Taiwanese professors have rallied to support Russian scholars who condemn the Ukraine war by expressing their own disapproval of the Putin regime. The North American Taiwanese Professors’ Association recently released a joint statement saying that autocratic regimes are a threat to academia and justice.
The statement says that scholars are committed “to the pursuit of truth in the name of the common good”. But the statement says that isn’t always possible under authoritarian regimes.
In its statement, the association also draws connections between the Ukraine war and the Kuomintang’s institution of martial law in Taiwan from 1949 to 1987. The association says that autocratic regimes still exist around the world, and that intellectuals are also facing oppression in Hong Kong and China.
The association says it commends the courage of the 664 Russian scholars and journalists who initially issued a joint statement that denounced the war in Ukraine and the Kremlin’s actions. In addition, these Russian activists said they predicted that the Ukraine war would only further isolate Russia from the rest of the international community.
The Taiwanese professors’ association says that these Russian scholars and journalists have stood up for justice and peace, and that scholars around the world should join their cause.