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Editorial: A day for remembrance

One year ago today, a catastrophic earthquake took roughly 2,300 lives and devastated tens of thousands of families across Taiwan. The 921 earthquake has traumatized the 23 million Taiwanese people.

In a way, the quake has also served as an overall check-up on the health of Taiwanese society. It has highlighted many issues: the power of NGOs, the way people relate to their government, the efficiency of a decades-old bureaucracy. It is time to redefine the roles and functions of NGOs and the government.

The biggest discovery has to be that of the enormous vitality of which the Taiwanese are capable. Numerous social, charitable and religious groups rallied to take part in the rescue work. Many people stopped their work and joined volunteer groups. Private donations have exceeded NT$30 billion. An endless stream of relief supplies flowed into disaster areas.

It has been a moving scene: people coming out to lend a helping hand to their compatriots. With care and kindness that transcended political borders, the Taiwanese people seemed to have turned their nation into a big family in that moment of agony.

The earthquake also allowed Taiwan a glimpse of the efficiency of rescuers from other countries. More attention is now being paid to Taiwan's crippled rescue and relief organizations. Having received humanitarian aid from the international community, Taiwan has the obligation to repay the kindness.

On the darker side, the earthquake also exposed the incompetence of Taiwan's government bureaucracy. The lack of coordination between the central and local governments, the inability of grassroots authorities to carry out government policies, the vicious power struggles between local factions -- all these have tortured the quake victims.

Their dissatisfaction with the government is understandable. However, we also must point out that we have never seen the government putting so much effort into disaster relief. Cabinet ministers, the premier and the president all have made frequent tours to the disaster areas -- where they were grilled by local residents over numerous grievances. Unfortunately, despite the high priority given to disaster relief, the results have not been good.

Which brings us to the role and responsibilities of the government. Many people expect the government to shoulder all responsibilities and solve all problems. However, much to their disappointment, the government has not been omnipotent.

The biggest problem with the government lies in a bureaucracy slow in its responses. Government organizations fell far behind NGOs in providing relief.

Also, many cases of corruption have emerged in the process of reconstruction. Donations were embezzled; reconstruction funds were pocketed; projects bids were rigged. The quake has aggravated the symptoms of "black gold" politics and highlighted the need to re-evaluate Taiwan's model for local autonomy.

One year on, Taiwan does not have much to celebrate about the relief and reconstruction work. But the government's performance was in fact on a par with that of the Japanese government in the wake of the Kobe earthquake. The difference is that the Japanese public did not dare place high expectations on their government. Some Taiwanese quake victims wanted the government to do everything for them, while others simply did not expect anything from it -- a sign that Taiwan's civil society has not yet matured.

The experience calls for a rethink of relations between the government and the people. What role do we expect the government to play? What kind of government system do we want?

As we mourn the dead on this day of reflection and remembrance, we should also work to build a new society and a new political system we would like to have. It should be a moment of self-redemption for Taiwan.
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