Transitional Justice Commission Chairwoman Yang Tsui (楊翠) yesterday vowed that the commission would propose legislation to deal with investigations into the perpetrators of White Terror atrocities and other human rights abuses of the past.
“After focusing on victims of political persecution in the early phase, the commission is now focusing on illegal actions by the government and oppression of victims [during the White Terror era], which will be followed by finding the perpetrators and determining their responsibility as part of the state apparatus,” Yang told a news conference in Taipei.
The White Terror era refers to the suppression of political dissidents following the 228 Incident, an uprising that began on Feb. 27, 1947, which was brutally suppressed by the then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kung, Taipei Times
The government subsequently imposed martial law, which was lifted on July 15, 1987.
The commission would draft bills on transitional justice to handle unjust decisions by government administrative offices in the past, she said.
This would be followed by drafting bills on dealing with symbols of authoritarianism and conferring with the Ministry of Culture on appropriate ways to transform the functions of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, she added.
The commission would present an official report next month about its overall plans and programs, including a summary from its investigations to inform the public, and a blueprint for action in the next phase, she said.
The commission plans to continue caring for and compensating victims of political persecution and their families, propose a draft bill on restoring the rights of victims who had suffered during the authoritarian regime, and provide medical care and therapy for the victims and their families, she said.
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