練英文 救台灣

 ◎蕭文婷

自由時報五月十八日有德國台僑投書，呼籲大家自己寫信向ＷＨＯ抗議，醫界前輩楊教授很快的就響應，不僅請美國心律協會（Heart Rhythm Society，HRS，原NASPE）將他的國家別更正，也投書到ＷＨＯ。筆者也跟進。兩個版本的抗議信如下，供大家參考，可以直接使用，也可以自行加以排列組合。開頭可加To Whom It May Concern或Dear Sir/Madam，信後寫Cordially yours, 或Sincerely yours, 結尾署名最好加單位職稱及連絡方式。
也許有人會懷疑：這樣有用嗎？一個人寫一封信，誰知道ＷＨＯ理不理？筆者參加過幾次「一人一信」運動，包括籲請白宮重視蘇丹種族屠殺、籲請國會禁止進口中國雞肉、敦促肉品工廠改善工作環境否則拒買等，事後都看到具體的成果。一封抗議信看起來微不足道，但大家都做，就是一股巨大的聲音。
這不只是「愛台灣」的具體行動，也是一個非常有意義的練習英文的機會，不管英文多菜，都可以正名救台灣！況且不少父母都花大把銀子讓孩子學英文，何不趁這個機會展現學習成果？學校裡的英文老師也可以把這個當作練習作業，年年都可以練習，寫給相關國際機構，學生應該會覺得很新鮮、很實際、很有成就感。ＷＨＯ的Email是info@who.int
參考版本一：
I am writing to protest your referring Taiwan as "Province of China" in your memo dated September 14th, 2010. It is of course an incontestable reality that Taiwan is NOT a province of China.
Taiwan is a sovereign independent country with its own elected president, its own military, stock exchange, etc. If American citizens travel to Taiwan, the Chinese embassy is unable to issue a visa to Taiwan. And vice versa: if American citizen travels to China, the Taiwan representative in the United States is unable to issue a visa to China.
I urge you correct this mistake and refer Taiwan simply as "Taiwan". I thank you for your consideration and look forward to hearing from you.
參考版本二：
Taiwanese people are deeply troubled by the WHO’s statement that refers to Taiwan as a "Province of China". While Taiwan was misidentified as the "Republic of China" by the Nationalist Party after World War II, People’s Republic of China has NEVER had any authority toward Taiwan. Taiwan is a actual sovereign state with a population of 23 million. To call Taiwan a province of China is a blatant insult to the 23 million citizens of Taiwan.
We express our strong opposition to such misnomer and urge the WHO to right the wrong soon.
參考版本三：
As a Taiwanese, I must express my strongest opposition and protest to the WHO memo dated September 14, 2010 which states that procedures used by the WHO to facilitate relations with Taiwan were subject to Chinese approval and it instructs its agencies to refer to Taiwan as a "province of China". This form of hegemony is destructive and unjust.
This attempt to diminish Taiwan in the eyes of the international community will not go unnoticed. Known as the "Republic of China" after World War II, Taiwan is a virbant democracy with de-facto statehood. The twenty-three million people in Taiwan are NOT and have NEVER been subject to the rule of the Chinese government. To call Taiwan a "Province of China" is the ultimate insult to the 23 million citizens in Taiwan.
I sincerely hope WHO will correct this mistake and issue a formal apology to the people of Taiwan.
（作者為美國台僑，醫師）自由時報0523