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Letter: Reparations required

For the 60th anniversary of the 228 "holocaust," Taiwanese have held a variety of activities around the world to remember those massacred by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).

However, to Taiwanese, the 228 holocaust will never end. At least, it won't until all the victims and perpetuators are identified and those responsible prosecuted and tried and those who lost their loved ones are properly compensated.

For years the KMT has appealed to the people to move on and forget the issue. The act of sweeping 228 under the rug is despicable and tantamount to rubbing salt into the wound. The perpetuators -- the KMT and its beneficiaries -- are still enjoying the looted fortunes they gained during their 50 years of White Terror, party- state rule.

This is an affront to justice and democracy. What Taiwan should do is try all those responsible, sentence them for their crimes and then pardon them. This is not eye-for-an-eye revenge. This would allow us to close the chapter of an inhumane crime humanely while letting justice prevail.

Taiwan should use the KMT's ill-gotten assets to compensate to victim's families. The names of all the victims should be inscribed on a monument, along with their stories.

Taiwan should also file a lawsuit against the KMT, Japan and the US, since technically Japan still held Taiwan as its territory in 1947 and the US general helped Chiang Kai-shek's army occupy Taiwan. Such a lawsuit will make people understand the truth of history. And hopefully, Taiwan can then move on.

Yang Ji-charng
Ohio
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