Former political prisoners and families of political victims yesterday demanded the resignation of the Council for Cultural Affairs (CCA) chief for changing the name and designation of a site dedicated to rights activists.
The group staged a demonstration outside the CCA office and called on council Chairwoman Huang Pi-twan (黃碧端) to step down for changing the name of the former Taiwan Human Rights Memorial Jingmei Park in Taipei.
The memorial was created in 2007 on the site of the former Jingmei military detention center, where thousands of political dissidents were tried and jailed during the White Terror period.
PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
Earlier this month, the council changed the site's name to Jingmei Cultural Park without consulting former political prisoners who were once jailed there. The council also said it would allow artistic groups to use the rooms — and alter the interior if necessary — in buildings on the grounds.
The move drew strong opposition from human rights activists and was criticized by many former political prisoners as a step by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to erase its sordid past.
Despite the objections, the council only promised to be careful in selecting which groups would to be allowed to use the park and that it would continue to focus on human rights efforts.
The council's promises failed to satisfy its critics.
“[President] Ma Ying-jeou [馬英九] first broke his promise and changed the name of the National Democracy Memorial Hall back to Chiang Kai-shek [蔣介石] Memorial Hall. Then the budget for the 228 Memorial Foundation was scrapped. Now, the government changes the name of the Taiwan Human Rights Memorial Jingmei Park,” said Lin Hsiao-yun (林小雲), a family member of a 228 Incident victim. “[Both Ma and Huang] need to step down!”
Chen Peng-yun (陳鵬雲), a political dissident who served 15 years in prison, condemned the council for “wanting to cover up the murders committed by Chiang” and for “showing great disrespect” to political prisoners.
Behind the protesters were supporters who held up signs and photos of executed dissidents before and after their execution.
The council offered to meet with the demonstrators, but they refused.
“We don't want to see any official. It's meaningless to meet with officials because the CCA is not changing its mind,” a protestor told a police officer, who delivered the council's message.
Taiwan must first strengthen its own national defense to deter a potential invasion by China as cross-strait tensions continue to rise, multiple European lawmakers said on Friday. In a media interview in Taipei marking the conclusion of an eight-member European parliamentary delegation’s six-day visit to Taiwan, the lawmakers urged Taipei to remain vigilant and increase defense spending. “All those who claim they want to protect you actually want to conquer you,” Ukrainian lawmaker Serhii Soboliev said when asked what lessons Taiwan could draw from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Soboliev described the Kremlin as a “new fascist Nazi regime” that justified
The US House of Representatives yesterday passed the PROTECT Taiwan Act, which stipulates that Washington would exclude China from participating in major global financial organizations if its actions directly threaten Taiwan’s security. The bill, proposed by Republican US Representative Frank Lucas, passed with 395 votes in favor and two against. It stipulates that if China’s actions pose any threat to Taiwan’s security, economic or social systems, the US would, “to the maximum extent practicable,” exclude China from international financial institutions, including the G20, the Bank for International Settlements and the Financial Stability Board. The bill makes it clear that China
‘T-DOME’: IBCS would increase Taiwan’s defense capabilities, enabling air defense units to use data from any sensor system and cut reaction time, a defense official said A defense official yesterday said that a purported new arms sale the US is assembling for Taiwan likely includes Integrated Battle Command Systems (IBCS). The anonymous official’s comments came hours after the Financial Times (FT) reported that Washington is preparing a US$20 billion arms sale encompassing “Patriot missiles and other weapons,” citing eight sources. The Taiwanese official said the IBCS is an advanced command and control system that would play a key role in President William Lai’s (賴清德) flagship defense program, the “T-Dome,” an integrated air defense network to counter ballistic missiles and other threats. The IBCS would increase Taiwan’s
NOMINAL NEWLYWEDS: A man’s family and his wife — his long-term caregiver — are engaged in a legal dogfight over the propriety and validity of the recent union A centenarian’s marriage to his caregiver unbeknownst to his children has prompted legal action, as the caregiver accuses the man’s children of violating her personal liberty and damaging her reputation, while the children have sought a legal option to have the marriage annulled. According to sources, the 102-year-old man surnamed Wang (王) lives in Taipei’s Zhongshan District (中山) and previously worked as a land registration agent. Wang reportedly owns multiple properties and parcels of land worth several hundred million New Taiwan dollars and has ten children. His caregiver, a 69-year-old surnamed Lai (賴), has been caring for him since about 1999,
RSS