As part of the government’s efforts to promote transitional justice, the Executive Yuan has finished a review of a draft political archives bill, which, if passed, would serve as the legal basis for the government to collect political files dating to the 228 Incident and the White Terror era, including those in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) archives, sources said.
The bill is expected to be approved by the Executive Yuan soon and has been prioritized for review by the Legislative Yuan in the current legislative session, sources added.
An official with knowledge of the matter who requested anonymity said that the proposed bill includes punishments for political parties if they refuse to turn in files relating to the 228 Incident or the ensuing White Terror era.
The KMT has voiced its strong opposition to the Act on Promoting Transitional Justice (促進轉型正義條例), which was passed on Dec. 5 last year, over a rule that gives the government the right to seize political files held by political parties and their affiliates.
The draft bill proposes imposing a fine of between NT$1 million and NT$5 million (US$33,866 and US$169,331) on political parties or their affiliates that refuse to transfer the files to the government, the official said, adding that they could be repeatedly fined if they persist in ignoring the government’s request.
An intergovernmental review on March 20 led by National Development Council Minister Chen Mei-ling (陳美伶), Minister Without Portfolio Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) and National Archives Administration Director-General Lin Chiu-yen (林秋燕) saw the bill undergo a minor rewording.
According to the proposed bill, political files include any file or document from Aug. 15, 1945, to Nov. 6, 1992, relating to the 228 Incident, the Martial Law period and the Period of National Mobilization for Suppression of the Communist Rebellion that is held by a government agency, political party, their affiliate or the business they operate.
Concerned agencies are to finish collecting, classifying and forwarding political files to the National Archives Administration within six months, the proposed bill says, adding that, if necessary, the preparation time may be extended to, but must not exceed, 12 months.
It proposes that the government be given the authority to request political files kept in the custody of the Ministry of National Defense and the Investigation Bureau.
The proposed bill is positioned as a “special archives act” with an aim to collate, preserve and apply political files for educational and research purposes, considering that the period during which the mission to pursue transitional justice lasts is finite, but there should not be a time limit on the disclosure of political files, sources said.
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