Chin-lang before Tsai Chin-lung took office in 2013. ^[48]

Personal life

Huang's wife Wu Pao-yu served on the Taoyuan County Council. ^{[25] [49]}

References