Relatives of those killed 55 years ago in a ruthless crackdown on dissent by Chiang Kai-shek's (蔣介石) regime yesterday asked for surviving perpetrators to apologize and for the government to record the incident in school textbooks.
"The former KMT administration and some politicians always say that people should forgive the past and just look beyond the tragedy," said Chang A-mang (張阿滿), a representative of an organization supporting the families of those killed in the crackdown, known as the 228 Incident.
"But the one concern of all the relatives is that the regime that caused the historic tragedy has failed to admit its responsibility," Chang said as he addressed a memorial ceremony in front of the Presidential Office.
PHOTO: REUTERS
He said that although former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) and President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) had both apologized on behalf of the government, the relatives could still not forgive because surviving perpetrators of the oppression remain unknown and silent.
Chang and others also urged the government to amend school textbooks -- which remain tainted by KMT efforts to gloss over the event -- to reflect the facts of the incident.
Chen called on the people of Taiwan to unite and share their compassion, love and forgiveness.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
"In the beginning of the new century, we need to promise to love one another and to swear that all the nation's peoples will strive together," Chen said.
Chen, Peng Ming-min (
Other official memorial activities were held in Taipei City and Chiayi City, two major venues of dissent and suppression during the notorious crackdown.
Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) placed lilies, a symbol of the nation's vitality, on the 228 memorial in the city in memory of Taipei's victims.
Appealing for "ethnic reconciliation," Premier Yu Shyi-kun sounded the "Bell of Peace" in Chiayi.
"The day 228 symbolizes the meaning of `ethnic integration' in Taiwan," Yu said, "and I now announce that February 28 will be a holiday in the future."
The date was proclaimed an optional day off last year, but on the condition that organizations observing it work the following Saturday instead.
To the strains of an orchestra and chorus, Yu and Chiayi City Mayor Chen Li-chen (陳麗貞) spooned water from a pool in the city's 228 Peace Park, which they poured onto wild lilies in a ritual symbolizing ethnic harmony. Many relatives wept openly.
Many other cities commemorated the incident yesterday, as political leaders appealed to the nation not to be embittered by grief.
The 228 Incident was a military crackdown on civilian protests that broke out on Feb. 28, 1947, against the KMT administration. Historians estimate that around 30,000 people were killed.
Thousands of Taiwan's most prominent citizens and leading intellectuals were dragged from their homes and killed, or vanished without explanation as the KMT waged war against the island's Japanese-educated intelligentsia.
‘NO SECURITY RISK’: The Railway Bureau reassured the public that the technicians’ activities were limited to technical guidance and did not involve sensitive systems The Railway Bureau yesterday said it had invited eight Chinese technicians to assist with an airport MRT construction project. The bureau issued the confirmation after an Internet user said Chinese nationals had entered the construction zone of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s Terminal 3 project. They asked why “individuals from an enemy state” were allowed access to such a major national infrastructure project, which raised serious concerns over Taiwan’s industrial safety, sensitive systems and information security. The bureau’s Northern Region Engineering Branch Office said subcontractor Taiwan Handle Industrial Co (台灣手把工業) of the Taoyuan airport MRT’s “Contract No. CU05 Project A14 Station Civil, MEP &
A US uncrewed surface vessel (USV) encountered multiple Chinese warships during an autonomous transit of the Taiwan Strait, US defense company Seasats said in a statement on Wednesday. Seasats announced that a Lightfish USV had completed the first autonomous transit of the Taiwan Strait. Over five days, the USV traversed the entire length of the Strait while constantly monitoring surface vessel traffic, the company said. The Lightfish encountered multiple Chinese warships, one of which was a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 056 corvette, it said. The Chinese vessels were operating “well within Taiwan’s exclusive economic zone without transmitting their identity via the
GREATER REACH? Auto parts and wood products would face tariffs of up to 15%, matching those targeting the EU, Japan and South Korea, Vice Premier said The US has announced that preferential tariff treatment for Taiwan’s non-semiconductor Section 232 goods would take effect retroactively from May 1, the Executive Yuan said yesterday. The US government yesterday posted a notice on the Federal Register’s public inspection Web site previewing tariff concessions for Taiwan under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Taiwan-US investment after two months of negotiations. The MOU signed on Jan. 15 stipulated three major preferential tariff arrangements: a 15 percent “reciprocal” tariff rate for Taiwan without stacking most-favored nation (MFN) rates; preferential Section 232 treatment for semiconductors and related products; and preferential Section 232 treatment for non-semiconductor
The National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology yesterday showcased its locally developed variants of the Vision 60 robotic patrol dog, which it plans to deploy on the nation’s outlying territories in the South China Sea. The variants were produced under the Joint Lab project — created by the institute and domestic companies — and assembled with domestically produced motors, lenses and artificial intelligence (AI) systems alongside licensed tech from the US, Missile and Rocket Systems Research Division deputy director Jen Kuo-kang (任國光) told the media event at a military base in Taipei’s Dazhi (大直) area. Taiwan has built up its strengths
RSS