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ait Taipei, June 7 (CNA) A Taiwanese fishermen's group protested outside the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Tuesday, accusing the United States of killing a Taiwanese skipper and then deliberately destroying the evidence by holding a hastily arranged sea burial.
The Taiwan Fishermen's Rights Association said it wanted an apology from AIT -- the U.S.' representative office in Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties -- within a week or it would stage another protestWe understand your concerns, but we don't have any updated information right now, " said AIT spokeswoman Sheila Paskman, after receiving a letter of complaint from the fishermen's group.She promised to inform Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) as soon as the AIT obtained new information regarding Wu's death.

Association member Tang Shu said the death of Wu Lai-yu, the captain of a fishing boat hijacked by pirates in the Indian Ocean, revealed the fact that Taiwanese fishermen are not adequately protected at sea.

Wu was reportedly killed on May 10 in an exchange of gunfire between the USS Stephen W. Groves and Somali pirates, who had taken over the ship under Wu's command, the Jih Chun Tsai No. 68.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was notified of the incident on May 21.

"A sincere apology is the first thing we want, " Tang said. He noted that other issues, such as compensation and the establishment of a joint investigation team composed of officials fro

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