The government is continuing its transitional justice efforts and plans to enhance human rights protection in industrial supply chains, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said at a Human Rights Day ceremony yesterday.
In a speech at the National Human Rights Museum in Taipei, Tsai said that the government would continue to integrate and supervise its departments in pursuing transitional justice.
The Transitional Justice Commission was dissolved after it submitted its concluding report in May and accomplished its mission, she said, adding that the Cabinet held its first regular meeting for the promotion of transitional justice in September.
Photo: CNA
The government is planning to set up a reinstatement foundation, which would be responsible for returning property confiscated during the White Terror era and compensating victims targeted by the then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime, she said.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare would continue to provide services such as trauma therapy to the victims and their families, she said.
The Ministry of Education has drafted guidelines for transitional justice education, and along with the Ministry of Justice, it would promote human rights values in schools, allowing the concepts of transitional justice to take root among younger generations and in social educational institutes, to help Taiwanese learn from the past and avoid the mistakes of the White Terror era, she said.
As Taiwan plays a key role in the global trade, the government would continue efforts to protect human rights in industrial supply chains, Tsai said.
National Human Rights Commission Chairwoman Chen Chu (陳菊) is leading a delegation to France, where she signed a quadrilateral agreement with Paris, Tsai said.
Under the agreement, France is to select human rights experts to be stationed at the commission and assist it in implementing key tasks, such as gender equality and reinforcing democracy, she said.
At the ceremony, Tsai recognized Chang Chang-mei (張常美), a 91-year-old political victim who had been sentenced to 12 years for joining a “seditious” organization during the White Terror era.
The president thanked Chang for sharing her story.
“The democracy and freedom we have today is because past generations sacrificed their lives and freedom to push Taiwan’s democratization process forward,” Tsai said.
“Through continuous efforts to unearth the truth, we are constantly reminded to bravely face our history,” she said.
“The wounds and injustice from the past will not heal on their own over time,” Tsai said. “We pursue transitional justice because we believe that by remembering history and reflecting on it, it can help us avoid mistakes and bring about social solidarity, strengthen democracy and allow Taiwan to continue improving.”
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