the 2013

Dear friends,

Happy Dragon Boat Festival!

Following the Dragon Boat Festival, the scorching summer is fast approaching. The annual student summer camps in June and July are a highlight for the JRF. Through well-curated judicial issues and guidance from professional lawyers, the two-day, one-night camp enables participants to grasp the current state of the judiciary and ponder potential responses.

Looking back at the summer of 2013, the "Street Law Lessons Not Taught in School" camp was held through events such as the closure-threatened factory workers and the Huaguang Community forced eviction cases. It led participants to deeply explore the suffering behind the cold legal system, experiencing the events happening in every corner of society with a broader perspective.

Young students are passion, hope, and the momentum on which society relies to move forward. This year's camp will feature a simulated jury trial and explore controversies surrounding Grand Justices' interpretations, allowing participants to experience acting as jurors and Grand Justices, discovering the joy and solemn significance of weighing evidence and drafting judgments. It promises to be wonderful! On June 28 and 29 this year, JRF sincerely invites all of you to join us at the camp!

Rediscovering some of the ideals I had when I first chose to study law.
It turns out I can do many things, too.
I don't have to mope in disappointment over the law; I can try to influence or even change it.
I don't have to be afraid of being seen as a weirdo. When something is right, I should stand up and voice my own thoughts.
I can read more books to enrich myself and become someone who can use their profession to help the disadvantaged and possess the ability to solve problems.
I can believe that I don't have to wait until I grow up; my insignificant self right now is enough to generate an impact, as long as I start doing it.
I can stop complaining about living on this ghost island; I want to work on building an island of happiness.
I must always remember—no matter how high I stand, I must constantly keep a heart that cares for society and for this land.

Originally, I participated in this activity just to fulfill a school professor's promotion of legal engagement, but unexpectedly, I regained my initial intention for studying in the law department. Being confined within the small circle of the law department made me remember only the text while forgetting the life of the law.

First, at Tsylin, I learned the power and the price of democracy. I began to ponder whether I, too, am the kind of person who doesn't fight unless others do? Are many protests successful in being ignored by the government precisely because the majority of people stand by with folded arms? Seeing that many camp counselors were revolutionary warriors, I couldn't help but admire their courage.

The subsequent activities had an even greater impact on me, including Huaguang Community, the closure-threatened factory workers, and the evening sharing sessions by the counselors. Seeing so many renowned legal professionals standing up for the disadvantaged and fighting against an unreasonable government, I suddenly understood why studying law has been so difficult these past six months. It turns out I had forgotten that the law should be used to save people, not to serve as anyone's weapon. Thank you to this camp for telling me that the disadvantaged desperately need the help of legal professionals, freeing me from wandering aimlessly in the superficial value system that equates being a lawyer with just passing exams to make money, treading on thin ice. It even made me determined to study law seriously, because only by making myself stronger can I help more people.

I think that whenever the JRF holds similar activities in the future, I will participate again to constantly remind myself of the emotional moving experience from attending this camp for the first time, and to never forget my original intention.

After entering university, a volatile and uneasy atmosphere has been continuously permeating Taiwan's society in recent years. Environmental impact assessment controversies (Central Taiwan Science Park Phase 4, Taitung Meiwan Resort), urban renewal and farmland expropriation issues (Dapu farmland expropriation), a surge in public anti-nuclear awareness, closure-threatened factory workers lying on railway tracks, the demolition and relocation of Huaguang Community, the anti-forced eviction movement at Losheng Sanatorium, and the debate over the death penalty—this rising concern has been fueled through internet-emerging independent media and social networking sites. I have seen many people stand up and speak out for other people's homes and total strangers, even ending up bleeding on the spot due to increasingly harsh law enforcement methods by the police.

The events mentioned above were all my motivation for participating in this JRF student summer study camp. As a law student, however, these were all "Street Law Lessons Not Taught in School." Looking at the young yet steadfast faces in the media, I was curious about what drove them to take to the streets. Nine years of national education did not teach me how to observe social issues or participate in social transformation. I wanted to understand the origins and endings of these social issues through the Judicial Reform Camp.

During the camp, I met friends of my age who were already rich in street experience. Regarding the social issues mentioned earlier, they were able to tell me about the front-line situation, keeping photos in their mobile phones that were not selected and reported by the media, storing case data on their laptops, and even teaching me how to avoid being "carried away" by the police. Listening to their experiences, I felt a burning sensation from head to toe out of shame and emotion that is still difficult to forget today. Although most of their experiences were failed protests and their tones carried helplessness, the belief and firmness in their eyes were what I most wanted to learn and my greatest gain. I am grateful to the Judicial Reform Camp for allowing me to meet friends with shared goals.