It is difficult to forget the harrowing photograph of Jih Chin-chun (日進春) that shows him laughing before his execution.
On Aug. 29, 1952, Jih was shot five times by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) military police by a river, his corpse left among a pile of bodies in today’s Liuzhangli (六張犁) area of Taipei.
Jih, a member of the Saisiyat community, was reportedly the first Aborigine to fall victim to the authoritarian regime’s White Terror atrocities, when anyone could “disappear” over suspicion that they were reading banned books, badmouthing the government, associating with communists or other activities.
The Transitional Justice Commission honored Jih on the 69th anniversary of his death, announcing that it has asked researchers to compile a booklet focusing on Aborigines killed during the period, including Paiwan youth Lai Hung-man (賴紅炎).
While Taiwanese today are familiar with Aboriginal resistance against Japanese rule thanks to movies such as Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale, little is mentioned about them when it comes to the White Terror era. How many people had heard of Jih and Lai until the commission highlighted them in a statement to the media on Sunday?
Only a handful of Aborigines are commonly mentioned and they were linked to the same incident: Yapasuyongu Yulunana and Uyonge Yatauyungana of the Tsou people, and Losing Watan, an Atayal. All three were politically active — the former two had already run afoul of the government by organizing an armed resistance against the government’s brutal crackdown following the 228 Incident, while Losing Watan was a member of the Provincial Assembly. All three were executed in 1954 for their involvement in advocating Aboriginal autonomy — two years after Jih — and branded as communists.
By contrast, Jih’s experiences echo those of countless others killed during the White Terror period. He was a schoolteacher who talked to the wrong people. Jih was reportedly recruited by Chinese Communist Party sympathizer Chang Yan-mei (張燕梅). Lai got into trouble over his writing while he was a student, in which he mused about how to improve the lives of Aborigines. He was detained, but eventually released.
It is a gargantuan task to unearth all of the stories, especially as some people are still reticent to talk, despite martial law having ended in 1987.
However, with the commission’s efforts, more of the truth will be revealed.
The stories of Aborigines during the White Terror era are an important part of history that is often overlooked, so it is good that the commission has allocated more effort to the issue.
As Legislator Saidhai Tahovecahe, a Rukai, wrote on Facebook, there were countless Aborigines besides Jih who suffered at the hands of the regime, including police officers, teachers, doctors and political leaders.
However, judging from some of the comments on Saidhai Tahovecahe’s post, some Taiwanese still see transitional justice as bringing up old wounds and dividing society.
However, as many Han Taiwanese still misunderstand Aborigines or even discriminate against them, it is important to understand that the great loss of land, culture and autonomy they experienced in the centuries prior continued during the White Terror period.
Misunderstandings arise because people forget the past, not because they bring it up, and as more about the period comes to light, hopefully it will bring more understanding and unity.
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