The Transitional Justice Commission yesterday exonerated Voyue Tosku (杜孝生) and Liao Li-chuan (廖麗川) — two victims of political persecution during the White Terror era — at a ceremony at the Executive Yuan.
Voyue — a Tsou man who received a 17-year prison sentence in 1954 for corruption — was accused of involvement with Aboriginal leaders who were fighting for self-rule for Aborigines.
At yesterday’s ceremony, which was attended by Vice President William Lai (賴清德), Voyue’s son, Voyu Tosku (杜銘哲), said that while the number of people who lived through the White Terror era is dwindling, their voices would carry on.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Voyu thanked the public for bringing his father’s case to a conclusion after more than 70 years.
Today’s democracy is the result of the shared experience of Taiwanese who lived through the White Terror era, he said.
Following his father’s release after four years in prison, the family was forced to relocate to Chiayi County’s Dapu Township (大埔), where they were the only Aboriginal family, Voyu said.
The move cut them off completely from the Tsou community, he said, adding that his father’s exoneration meant that his story could be told in their family’s hometown in Alishan.
Having lived outside of Alishan for more than 60 years, Voyu said he would probably not move back there, but expressed the hope that Taiwan would become a culturally diverse nation that celebrates its Aborigines.
In 1954, Voyue, who was then the head of the public health department in Alishan Township (阿里山), then called Wufeng Township (吳鳳), and Liao, head of the township office, became embroiled in a corruption case involving Tsou leaders Uyongu Yatauyanguna (湯守仁) and Uyongu’e Yatauyungana (高一生).
Voyue’s and Liao’s families were unable to seek redress and compensation through the Compensation Foundation for Improper Verdicts (財團法人戒嚴時期不當叛亂暨匪諜審判案件補償基金會), as their cases did not involve charges related to civil strife or foreign aggression, the commission said.
However, in response to requests from the two men’s sons, the commission launched an investigation into their cases and found evidence of judicial malpractice, and repealed the charges in accordance with the Act on Promoting Transitional Justice (促進轉型正義條例), it said.
The men’s trials were part of the authorities’ efforts during the White Terror era to exercise control over Alishan Township and its residents, and were a violation of their constitutional rights and freedoms, it said.
The now-defunct Taiwan Garrison Command’s interference in the cases was also a violation of the principle of a fair trial, it added.
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
INDUSTRY: Beijing’s latest export measures go beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related tech, an academic said Taiwanese industries could face significant disruption from China’s newly tightened export controls on rare earth elements, as much of Taiwan’s supply indirectly depends on Chinese materials processed in Japan, a local expert said yesterday. Kristy Hsu (徐遵慈), director of the Taiwan ASEAN Studies Center at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, said that China’s latest export measures go far beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related technologies. With Japan and Southeast Asian countries among those expected to be hit, Taiwan could feel the impact through its reliance on Japanese-made semi-finished products and
RSS