"The country's hatred should be brought to an end here," said Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) at a recent campaign rally. His call brings attention to an ethnic issue that Taiwan's leaders cannot avoid.
During the long postwar authoritarian period in Taiwan, basic human rights -- the rights to speak one's native language, exercise one's right to work, participate politically and enjoy freedom of speech -- were trampled on.
The White Terror during the 40-year martial law era has left an indelible mark in many people's memories, including those of the victims' descendants.
Can the scars of Taiwanese history really be healed by one campaign meeting and the enactment of an ethnic reconciliation law (
Dealing with ethnic issues cannot depend on slogans; nor can reconciliation become an election tool.
During the period of KMT rule, former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) made an open apology to the relatives of the victims of the 228 Incident. In addition, the Legislative Yuan passed the Regulations for Handling of and Compensation for the 228 Incident (二二八事件處理及補償條例) and the Regulations for Compensation for Improper Trial Cases of Sedition and Spies during the Martial Law Period (戒嚴時不當叛亂暨匪諜審判案件補償條例).
But why have those steps failed to satisfy people and heal wounds?
Neither the KMT nor the Democratic Progressive Party, nor the measures that Lien suggests, work toward restoring historical truth or establishing justice that would foster reconciliation.
The scars of a difficult era in history have repeatedly been used by politicians as a tool to seize power. Merely grasping at fragments of history, everyone wants to turn these fragments into a sharp sword for cutting down their political enemies.
How should a society that has gone through totalitarian rule and suffered ethnic conflict heal itself?
In South Africa, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was set up in 1995 to deal with social problems. Then-president Nelson Mandela appointed the religious leader Desmond Tutu chairman of the organization. He strongly advocated that atonement and forgiveness be a focus in the process of discovering the truth and seeking reconciliation, because these strategies aim at healing wounds, not waging war. South Africans did not choose vengeance because they had to continue to live together, sharing the same space.
Lien has called on the public to put an end to the nation's hatred, but that must not mean that "what happened in the past should not be mentioned anymore." That would hurt the victims all over again. It would simply tell them that "what you suffered in the past did not happen at all or is of no importance." Lien's apology must be made based on efforts to restore the truth.
If ethnic reconciliation is only used as a campaign tool, it will not touch people's hearts. Since President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) has questioned Lien's sincerity on the issue of ethnic reconciliation, Chen should propose his own ideas on this issue before the presidential election on March 20.
Holding the legislative majority, the KMT-People First Party (PFP) alliance should take the initiative in proposing the establishment of a truth and reconciliation committee to heal historical wounds.
If Chen really does intend to promote ethnic reconciliation and restore social justice, he also should be active in seeking legislative support.
Huang Hui-chun is administrator of the New Taiwan Foundation.
Translated by Jackie Lin
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