Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) yesterday pledged political reform and progress on human rights during a blessing ceremony in remembrance of victims of the Martial Law Era from 1949 to 1987.
Addressing the families of political victims at the ceremony held at the Jing-Mei Human Rights Memorial and Cultural Park, Wu said he understood their pain because a member of his family had also been a victim of the White Terror.
Great strides have been made in safeguarding freedom of speech and human rights since Taiwan’s democratization over the past few decades and these were accomplished regardless of political affiliation or gender, Wu said.
Wu said the government would continue to reflect on the unfortunate incidents and ensure that they never happen again.
The ceremony was held by Compensation Foundation for Improper Verdict on Sedition and Communist Espionage Cases during the Martial Law era. The foundation was established in 1999 to help political victims and their families clear the names of victims who suffered unjust verdicts during the period and claim compensation.
Wu said that in the past 12 years, 9,536 cases had been registered and 3,864 people have had their names cleared, but added that there were many more cases to handle.
“I hope the foundation will continue its efforts to fulfill its responsibilities,” he said.
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