Taipei, Oct. 23 (CNA) It is time to question the real facts behind Taiwan's "retrocession, " said a pro-independence civic group on the eve of Taiwan's 61st Retrocession Day, which falls on Oct. 25.
"The real retrocession did not begin on Oct. 25, 1945, when Japanese rule of Taiwan officially ended. In fact, the retrocession never happened, " said Chet Yang, secretary-general of the Taiwan Society.
Taiwan was never given back to the people of Taiwan because the Kuomintang (KMT) took over after Japan pulled and started yet another period of "colonial rule," Yang claimed.
True freedom was not restored in Taiwan until the late 1980's, when the world's longest period of martial law was finally lifted and people's right to assembly and demonstration was protected, Yang added.
"Even today, Taiwan is limited to only partial democratic reform because of political stalemate and media chaos," he said.
"What happened during the Double Ten National Day ceremony gave us a legitimate reason to question the factuality of Taiwan's retrocession," claimed Taiwan Society President Wu Shuh-min.
Wu was referring to an Oct. 10 incident in which several opposition legislators protested during the celebration ceremony while President Chen Shui-bian was making a speech.
All the chaos of today has resulted from different national identities among the people of Taiwan, Wu said.
"A concensus on national identity will not be reached before a common cultural identity. It is why we hope to revive the Taiwan people's awareness and recognition of Taiwanese culture, " Wu said.