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US Congress is urged to remember the 228
Massacre
By William Lowther / Staff Reporter in
WASHINGTON
Members of the US Congress are being urged to commemorate the 64th anniversary
of Taiwanˇ¦s 228 Massacre as an ˇ§important historical event.ˇ¨
Congressman Scott Garrett has entered a plea into the Congressional Record.
The 228 Massacre refers to the brutal crackdown following the uprising in 1947
against the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime, which left tens of thousands
dead and led to a nearly four-decade-long period of martial law.
After outlining what happened in the tragic 1947 event, Garrett said: ˇ§Through
this daunting experience, a bigger and brighter Taiwan is beginning to emerge.
Now we have a thriving and pluralistic democracy. While they are still fighting
for sovereignty from China, since 2000 the Taiwanese have made strides to
control their own destiny, and have transitioned between ruling parties based on
the will of its citizens.ˇ¨
Bob Yang (·¨^¨|), president of the Formosan Association of Public Affairs, said
later: ˇ§Recent attempts by the KMT government to whitewash this horrific episode
in Taiwanˇ¦s history are extremely disturbing. The government urging the general
public in Taiwan ˇĄto forgive and forgetˇ¦ is utterly unacceptable.ˇ¨
He added: ˇ§The 228 Massacre must never be forgotten. The time is now that the
Kuomintang Nationalist party [KMT] must make amends for the crimes it committed
during the massacre and its protracted aftermath of White Terror.ˇ¨
Discussing the 228 Massacre remained taboo for decades under Chiang Kai-shekˇ¦s
(˝±¤¶ĄŰ) rule. Chiang died in 1975.
It was not until 1995 that then-president Lee Teng-hui (§őµn˝÷) of the KMT made the
first official apology for the incident. The legislature later agreed on
compensation and made Feb. 28 an official national holiday.
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