258 Incident political files to be declassified within one month: Tsai

President Tsai Ing-wen on Friday marked the 73rd anniversary of the 228 Incident, a civil uprising that led to a period of brutal government suppression known as the White Terror. During a memorial ceremony in Taipei, Tsai said there were still questions about what happened during the White Terror. The president said the pursuit of truth would continue and that the National Security Bureau was in the process of declassifying key political documents. Also present at the ceremony was Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, who urged Taiwanese to reach across partisan lines and work toward a common future. Tsai attended a memorial ceremony for the victims of the 228 Incident. There, she presented “certificates of restored reputation” to family members of the victims. She said the truth about the incident should be unearthed as soon as possible.Tsai Ing-wenPresidentThe National Security Bureau is cooperating with the investigation by the Transitional Justice Commission. All the political documents requested, excepting the very few that are still state secrets, will be completely declassified by the National Security Bureau within one month.Liao Ying-haoFamily member of 228 victimEveryone knows where the perpetrator is. He’s there, at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. If he is not removed from that site, it would be as if a knife were still lodged in the hearts of the victims of the 228 Incident. We hope you can arrive at a decision about this.Speaking to the president, this descendant of a victim said he hoped that the landmark would be renamed and that Chiang’s statue would be removed. In her speech, Tsai drew attention to the fact that the day was also the 40th year since the Lin family murders, which killed a former DPP chairman’s mother and three daughters.Tsai Ing-wenPresidentAt that time, the Lin family was being watched by the government. We can’t rule out the possibility that government authorities were involved in the murders. The actions of this authoritarian regime were a grave mistake that can never bear repeating. The Transitional Justice Commission’s job isn’t done yet. It will continue on its task. As long as the need is there, we will retain the Transitional Justice Commission.Due to concerns over COVID-19, Friday’s memorial was small and not open to the public. Among those attending were Premier Su Tseng-chang, Speaker Yu Si-kun and Taipei Mayor Ko.Ko Wen-jeTaipei mayorTo control this epidemic effectively, the central and local governments have to work together across party lines. We need to stand together to win this fight. This epidemic reminds us once again that even though our pasts are different, we share a common present. No matter if it’s dealing with the 228 Incident or the epidemic, we all need to walk together toward a common future.Ko said he had originally planned to once again ride a bicycle from Taiwan’s northernmost point to Taiwan’s southernmost point in one day to commemorate the day. The mayor said he decided to call off the tour due to the epidemic.