Mon, Dec 14, 2009 page3

• FEATURE: Kaohsiung residents reflect on past

  MARTIAL LAW MEMORIES A photo exhibition in an MRT station in Kaohsiung is sparking a sense of pride in the city’s role in forging Taiwan’s democratic change

  • By Vincent Y. Chao / STAFF REPORTER
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  In one of Kaohsiung City’s busiest MRT stations, a small exhibition of pictures lines a corridor telling a sorrowful tale of a pivotal moment in the nation’s transformation — and most passersby stop to take a look.

  The station is named Formosa Boulevard — an apt name for a station built below ground where thousands of protestors led by dissidents from Formosa Magazine (美麗島雜誌社) gathered on Dec. 10, 1979 to ask the government to lift martial law and establish democratic reforms.

  By nightfall, the marchers were surrounded by military police in full riot gear and many prominent democratic activists were arrested in the days following the event, which later became known as the Kaohsiung Incident.

  Eight defendants were tried in military court, including Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊), while former Kaohsiung mayor and premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) was part of the legal team that helped defend the eight.

  Today the bustling city tells a different tale, festive colors left over from this summer’s World Games still adorn the streets, posters mark bridges and overpasses proclaiming this month as “Human Rights Month.”

  As a participant in last Saturday’s event marking the incident’s 30th anniversary put it: “The people of [Kaohsiung] are no longer afraid of being rounded up by military police.”

  City residents say all these accomplishments were the result of the protest and many feel proud that the protest happened in their city.

  “Standing here 30 years on, looking back at this event — I am proud that this incident happened here — people around the nation should appreciate that these people from Kaohsiung made sacrifices for our freedoms,” Yu Tien-sheng (余天生) said after gazing intently at a black-and-white photograph of a group of people, including Chang Chung-hsiung (張俊雄) — who later became premier — in handcuffs.

  “At the time the newspapers branded them as terrorists. We didn’t know any better,” Yu said.

  Yu, who was working as a customs officials at the time, said he remembered notices going up in his office branding the defendants “violent criminals” and announcing a large reward for the capture of Shih Ming-teh (施明德), one of the leaders of the protest.

  “We remember this incident because we saw it happen,” Yu said.

  “However, I’m really worried that the younger generation won’t remember the sacrifices that they made,” he said.

  Another onlooker, who didn’t give a name, described the period as one in which a simple picture could result in problems with the authorities.

  “One of my friends felt strongly about democracy and joined in the protests; the next morning his family received a visit from military police because his face had appeared in a photograph,” the onlokker said.

  “Thankfully that period has passed. I support these events 100 percent; our city has done a good job of educating the public about [the incident’s] importance. More cities should do the same,” Chen Chien-chan (陳謙讚) said, referring to Kaohsiung hosting an event marking the anniversary that included seminars, discussions panels, speeches, an evening concert and the photo exhibition.”

  Although acknowledging that lifting press restrictions, martial law and the one-party state system was beneficial to the entire nation, Chen Hsuan-ju (陳炫儒) said the incident held a special place in the hearts of Kaohsiung residents.

  Chen, who recently graduated from university, said: “I think that the central government needs to do a better job of educating the younger generation about this incident and other events … many have not learned much about this as we have taken our freedoms for [granted].”

  Reading the captions of the pictures, Chen said that the photo exhibition was a good start.
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