President Lai Ching-te said that real social reconciliation can only be brought about by acknowledging historic facts.
Lai made the remark Feb. 28 in Kaohsiung City at a commemoration of the 79th anniversary of the Feb. 28 Incident, during which he also offered condolences to victims and their surviving family members on behalf of the government. Premier Cho Jung-tai and the Ministry of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang were also present, the Presidential Office said.
The 1947 Feb. 28 Incident took place against a backdrop of protests and calls for government reform. Military crackdowns claimed the lives of civilians and ushered in decades of martial law.
The president noted that the incident was the most tragic post-Second World War event in Taiwan and was taboo throughout the 38-year martial law period May 20, 1949 to July 15, 1987. The white terror period from May 20, 1949 to May 16, 1992 propelled civil groups to start to pursue democracy, Lai said.
The Democratic Progressive Party was founded in September 1986, with No. 51 of the party’s guidelines stipulating that all party members must seek public acknowledgement of the incident. In the following year, several hundred democratic activists staged a first parade calling to redress the incident.
In 1992, the Executive Yuan released a report on the 228 Incident, and in 1996, former President Lee Teng-hui became the first president to make an open apology for the tragedy, with former Presidents Chen Shui-bian, Ma Ying-jeou and Tsai Ing-wen also following suit.
The president reiterated government commitment to expediting the opening of archived political files, further implementing transitional justice to avoid any repetition of history. (POC-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw
Lai made the remark Feb. 28 in Kaohsiung City at a commemoration of the 79th anniversary of the Feb. 28 Incident, during which he also offered condolences to victims and their surviving family members on behalf of the government. Premier Cho Jung-tai and the Ministry of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang were also present, the Presidential Office said.
The 1947 Feb. 28 Incident took place against a backdrop of protests and calls for government reform. Military crackdowns claimed the lives of civilians and ushered in decades of martial law.
The president noted that the incident was the most tragic post-Second World War event in Taiwan and was taboo throughout the 38-year martial law period May 20, 1949 to July 15, 1987. The white terror period from May 20, 1949 to May 16, 1992 propelled civil groups to start to pursue democracy, Lai said.
The Democratic Progressive Party was founded in September 1986, with No. 51 of the party’s guidelines stipulating that all party members must seek public acknowledgement of the incident. In the following year, several hundred democratic activists staged a first parade calling to redress the incident.
In 1992, the Executive Yuan released a report on the 228 Incident, and in 1996, former President Lee Teng-hui became the first president to make an open apology for the tragedy, with former Presidents Chen Shui-bian, Ma Ying-jeou and Tsai Ing-wen also following suit.
The president reiterated government commitment to expediting the opening of archived political files, further implementing transitional justice to avoid any repetition of history. (POC-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw
from Taiwan Today – Top News