27 years ago this morning, Taiwan awakens free from martial law After a bloody four-year civil war with the Chinese Communist Party, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), led by Chiang Kai-shek, fled to Taiwan in 1949 with about two million troops and supporters. The same year, on May 19, martial law was declared in Taiwan. Freedom ends here Rights to free speech and free assembly vanished, while newspapers were censored. Political protesting and organizing was banned, Taiwanese language use was prohibited, and publications of Taiwan history and politics were tightly censored. A secret police organization called the Taiwan Garrison Command began tracking and arresting those suspected of sedition. The ensuing 38 years and 57 days of martial law became known as the “White Terror”, which also defines the suppression of dissidents following the 228 Massacre. During that period, communist sympathizers, Taiwan independence supporters, leftist reformers, disloyal military officers—and anyone who was suspected of being any of the above—were the main target. Around 140,000 Taiwanese were arrested, tortured, imprisoned or executed without due process of law for their real or perceived opposition to the KMT, and it was estimated that 3,000 to 4,000 people were executed. Since these people were mainly from the intellectual and social elite, an entire generation of political and social leaders was erased. By the 1980s, increasingly emboldened opposition forces, citizen protest movements and human rights movements had begun to challenge the existence of martial law. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was illegally established in September 1986. The return of freedom Enforcement was relaxed after Chiang Kai-shek death in 1975. The lifting of Martial Law was proclaimed by President Chiang Ching-kuo on July 14, 1987 and would take effect at midnight. The lifting of martial law meant opposition political parties could be formed legally for the first time, giving Taiwans fragmented but increasingly vocal opposition a new chance to organize. But even after the law was lifted, tight restrictions on freedom of assembly, speech and the press remained in place, having been written into a National Security Law, which had been passed a few days before the lifting of martial law. Taiwans period of martial law had been the longest period of martial law in the world at the time, but has since been surpassed by the Syrian martial law. Today It was not until 2008 that a public apology was made for those actions. President Ma Ying-jeou has apologized for the killing during that era, but no actions were taken to hold the oppressors responsible morally or legally. As a society today, Taiwan is still dealing with the legacy of its martial law period. The history of Taiwan might still be blurry for many, but remembering and acknowledging that era will not only help the healing process but also prevent another dark period for Taiwans future. _____ Sources and further reading: - Los Angeles Times (07.14.1987)—Martial law in Taiwan to end tonight: lat.ms/1jJvWWG - New York Times (07.15.1987)—Taiwan ends 4 decades of martial law: nyti.ms/1oB7YZF - BBC (07.13.2007)—Remembering Taiwans martial law: bbc.in/1kpQEFM - BBC (07.06.2008)—Taiwan sorry for white terror era: bbc.in/1oAPw3g - Foreign Policy (10.12.2012)—Remembering the white terror: atfp.co/1mDl8J3 - Tea Leaf Nation (07.18.2012)—25 years after the end of martial law: bit.ly/1nzDSJm - Green Island Human Rights Memorial Park (06.14/2011)—The end of martial law and the beginning of Taiwans democratization: bit.ly/1wndIKH Pictures: 1) Announcements of end of martial law in Taiwan on July 14, 1987. 2) Protest against martial law held on May 19, 1986 in Taipei. 3) 15 July 1987 march calling for the lifting of martial law, by Liu Chen-hsiang. 4) The Terrible Inspection (woodcut), by Rong-zan Huang.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 02:30:01 +0000
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