TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an announced on Tuesday (Feb. 27) his intention to attend the 228 Incident commemoration events and to engage with the voices of democratic society, as part of his ongoing advocacy for human rights and education.
Chiang's decision is significant given his lineage as a descendant of former dictator Chiang Kai-shek, whose legacy often evokes resentment in Taiwan.
Mayor Chiang, who faced protests during last year's memorial events, expressed little concern about recurring incidents in his most recent disclosure. "For the Taipei city government, 228 is not a one-day remembrance. We have been actively implementing relevant policies such as educational human rights, publishing historical manuscripts, implementing diversity, and meeting with victims' families," Chiang said.
Chiang Wan-an pledged to attend the 228 commemoration ceremony scheduled for the afternoon of Feb. 28. He expressed openness to opposition, stating, "Taiwan is a diverse democratic society. We're prepared to listen to various voices and opinions."
The 228 Incident, a bloody conflict that broke out on Feb. 28, 1947, and spread across Taiwan, represented accumulated civilian discontent under Chiang Kai-shek's Chinese Nationalist Government, the KMT, who retreated to Taiwan after World War II. During the violent suppression, a significant number of Taiwanese elites were nearly eradicated. The casualties are estimated to range from thousands to hundreds of thousands.
Following the 228 incident, Taiwan entered a long 38-year period of martial law (1949-1987). The 228 memorial events and the pursuit of the truth about the incident reveal an ongoing struggle for transitional justice in Taiwan.
