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Tsai touts progress in 228 speech
President Tsai Ing-wen attended an event commemorating the 76th anniversary of the 228 Incident in Tainan. She was accompanied by government officials including Premier Chen Chien-jen and Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che.
During the ceremony, Tsai said the government "must not make the same mistakes again" and she is determined to lead a free and democratic society so that Taiwanese people can live with dignity.
Tsai praised the Taiwanese people for their courage, citing life stories displayed in the Tainan 228 Memorial Hall and said her administration has worked to promote transitional justice since she took office in 2016.
Tsai said her government has rescinded 5,983 wrongful convictions and identified 7,572 political files held by the K-M-T in the party's archives that should be returned to the government.
Tsai went on to say that the government has also identified 42 "historic sites of injustice" and that it is her goal to unveil history to foster more unity.
Meanwhile, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an's speech at a 228 Incident memorial was temporarily halted after protesters broke through a cordon. Despite a heavy police presence at the 228 Peace Memorial Park, several protesters managed to get some three meters from the podium where the mayor had just begun delivering his remarks. Chiang remained at the podium, and eventually finished his remarks after the protesters were removed by police.
Speaking to reporters, Chiang apologized for the 228 incident, in his capacity as Taipei mayor, and said his apology follows that of former presidents Lee Teng-hui and Ma Ying-jeou. Chiang says he "respects every kind of opinion" as "Taiwan is a democratic and diverse society" and the Taipei city government will continue its efforts to "confront the history and restore the truth."
Protesters who breached the security cordon say as Chiang has taken advantage of the family name, he had the responsibility to review and redress the damage caused by Chiang Kai-shek's government.
