Pro-independence groups yesterday called for the removal of the statue of dictator Chiang Kai-shek (
Removal of the statue would be the first step toward lifting the "spiritual martial law," the groups said at a demonstration in front of the memorial hall yesterday.
"Although martial law was lifted 20 years ago, it still exists in the minds of many Taiwanese," said Tsay Ting-kuei (蔡丁貴), chairman of the Taiwan Association of University Professors.
PHOTO: CHU PEI-HSIUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
"Chiang's statues can still be found in many public places. We need to clean up all such public places before a complete removal of the spiritual martial law is possible," he said.
The memorial hall, formerly known as Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, was completed in 1980 under the then Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime.
Although the memorial hall was renamed earlier this year, a giant bronze statue of Chiang still remains in the main lobby.
An official from the memorial hall's management office received the demonstrators and accepted a copy of the petition from the groups.
Tsay gave an example of how the "marital law mentality" still existed in Taiwan.
He said that many people they approached were reluctant to sign petitions, "because they fear something, even though nothing would happen to them. That's what I call a martial law mentality.'"
Two young demonstrators at the scene may have exhibited such "martial law mentality," Tsay said, as even though they both agreed to talk to the Taipei Times, they would not give their full names.
The two women, surnamed Lin and Huang, said they both supported the groups' demands and hoped the statue would be "torn down as soon as possible."
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
Greenpeace yesterday said that it is to appeal a decision last month by the Taipei High Administrative Court to dismiss its 2021 lawsuit against the Ministry of Economic Affairs over “loose” regulations governing major corporate electricity consumers. The climate-related lawsuit — the first of its kind in Taiwan — sought to require the government to enforce higher green energy thresholds on major corporations to reduce emissions in light of climate change and an uptick in extreme weather. The suit, filed by Greenpeace East Asia, the Environmental Jurists Association and four individual plaintiffs, was dismissed on May 8 following four years of litigation. The
The New Taipei City Government would assist relatives of those killed or injured in last month’s car-ramming incident in Sansia District (三峽) to secure compensation, Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said yesterday, two days after the driver died in a hospital. “The city government will do its best to help the relatives of the car crash incident seek compensation,” Hou said. The mayor also said that the city’s Legal Affairs, Education and Social Welfare departments have established a joint mechanism to “provide coordinated assistance” to victims and their families. Three people were killed and 12 injured when a car plowed into schoolchildren and their