Activists collected more than 400 signatures in support of human rights yesterday to urge the Council for Cultural Affairs (CCA) to halt its planned transformation of a human rights park in Taipei.
A former military prison and court where hundreds of political prisoners were detained or put on trial during the White Terror, the Jingmei Military Detention Center in Taipei was turned into a human rights memorial featuring exhibitions of Taiwan’s democracy movement, prison cells and former military courtrooms in 2007.
However, the CCA changed the name of the park to “Jingmei Cultural Park” earlier this month and invited artistic groups to use the buildings as offices or performances halls, saying they would be allowed to alter the interior.
The plan was opposed by human rights groups and former political prisoners such as former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) and former Examination Yuan president Yao Chia-wen (姚嘉文), who were once detained there.
“We’re not against having artistic groups there, but the groups must fit in with the human rights context and the past of this place,” said Tsao Chin-jung (曹欽榮), a representative from the Truth and Reconciliation Association.
He said the CCA should halt the selection process to find artistic groups to take over the former detention center and push for legislation to protect human rights sites across the country, running them as museums.
“In Europe, former Nazi concentration camps are well maintained and there are all kinds of government-sponsored or privately organized educational programs related to these places because there are laws regarding maintenance and operation of [the] sites,” Tsao said. “We need legislation just like that.”
Chen Chung-tung (陳中統), a political prisoner who was jailed for 10 years at the former Jingmei Military Detention Center, said the Jingmei Human Rights Memorial was an important place for thousands of ex-political prisoners and their relatives.
“It’s also an important part of Taiwan’s history — it should not be destroyed,” he said.
Lawmakers from both the Democratic Progressive Party and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), dictator Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) great grandson Demos Chiang (蔣友柏), more than 180 former political prisoners and 26 civic groups were among those who signed a petition in support of the activists’ demand.
After meeting with the activists, the CCA released a statement saying that it would “be more cautious in selecting which artistic groups could use the Jingmei Park area,” and hold a public hearing next week, but refused to halt the plan.
NEW AGREEMENT: Malaysia approved imports last year after nearly two years of negotiations and inspections to meet quarantine requirements, officials said Up to 3.6 tonnes of pomeloes from Taiwan cleared Malaysian customs on Friday, in the first shipment of Taiwanese pomeloes to Malaysia. Taiwan-grown pomeloes are popular in domestic and overseas markets for their tender and juicy taste, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency said. The fruit is already exported to Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines, it added. The agency began applying for access to the Malaysian market in 2023, compiling data on climate suitability, pests and diseases, and post-harvest handling, while also engaging in nearly two years of negotiations with Malaysian authorities and submitting supplementary
PEAK MONTHS: Data showed that on average 25 to 27 typhoons formed in the Pacific and South China seas annually, with about four forming per month in July and October One of three tropical depressions in the Pacific strengthened into a typhoon yesterday afternoon, while two others are expected to become typhoons by today, Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecaster Lee Ming-hsiang (李名翔) said yesterday. The outer circulation of Tropical Depression No. 20, now Typhoon Mitag, has brought light rain to Hualien, Taitung and areas in the south, Lee said, adding that as of 2pm yesterday, Mitag was moving west-northwest at 16kph, but is not expected to directly affect Taiwan. It was possible that Tropical Depression No. 21 would become a typhoon as soon as last night, he said. It was moving in a
Tigerair Taiwan and China Airlines (CAL) today announced that several international flights were canceled or rescheduled due to Typhoon Ragasa. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) has maintained sea and land warnings for the typhoon. Its storm circle reached the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) on Taiwan's southern tip at 11am today. Tigerair Taiwan said it canceled Monday's IT551/IT552 Taoyuan-Da Nang, IT606/IT607 Taoyuan-Busan and IT602 Taoyuan-Seoul Incheon flights. Tomorrow, cancelations include IT603 Seoul Incheon-Taoyuan, as well as flights between Taoyuan and Sapporo, Osaka, Tokyo Narita, Okinawa, Fukuoka, Saga, Tokyo Haneda, Nagoya, Asahikawa and Jeju. On Wednesday, the IT321/IT322 Kaohsiung-Macau round-trip would also be canceled. CAL announced that today's
About nine Taiwanese are “disappeared,” detained, or otherwise deprived of freedom of movement in China each month, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. Between Jan. 1 last year and Aug. 31 this year, 188 Taiwanese travelers went missing, were detained and interrogated, or had their personal freedom restricted, with some questioned in airports or hotel lobbies, the council said. In a statement ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the council urged people visiting China for any reason to be highly vigilant and aware of the risks. Of the reported cases, 50 people were “disappeared” after entering China, 19 were detained and 119 had