|
EDITORIAL:
Remembrance, not burial of the truth
Today marks the 66th anniversary of the 228 Incident, a tragic page in Taiwan¡¦s
history that ushered in the White Terror era and, subsequently, steered Taiwan
and its people into one of the world¡¦s longest periods of martial law, from May
19, 1949, until July 15, 1987.
The 1947 uprising against the then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime
resulted in tens of thousands of people killed, missing, tortured and imprisoned
without public trials. The elimination of many social elites ¡X ethnic Taiwanese
and Mainlanders alike ¡X meant not only the tragic breakup of families and a high
death toll, but also left a lasting impact on society.
¡§I have tried to keep the memory alive. I have tried to fight those who would
forget. Because if we forget, we are guilty ... not to remember would turn us
into accomplices of the killers, to remember would turn anyone into a friend of
the victims,¡¨ Nazi Holocaust survivor and world-renowned author Elie Wiesel said
in his 1986 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech.
While it is comforting to note that, in keeping with the notion that history
ought not to be forgotten, a series of commemorative events are held annually to
mark the anniversary of the 228 Incident, the last thing any person of
conscience would hope to see is to have these commemorations become mere
formality simply because the date is marked in red on the calendar.
However, more lamentable and disappointing is seeing government agencies and
officials of high standing harboring a downright disregard for the anniversary
and for the tragedy. Regrettably, this is exactly what was suggested in a recent
report regarding the 228 National Memorial Park in Chiayi City, which is
governed by the KMT.
According to local media reports, Chiayi City residents are upset over the local
and central government¡¦s apparent disregard for the 228 Incident anniversary
that, despite the park being the first in the country to have been designated a
national park in memory of the incident, this year would mark the second year in
a row that the park¡¦s administration chose not to hold a commemorative event.
As a number of local residents have bluntly pointed out, what was the point of
spending NT$950 million (US$32 million) on a national park dedicated to victims
of the 228 Incident when it is left unused and plays no role in educating the
public about this tragic chapter in Taiwanese history nor helps young people
understand what the day represents?
The Chiayi reports prompted many to wonder whether those higher up in the KMT
government truly care about the history and the significance of the date to
Taiwanese. Opposition politicians yesterday accused President Ma Ying-jeou (°¨^¤E)
of having demanded that academics relaunch a study of the 228 Incident as part
of his de-Taiwanization effort.
As a report published by the 228 Incident Memorial Foundation in 2006 titled The
228 incident: A Report on Responsibility concluded that dictator Chiang Kai-shek
(½±¤¶¥Û) had been the primary culprit in the tragedy, Ma¡¦s latest directive raises
eyebrows in view of the perception that some within the KMT remain unwilling to
face up to the historical record regarding the 228 Massacre.
On Sunday, Ma again lauded Taiwan¡¦s democratic achievements and reiterated the
nation¡¦s commitment in that area.
Hopefully the president will practice what he preaches and, in line with the
spirit of democracy, neither attempt to conceal facts nor distort the truth
behind the tragedy of the 228 Massacre.
|
