Taiwan Church Press

3288 Edition

March 2 - 8, 2015

Church Ministry

The 68th Anniversary Of 228 Massacre Is Commemorated Across Taiwan

Reported by Chiu Kuo-rong from Taipei

Organized by Taiwan Nation Alliance(TNA) and Taiwan 228 Care Assembly, a memorial service and musical concert for the 68th anniversary of 228 massacre was held at Taipei 228 Memorial Park in the afternoon on February 28th 2015. Except using the musics to commemorate the victims, express condolence to their families and remind the public do not forget this atrocious history, the organizers of this concert urged the government disclosing the truth, de-classifying official documents and publishing the national archives in order to realize the transformation of justice.

Rev. Hsu Chen-dao, pastor of Shih-lin Presbyterian Church, told the audience that the national commemoration day of 228 is absolutely not a day for holiday. It is a day helping us to understand the sufferings and horrors of our ancestors during this massacre. Hsu recommended two books for a better understanding of 228 massacre: one is "The Disappearing Taiwan Elites In 228 Massacre" published by Yu-shan Publishing Co., the other as "Epidemics and 228" published by Wu San-lien Foundation. Finally, Hsu prayed with the assembly asking Lord make the Taiwan society march forward in solidarity to become an independent, democratic and free country!

Tsai Ing-wen, Chairwoman of Democratic Progressive Party(DPP), was also invited to give her speech. Tsai stressed that history can be forgiven but can not be forgotten. As a DPP Presidential candidate for the 2016 Presidential election, she promised to make the ideal of transformation of justice come true. "Because to learn from the difficult and suffering path that Taiwan had went through and fight for our next generation for a democratic and free country is our belief and our mission!", said Tsai.

Translated by Peter Wolfe