Nearly NT$3 million in compensation is languishing in the hands of the Compensation Foundation for Improper Verdicts (
"We have not paid the NT$2.7 million compensation to his children because, although the children have won their lawsuit claiming inheritance of Huang's compensation, they have yet to file individual claims for the money. We had to wait until the case was finished," said Ni Tsu-hsiu (倪子修), the
executive-secretary of the foundation.
The compensation for Huang's wrongful jailing over his involvement in the Kaohsiung Incident was temporarily frozen when the lawsuit was filed. But the suit was concluded on Nov. 8 last year, with a ruling that Huang's daughters and his biological son were entitled to claim the funds. They have yet to do so.
The Cabinet established the foundation -- consisting of 15 scholars, judges, government officials and victims' family members -- on March 9, 1999 to compensate the victims who had been wrongfully jailed or detained during the martial law era, from May 20, 1949 to July 14, 1987.
Huang was involved in the Kaohsiung Incident -- a state crackdown on Dec. 10, 1979 -- following an anti-government parade in Kaohsiung that was organized by Formosa Magazine. He was jailed for five years because he was the primary donor and sponsor of the parade.
The ruling KMT jailed eight people, including Huang, Vice President Annette Lu (
Ni said Huang filed a request for compensation for being wrongfully jailed as soon as the foundation was established in 1999. Due to the huge amount of claims, the foundation did not finish its review and approve the request right away.
Huang died at the age of 72 from a heart attack on Nov. 30, 1999. To claim the compensation themselves, his children, as his heirs, had to file a new claim. With that aim in mind, his daughters filed a lawsuit in 2000, prompting the foundation to freeze the money pending resolution of the case.
According to Ni, Chang, Yao, Chen and Lin Hung-hsuan of the Kaohsiung eight have received their compensation. In addition, Lu, Lin I-hsiung and Shih have yet to file a request for compensation.
"Maybe they have their reasons [for not filing]," Ni said. "We will pay Huang's children as soon as they file their application."
There are three sons and three daughters in the Huang family, including Huang Chi-wei (黃至慰), Huang Chi-the (黃至德), Huang Chi-jun (黃至君), Huang Wen-jo (黃文柔), Huang Wen-wei (黃文威) and Huang Wen-jeou (黃文九). Huang's wife Chang Yueh-ching (張月卿) also passed away on May 26, 1996.
According to Huang Chi-jun, his three sisters felt that Huang Chi-wei was extremely cold to the family, so Huang Chi-wei didn't visit Huang Hsin-chieh at all when he was terribly ill a few months before he passed away. In addition, Huang Chi-wei always tried to borrow money here and there from family members whenever he came home. As a result, they filed a suit to prevent Huang Chi-wei from inheriting the money.
In the case, the plaintiffs were Huang's three daughters -- Huang Wen-jo, Huang Wen-wei and Huang Wen-jeou. The defendant was Huang's adopted son Huang Chi-wei, who was listed as the oldest son in Huang's household registration.
On Nov. 8 last year, Shihlin Judge Chen Li-fan (
In addition, the plaintiffs' testimony about the defendant's behavior also proved to be true. As a result, the court decided to grant the plaintiffs' request. The decision also left 20 days for the plaintiff to appeal if necessary.
However, Huang Chi-wei did not appeal within 20 days, thus forfeiting his chances for another appeal.
Huang's daughters could not be reached for comment.
When approached by reporters, Huang Chi-wei was reticent. But he did say, "This is not over yet."
Huang Hsin-chieh is considered one of the prime architects of the political-reform movement that gave the nation the democratic system it now enjoys. In a political career that spanned more than 50 years, he was a major figure behind the transition from martial law to democracy.
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