Spy Report Scares Taiwanese at U. of Kansas

Taiwanese students and faculty members at the University of Kansas (KU) charged last week that fellow Taiwanese students were reporting their activities to the Taiwanese government.

A Taiwanese professor at KU, who asked to remain anonymous, said that he and other Taiwanese faculty members and students who have criticized the military regime of Taiwan, fear that these reports will lead to reprisals against them and their families by their government, the University Daily Kansan reported last week.

The professor said, "Democracy and freedom are intoxicating--once you have tasted them you don't want to lose them," adding "We begin to think about what's wrong (with our government), but we are still afraid for our families in Taiwan."

The Taiwanese professor said that he and fellow Taiwanese at KU have sent a letter to the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and to the KU administration requesting an FBI investigation of the activities of the alleged spies.

The AAUP, which has decided not to call in the FBI, last week sent a letter to the KU administration suggesting that the university's lawyers determine the legality of foreign students reporting the activities of their fellow students and professors to their government.

Robert P. Cobb, executive vice-chancellor of KU, said yesterday that university lawyers are still studying the situation and the university will make a formal statement sometime next week after the Kansas state attorney general concludes his investigation of the situation.

Though Cobb refused comment on the possibility of an FBI investigation, he said yesterday that university officials are "unwilling to curtail the civil liberties of a few students in order to protect other students and faculty members."

The Taiwanese professor claims that between six and ten Taiwanese students at KU were recruited by the Taiwanese government which sent them letters offering monthly stipends ranging from $400-1000 in exchange for an "analysis of the situation within the campus."

A Taiwanese student who asked not to be identified because he feared retaliation from the Taiwanese government, last week said "I got the letter too," but did not accept the offer, adding "I'm afraid to go back to Taiwan now."

A report written by a Taiwanese student to the Taiwanese government was recently confiscated, and contained a list of Taiwanese students and professors who are considered "enemies" of the Taiwanese government.