“What are your plans for the holiday?”
While most may regard the national 228 Memorial Holiday as yet another welcoming excuse from school or work, this exhibits a failure to recognize the true purpose behind this day. The holiday acts as a day where we commemorate the victims of the tragic event that occurred in 1947.
It all began in 1945, when Chen Yi, a Chinese governor-general, was sent to Taiwan by the Republic of China (ROC). Under Chen and the administration’s rule, locals suffered severe discrimination and unethical treatment. In effect, Taiwan’s economy also dropped substantially due to the lack of development, leading to increasing rates of inflation and unemployment. This reasonably, in turn, provoked the public opposition. On February 27 of 1947, an event fueled the tremendous escalation in the public reaction – government agents shot and killed an innocent civilian, they beated an unlicensed cigarette vendor. News of the incident began to spread amongst the local people. As a result, waves of Taiwanese citizens began a protest that was taken to the streets, furiously demanding reforms within the government system. Others attempted to fight for justice and public apologies on the part of the Chinese government. However, instead of achieving desired results, the opposition was provoked. The government responded with violence – a perceived means of asserting authority. A massacre followed, with nearly all dissenters killed, shot by police officers under the Chinese administration. Did this finally lead to the end of disputes? The difficult truth to the question is a hard one to take – no. In fact, the massacre, once again, led to the complete contrary outcomes. When local leaders formed a settlement committee to call for reform, Chen called in troops from mainland China to bring the issue to an end. He regarded the local leaders as lowly creatures who act as a threat against the government. Chen also thought that the leaders were incapable of coming to ends with constructive compromises. The Chinese attempts to placate the locals were done by force, leading to great damages on the economy, property, and the people’s standards of life; their devastating actions took great tolls on the people of Taiwan and abhorrently undermined and violated the foundational human rights and harmony of the country.
After 1987, calls for correction for the injustice were finally officially raised. Through numerous discussions and efforts among the people, experts submitted a record for the event. In 1995, the current 228 monument was set in Taipei City, to commemorate the victims of the massacre. The government later spread the Statue for Handling and Compensation of the 228 Incident in order to not only provide aid as compensation to the victims’ family members but also to spread awareness of the 228 incident. Ultimately, the 228 Memorial Holiday holds a greater significance than what one may think. In the future, always recall the meaning behind the holiday and take a moment to remember the tens of thousands who fell victim to the event.
