Ma's 228 efforts show he doesn't understand

The million person hand-in-hand rally on Feb. 28 just before last year's presidential election boosted President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) re-election campaign, and ultimately helped him win. Now, Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has finally realized that the 228 Incident of 1947 remains the Achilles' heel of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). For the party to regain power, it needs to resolve the issue.

As part of Ma's strategy to do this, since being elected KMT chairman he has started meeting certain 228 families, and has tried to dilute the incident's unique ties to Taiwan's history. The case of Liao Te-hsiung (廖德雄) serves as an example. Liao presented Ma with a bottle of whiskey that Sun Yat-sen (孫中山) had given to Liao's father, who was later a 228 victim.

Recently, Ma invited Liao and a few other 228 families to visit the KMT's archives. He displayed some insignificant and insensitive materials in trying to show sincerity, and announced that 228 families and the party had reconciled.

This hypocritical action has irritated many of the families, who believe that if the KMT is truly sincere it has to clarify its historical responsibility for the incident, redeem itself and apologize to all the families affected, as well as the public. This would be real reconciliation.

Most families do not hold a grudge about the massacre, nor do they complain about the merciless oppression of 228 families over the past few decades. All they are asking for is a clarification of what was right and what was wrong, as well as justice.

Have of the offenders or other representatives ever apologized to the 228 families and the people of Taiwan? Surprisingly, Ma tried to cover his and his party's lack of effort by thanking Chen and former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) for their efforts to reverse past wrongs. He also promised to hold a ceremony to mark the day next year, believing that justice will then be fulfilled. He tells us to overcome our sorrow to heal the wound. Such "great sentiment" is almost unbearable.

Ma's of the incident remains at a legal level. He does not understand that the incident's meaning has already become inextricably linked with the protection of Taiwan's independent sovereignty. If he is truly sincere about a reconciliation, he should view the incident from the Taiwanese people's perspective to understand its historical meaning, instead of inviting a few 228 families to participate in a charade. He and the KMT have to clarify their historical responsibility for the incident before a reconciliation can be reached.

Chou Chen-thai is the director-general of the Taiwan 228 Union.

TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG