Chingmei Human Rights Memorial Park台灣人權景美園區 Opening Ceremony and Related Activities, December 8 – 10th., 2007 Background Largely because the old ruling party continued to rule till 2000, and had control over the extent, pace and direction of Taiwan’s first phase of democratization, transitional justice in this country is still an unfinished business. Truth is only slowly emerging, with the consequence that reconciliation has little to base itself on. Nevertheless, various efforts have been made. Two foundations have been set up to offer (mainly financial) compensations to the victims or their families of the Feb. 28 (1947) massacre, and of the long White Terror period which followed. Some files have finally seen the light of day. There is now the Green Island Human Rights Memorial Park 綠島人權紀念園區, whose expanse covers the sites of a ‘world-class’ concentration camp (ironically called the New Life Discipline Camp 新生訓導處), and of a political prison (even more ironically named the Oasis Villa 綠洲山莊). The Ching-mei Human Rights Memorial park台灣人權景美園區, which opens officially on December 10th., is another in this series of efforts promoting transitional justice. This site is a vast compound which used to house the military courts of the Taiwan Garrison Command 台灣警備總司令部, where eight leaders of the Kaohsiung Incident 美麗島事件 (and numerous other civilian victims) stood trial under martial law, and a detention center where the cells can now be visited. Opening Ceremony and Related Activities
The opening ceremony and related activities will be conducted in the spirit of witness and thanksgiving: Surviving victims of state terrorism and other citizens will gather to bear testimony to their sufferings under martial law tyranny, and to thank invited international friends who lent their helping hand in those dark days of Taiwan’s history. And all of us together, we shall also honor the memory of those freedom fighters and wronged victims who have vanished. The activities will start with a welcome reception on the evening of December 8th, followed the next day, by a visit to the Park, where there will be re-enactments of past events, culminating in the opening ceremony on December 10th, the Human Rights Day. Events and Activities
8th. of December 2007 (Sat.)
Welcome Reception
9th. of December 2007 (Sun.)
10:00 ~15:30
Visit to the Park and re-enactments The Main Courtroom 第一法庭: The courtroom has been kept intact. This is the place where the leaders of Kaohsiung Incident stood trial. Some of the accused, defending attorneys, and ‘international observers’ will be there to re-live the past… Other courtrooms軍事法庭: Numerous political prisoners were tried there - closed to the public and without defending attorneys. Visiting Room 會面室 Clinic 醫務室: Where a doctor, himself an inmate, complied a list of political prisoners out of medical records. Through a elaborate and painful process, the list was then smuggled abroad. It was the first time, the world learnt of the White Terror in Taiwan. There will be an re-enactment by the (real) doctor himself and his crew…. Cells 押房: Along corridors full of memories, surviving political prisoners will re-visit their cells. Included is a cell where prisoners spent their last night before execution. Lunch and Conference: One especially designed for the younger generations. Visit the exhibition halls
10th. of December 2007 ( Mon.)
10:00 ~12:00
Opening Ceremony of the Park:The President will speak and honor surviving political prisoners, their families and international friends.
List of International Friends From Japan: Nishikura, Kazuyoshi 西倉一喜 Formerly head of the Beijing and Washington offices of Kyodo News. Now a professor of Ryukoku University - Faculty of Law。 Watarida, Masahiro 渡田正弘 Member of ‘Taiwan Political Prisoner Rescue Association'. Visited Taiwan soon after the Kaohsiung Incident to collect information on human rights violations. When departing from Taiwan on December 21st. 1979, he was found carrying newspapers and magazines covering the Incident. Wasarrested, tortured, and detained for 84 days. Watarida is now the Secretary General of ‘Globalization Watch Hiroshima’. Tezuka, Toshio 手塚登士雄 Member of ‘Taiwan Political Prisoner Rescue Association'. Kinoue, Takanobu 木上隆幸 Member of ‘Taiwan Political Prisoner Rescue Association'
Kobayashi, Masanari 小林正成Member of ‘World United Formosans for Independence’. In May 1971, he succeeded in distributing leaflet advocating the independence of Taiwan by flying balloons. Later arrested and deported. Okawa, Shiro 大川四郎 The Editor – publisher of《美麗島の傷痕─日本学生による植民地台湾の傷痕をる旅の報告書》, A book about the scars left by Japanese colonization of Taiwan.
Ito, Midori 伊藤みどり (梁碧玉)Taiwan-born Japanese.Human rights activist and founder of ‘Life Line Kansai’ From Germany: Klaus Walter Director of Membership Support Department, AI Germany.Founding member and speaker of Taiwan Coordination group 2238 of AI, 1976 – 1984. Helped to establish the first AI groups in Taiwan in 1989. Dr. Renate Müller-Wollermann Researcher and Lecturer in the Egyptological Institute, University of Tübingen. Group secretary of the Taiwan/Japan/Mongolia/KOJARAN cogroup; and regional coordinator for Asia, AI Germany. Rev. Chao, Roger Yu Yuan趙有源牧師 Head of international affairs section of a Presbyterian Church in Germany in the 1980s, and one of the leaders of ‘Christians for Taiwan’s Self-determination’. Worked with AI on extending assistance to victims of the Kaohsiung Incident. Janet Rind 杜淑真 A lifelong AI activist. Shouldered much behind-the-scene labor in rescue missions for Taiwan’s political prisoners. From the U.S.: Chen, Mei-chin 陳美津and Gerrit van der Wees 韋傑理 A husband-and-wife team, co-founders and co-publishers of Taiwan Communiqué in Holland and the U.S. Also AI activists.
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