Compensation of more than NT$46 million (US$1.46 million) across 41 cases involving victims of Taiwan’s authoritarian rule and the White Terror era have been approved, a government organization for restorative justice said today.
The organization said its board approved the cases on Wednesday last week, including NT$6 million for the family of a train station employee, surnamed Lin (林), who disappeared after being forcibly arrested by military police during a bloody confrontation at Keelung’s Badu (八堵) railway station.
Further cases included students detained and tortured during authoritarian rule and those whose belongings were looted by soldiers during the 228 Incident, it said.
Photo: Hsieh Wu-hsiung, Taipei Times
The White Terror era refers to the period of political persecution that began when Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) declared martial law in 1949.
The period followed the 228 Incident, a series of ruthless crackdowns on protesters in the weeks and months following the beating of a tobacco vendor in Taipei by government agents on Feb. 27, 1947.
The Restoration of Victims’ Rights Infringed by Illegal Acts of the State During the Period of Authoritarian Rule Foundation handles compensation for those whose lives, personal liberty, reputation, rights or property were affected during Taiwan’s authoritarian rule.
Of the cases, 39 pertained to “loss of life or personal liberty contravened by unlawful acts of the state,” and two regarded “property ownership that was confiscated through unlawful acts of the state,” it said.
The compensation was awarded in accordance with the Act to Restore Victims’ Rights Infringed by Illegal Acts of the State During the Period of Authoritarian Rule (威權統治時期國家不法行為被害者權利回復條例), it added.
The Badu Station Incident occurred on March 11, 1947, when soldiers killed seven station workers and abducted another 13, who were never seen again.
After the 228 Incident broke out, soldiers travelling to Keelung on March 1 to collect supplies occupied train carriages and bullied passengers.
When passengers resisted, clashes erupted until the train reached Badu Station.
On March 11, the Keelung Fortress Command dispatched about 40 soldiers to the station, where they opened fire and forcibly arrested station employees, including the stationmaster and those who were present during the March 1 incident.
The organization said that, as of the end of last month, it had received a total of 3,239 applications for compensation in relation to infringements on life or personal freedom, of which 2,769 were approved, 103 were rejected and 63 were withdrawn.
As for cases related to property ownership, it received 354 applications, of which 37 were approved, 55 were withdrawn and 201 were rejected, it added.
For certificates of restored reputation, it received 5,144 applications, with 4,608 approved and 66 rejected, it said.
Those whose appeals were successful may apply at their household registration office to have a note of restored reputation added to the victim’s household registration records, it said.
Members of the public with questions about compensation applications may call the dedicated hotline at (02) 8173-5000 or visit the official Web site — available in both English and Chinese — at rrf.org.tw.
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