228 Memorial Foundation chairman Hsueh Hua-yuan (薛化元) criticized an unnamed governmental organization for its alleged unwillingness to declassify documents relating to the 228 Incident, calling its attitude reflective of the obstacles to declassifying materials regarding the White Terror era.
The 228 Incident refers to a crackdown launched by the then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) authoritarian regime against civilian demonstrations following an incident in Taipei on Feb. 27, 1947. It also marked the beginning of the White Terror era that saw thousands of Taiwanese arrested, imprisoned and executed.
Hsueh said Academia Historica had put in a great deal of effort to find new files for the 70th anniversary of the massacre this year.
The classification level of the files is low and reluctance to comply with Academia Historica’s declassification request is representative of the overall difficulty of declassifying files on the White Terror era, he said.
Most files are governmental and it is imperative for government organizations to periodically clear out file caches, Hsueh said.
Most archivists are not trained historians, he said, adding that agencies should keep the original files when relocating or archiving them.
“No file relating to transitional justice efforts should be shredded before being examined by academics,” Hsueh said.
Academia Historica director Wu Mi-cha (吳密察) said that only the office of a file’s origin could declassify the documents, adding that the government should amend the Personal Information Protection Act (個人資料保護法).
The law makes some information ralting to the Incident unavailable, Wu said, adding that the situation is “odd” at a time when the nation is trying to discover the facts about the Incident.
Wu also said that the Archives Act (檔案法) lacked sufficient power, as it does not grant access to documents filed by the KMT, adding that the Incident occurred during a time when the line between the party and the state was blurred.
“To understand the Incident, we must look into the KMT’s files, and such changes need to be enacted through the Legislative Yuan,” Wu said.
Academia Historica declined to name the government agency, saying only that it has just recently agreed to declassify related files.
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
One of two tropical depressions that formed offshore this morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. It is expected to move in a northwesterly direction as it continues building momentum, possibly intensifying into Typhoon Mitag this weekend, she added. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is expected to approach southeast of Taiwan on Monday and pass through the Bashi Channel between Tuesday and Wednesday,
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