Transitional justice has played an important role in recent historical democratization processes. In some democratic nations, transitional justice has focused on the state’s past oppression and assimilation of ethnic communities. The US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have come to grips with the oppression of indigenous ethnic communities under government policies of the past.
Juan Chun-ta (阮俊達), a researcher specializing in indigenous affairs, has published a thesis titled Indigenous Peoples and Transitional Justice: An Ethnic Mainstreaming Perspective.
Juan’s thesis proposes two viewpoints: ethnic mainstreaming and the characteristics of indigenous transitional justice.
Juan wrote that ethnic mainstreaming requires a government at all levels to have basic ethnic sensitivity and to raise public awareness that everyone is part of ethnic relations, opening the door for all ethnic groups to participate in the construction of mainstream society.
Government departments need to avoid discrimination, but they must also recognize differences between ethnic communities and reject preconceived notions favoring the advantaged community when formulating policies. They must promote opportunities for all ethnic groups at all levels of society to “participate in the construction of mainstream society,” Juan wrote.
In Taiwan’s case, this would allow Aborigines to enter mainstream society and ensure that communities can interact on an equal footing.
The second point concerns the characteristics of indigenous transitional justice, especially with regard to “enduring injustice.”
Consider this in the context of Taiwan’s recent history. After the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) transferred its government to Taiwan in 1949, its policy orientation regarding Aborigines was basically a continuation of what happened under Japanese rule. In other words, the then-KMT government went on oppressing Aborigines and abusing their rights.
Notably, during the 1950s, the government promoted a series of policies aimed at “turning mountain dwellers into ordinary citizens.”
These policies harmed many Aborigines in many ways, including their language rights, land rights, cultural rights and educational rights, not to mention their right to use their names and pursue development.
During the White Terror period, the then-KMT government killed leading Aboriginal figures, such as Losin Watan, Uyongu Yata’uyungana and Yapasuyongu Yulunana. This clearly demonstrates how the human rights abuses that Aborigines experienced have been both collective and individual.
Taiwan’s Aborigines are not just the original masters of the land, they are also the starting point and origin of the nation’s historical development. Later, they were subjected to the rule of alien and colonial governments. They have undergone multiple colonizations.
The restoration of Aboriginal rights is important and urgent, as are questions of historical justice. This is one of the roads that Taiwan must travel to become a normal country.
Chiang Tzu-yang has a master’s degree from National Chengchi University’s College of International Affairs.
Translated by Julian Clegg
Donald Trump’s return to the White House has offered Taiwan a paradoxical mix of reassurance and risk. Trump’s visceral hostility toward China could reinforce deterrence in the Taiwan Strait. Yet his disdain for alliances and penchant for transactional bargaining threaten to erode what Taiwan needs most: a reliable US commitment. Taiwan’s security depends less on US power than on US reliability, but Trump is undermining the latter. Deterrence without credibility is a hollow shield. Trump’s China policy in his second term has oscillated wildly between confrontation and conciliation. One day, he threatens Beijing with “massive” tariffs and calls China America’s “greatest geopolitical
US President Donald Trump’s seemingly throwaway “Taiwan is Taiwan” statement has been appearing in headlines all over the media. Although it appears to have been made in passing, the comment nevertheless reveals something about Trump’s views and his understanding of Taiwan’s situation. In line with the Taiwan Relations Act, the US and Taiwan enjoy unofficial, but close economic, cultural and national defense ties. They lack official diplomatic relations, but maintain a partnership based on shared democratic values and strategic alignment. Excluding China, Taiwan maintains a level of diplomatic relations, official or otherwise, with many nations worldwide. It can be said that
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) made the astonishing assertion during an interview with Germany’s Deutsche Welle, published on Friday last week, that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not a dictator. She also essentially absolved Putin of blame for initiating the war in Ukraine. Commentators have since listed the reasons that Cheng’s assertion was not only absurd, but bordered on dangerous. Her claim is certainly absurd to the extent that there is no need to discuss the substance of it: It would be far more useful to assess what drove her to make the point and stick so
The central bank has launched a redesign of the New Taiwan dollar banknotes, prompting questions from Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators — “Are we not promoting digital payments? Why spend NT$5 billion on a redesign?” Many assume that cash will disappear in the digital age, but they forget that it represents the ultimate trust in the system. Banknotes do not become obsolete, they do not crash, they cannot be frozen and they leave no record of transactions. They remain the cleanest means of exchange in a free society. In a fully digitized world, every purchase, donation and action leaves behind data.
RSS