1,246 people participate in TAUP’s ‘Never Forget 228" event
Taipei, Feb. 28 (CNA) Headed by members of the Taiwan Association of University Professors (TAUP) , 1,246 people sat in silence and spelled out the Chinese characters for “Never Forget 228″ in Taipei’s Liberty Square to commemorate the 228 Incident of 1947.
TAUP Chairman Chen Yi-sheng said the 228 Incident — a brutal crackdown of a popular uprising that began on Feb. 28, 1947 that left up to 30,000 people dead — concerns not only the family members of the victims but also Taiwan’s society as a whole.
“Social reconciliation cannot be achieved if the historical truth of the massacre that occurred some 62 years ago is not revealed,” Chen said.
He contended that Taiwan’s people and the family members of the victims will never rest until the people responsible for the 288 Incident are brought to justice.
“The TAUP urges all members of Taiwan’s society, regardless of their political leaning, to reflect on the issue to prevent history from repeating itself,” Chen said.
The activity, which eschewed slogans and speeches, remained calm and peaceful. A pre-recorded video of the events marking the brutal crackdown was shown to remind the public of the historical tragedy that has affected Taiwan’s society.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Huang Kun-huei told reporters that he felt proud and honored to participate in the event and would continue to contribute to the search for the historical truth of the 228 Incident.
“Activities like these can promote social justice, human rights and peace,” Huang said.
He asserted that the people can forgive what the Kuomintang (KMT) has done in the past but should never forget the “costly historical lesson.”
Asked about the government’s decision to change the name of the Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall (where Liberty Square is located) back to its original name — the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall — Huang said switching the hall’s name back and forth might cause anger in society, and he urged President Ma Ying-jeou’s administration to act prudently on the issue.
The 228 Incident was an anti-government uprising in Taiwan that was triggered on Feb. 27, 1947 by a dispute between a government agent and a female cigarette vendor.
The government quickly cracked down on the spontaneous uprising and imposed martial law and then negotiated with local elites for the next week.
But when reinforcements from China arrived in Taiwan March 8, the troops were dispatched over the next six weeks to kill and suppress local elites who were calling for more local autonomy. Thousands of civilians also lost their lives in the massacre. (By Luis Yu)
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