Monday, February 28, 2011

Taiwan commemorates 64th anniversary of 228 tragedy

Taipei, Feb. 28 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou pledged Monday to keep investigating the "228 incident" during which tens of thousands of Taiwanese were killed by the Kuomintang (KMT) government.

Only by doing this, he said, can the next generation understand "the whole truth."

Ma made the remarks at a ceremony commemorating the 64th anniversary of the brutal bloodshed while standing in front of the 228 Memorial Monument in the 228 Peace Park in Taipei City and addressing families of the victims.

Tens of thousands of Taiwanese, many of them the country's elite intellectuals, were killed by the KMT in a violent suppression of anti-government uprisings that began Feb. 28, 1947 -- two years after Japanese colonial rule on the island ended. The suppression lasted for many years.

The government has held a 228 ceremony every year since 2003 as part of efforts to heal the historical wounds through actions such as issuing a formal apology and offering monetary compensation to the families of the victims.

"We have now completed the process of compensation and the presentation of 'reputation-restoring' certificates to the victims' families are ongoing, but we know the mission is not accomplished yet, " Ma said.

In his speech as a representative of the families of the victims, Chang An-man, whose grandfather, father and uncle were murdered in that incident, recognized the government's continuing efforts under the direction of former presidents Lee Teng-hui, Chen Shui-bian and incumbent Ma to help unearth the historical facts of the tragedy.

"However, the whole truth is not out there, as some information is missing. If we cannot understand the whole truth, the nature of the incident will be distorted or forgotten over time, " Chang said.

Even though Ma and his predecessors have reiterated the resolve of their respective administrations to heal the wounds and reveal as much information about some of the darkest days of the country's history as possible, public opinion about what happened remains divided.

Chang also said he was not happy with description of the incident provided at the exhibition at the National Taiwan 228 Memorial Museum either, but added that "that is correctable."

"And we all know that, at the end of the day, only love can tame the hatred, " he said.

(By Chris Wang) ENDITEM/J