After decades of lying embalmed in temporary mausoleums, the bodies of former presidents Chiang Kai-shek (
The move has in general received approval from members of the ruling and opposition parties, with many political commentators interpreting it as a symbolic shift of the Chiang family's roots. But the proposal to bury the two according to the State Funeral Law (
Chin Heng-wei (
"The scope of the funeral and ceremony carried out then was far grander than a so-called state funeral -- it was of emperor-level ostentation and extravagance," Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Legislator Chien Lin Whei-jun (
Saying that the government has already performed "the most grand and splendid farewell ceremonies" for both Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang Ching-kuo when they died, Chien Lin said "It is unreasonable to take taxpayers' money to hold a state funeral again."
Given that Chiang Kai-shek was the president of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and that Chiang Ching-kuo was its former party chairman, Chien Lin suggested that the KMT should help chip in with funds needed to carry out a state funeral if one does take place.
According to the State Funeral Law, which was passed in 1948, a public figure is eligible for state funeral consideration when a proposal "is approved by more than half of all committee members of the Executive Yuan by secret ballot."
Among other provisions, the State Funeral Law stipulates that "the ceremony of the state funeral be carried out under the instruction of the president."
"Would people accept the move to lower the flag to half-staff [for Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang Ching-kuo]?" Chin asked, citing events such as the 228 Incident and the White Terror era. These murderous events took place under the reign of Chiang Kai-shek and left a profound scar on the minds of many Taiwanese, Chin said.
The 228 Incident refers to the ruthless military crackdown on civilian protests on Feb. 28, 1947, against the KMT administration. Historians estimate that up to 30,000 people were killed.
The White Terror lasted for 38 years, starting when the Taiwan Military Garrison Command (
Tossing in a different perspective, political commentator Chen Li-hung (
"The 2004 presidential election campaign exhausted and divided the society with partisan disputes and ethnic divisions," said Chen Li-hung. "The opportunity to bury the two former presidents in state funeral style according to the existing State Funeral Law can help mitigate the political standoff between the pan-green and pan-blue camps and help stitch the society's ethnic divide."
KMT caucus whip Liao Feng-te (
"At a time when the KMT is still going on with its claim that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration is an illegitimate one, we are seeing the Chiang family making the request from the [DPP] government. All this has made the KMT look really awkward," said Chen Li-hung, referring to KMT Chairman Lien Chan's (
Echoing Chen Li-hung's comments, Chin added that the fact that Faina Chiang Fang-liang skipped over the KMT in her application seeking to bury both Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang Ching-kuo in the military cemetery suggested that the "party state system" that had long operated under KMT rule had ended.
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