Tsai emphasizes transitional justice on 228 memorial day

2024/03/01

President Tsai Ing-wen pledged Feb. 28 to continue promoting transitional justice and expanding dialogue so as to create a more open society for all in Taiwan.
 
Tsai made the remarks during a ceremony in southern Taiwan’s Chiayi County to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the February 28 Incident. She took the opportunity to offer condolences on behalf of the government to victims and their surviving family members.
 
The incident occurred in 1947 after the Japanese colonial government’s withdrawal in late 1945 and followed calls for government reform. When these demands went unmet, protests broke out around the country, prompting a military crackdown that resulted in many civilian deaths.
 
According to the president, since 2016 the government has implemented measures to redress past injustices, citing four investigative reports into the incident and the processing of nearly 2,000 cases for financial compensation totaling NT$4 billion (US$126.7 million). 
 
Tsai said that equally important are the establishment of government agencies and mechanisms to promote transitional justice, as well as amendments to the Act Governing the Settlement of Ill-gotten Properties by Political Parties and Their Affiliate Organizations, Act on Promoting Transitional Justice and Political Archives Act, among other regulations.
 
The president said there is no shortcut to transitional justice. It is important that all segments of society acknowledge history and listen to each other, so that the past will no longer be a wedge that drives divisions in the country, and that people can work in unity to safeguard democracy and move forward together, she added. 


Source: Noticias de Taiwan (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)