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CKS name-change sparks council debate

Participants in the exhibition ``Goodbye, President Chiang'' perform a skit at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall yesterday mocking the patriotic anti-communist education of the past authoritarian regime. The event was held by the 228 Incident Memorial Foundation and the Hand-in-Hand to Safeguard Taiwan Alliance on the eve of today's name change ceremony. PHOTO: WANG YI-SUNG, TAIPEI TIMES

The Ministry of Education's plan to unveil a new name plaque today for Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall sparked heated debate yesterday between Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City councilors.

The Cabinet last month decided to change the name of the hall to "Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall" (台灣民主紀念館). Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌), however, was firmly opposed to the name change and said on Wednesday that if anyone dared to remove the current name plaque or put up a new one, he would have them arrested.

The DPP's Taipei City Council caucus held a press conference yesterday to express their support for the name change.

"Changing the name that represents a past authoritarian regime is a symbolic move towards realizing transitional justice," said Chen Chia-ming (陳嘉銘), convener of the DPP's council caucus.

However, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) councilors believed that the change was illegal.

"We're not against the name change, but it should be done through the proper legal channels," said KMT City Councilor Wang Chih-ping (汪志冰).

"The CKS Memorial Hall was founded under the Organic Statute of the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Management Office, but the Cabinet is trying to rename it ? using an executive order," KMT City councilor Lin Yi-hua (林奕華) said. "How can an executive order contradict a law?"

During a question-and-answer session yesterday at the city council, Hau said that the city would remain neutral on the name change if the memorial hall was not damaged by the new name plaque.

In March, Taipei City Government classified the memorial hall and its surrounding walls as a temporary historic site to prevent any alteration of the structure.

According to the Cultural Heritage Protection Law (文化資產保護法), a temporary historic site cannot be altered in any way.

"I trust the central government's promise that they will not damage the temporary historic site, and that's the only thing we care about from the city government's point of view," Hau said.

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