President Ma Ying-jeou on Sunday remembered the victims of the February 28 (228) Incident in Taiwan, at a ceremony in Taipei.
At the heart of the 228 Incident was a conflict between a female cigarette vendor and authorities on February 27, 1947. That sparked an uprising and a major loss of life that would continue for decades and become known as the “White Terror”.
President Ma said Sunday that the government’s attitude toward the incident has been to meet it head on, rather than to cover it up. He said that through the years, the government has issued formal apologies, offered compensation, and even erected monuments and declared Feb. 28 a public holiday. That’s because, he said, it’s important to remember the incident in order to prevent it from happening again.
This is Ma’s last time participating in a 228 memorial ceremony in his capacity as president. He said that after his presidency, he will continue to work for love and harmony in society, regardless of his position.
President Ma said that to date, the government has processed more than 2,000 claims for compensation connected to the 228 Incident, paying out NT$7.2 billion in damages (nearly US$216 million).