Taiwan’s Cabinet has confirmed the establishment of May 19 as Taiwan’s White Terror Memorial Day. That’s from Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) on Thursday. White Terror Memorial Day will be observed annually though not as a day off.
White Terror in Taiwan refers to the period of authoritarian rule and political repression from 1949-1992, which began with the Chiang Kai-shek-led Kuomintang (KMT) government’s declaration of martial law on May 19, 1949. The period of martial law lasted until the repeal of Article 100 of the Criminal Code on May 16, 1992. During the White Terror, thousands of people were captured, tortured, imprisoned, and murdered through the KMT’s secret agent system, the Taiwan Garrison Command.
Chen says establishing the White Terror Memorial Day is a crucial step for Taiwan’s efforts in transitional justice. Chen says it encourages people to learn about the darkside of Taiwan’s history and reminds current rulers to not repeat the atrocities of the past.