Outside the political prison, the government has built a "Human Rights Park" in memory of those who were imprisoned on the island for their political activities during the martial law era.
In the park, the government set up a monument, a marble wall with the names of all the political inmates carved into it. However, the names of the more famous inmates are shinier than the others.
"That was because visitors always touch these people's names on the monument because they are famous," Dai said.
"It's just like a natural human reaction. The more you touch it, the shinier the marble will become. It's very normal," he added.
While Green Island is famed for its correctional institutes, it is the natural beauty of the island that the government is hoping will attract visitors. It is a paradise for snorkelers and scuba divers, and there is almost no pollution.
The island, located 33km west of Taitung City, is 16.2km2. Transportation to Taiwan is by air or sea. It takes about 10 minutes by plane and an hour by ship.
The first mention of Green Island -- which used to be called "Huoshao Island" (Burnt Island, 火燒島) because of its tropical weather -- in books was in 1810.
Other than the inmates, there are about 3,000 residents. There are three major villages -- Nanliao (
The villages belong to Green Island Township, Taitung County.
The main sources of income for residents are fishing and tourism, and despite the island's size, it has two elementary schools and one junior high school.
"Usually, more than 6,000 visitors from Taiwan will arrive here during the weekends," a local owner of a snorkeling-equipment shop told the Taipei Times.
"To be honest, most visitors were first attracted to Green Island by the prisons. They did bring us good fortune. However, if the prison is closed, I very much doubt we can earn the same income as we do now," the shop owner said.
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