Last year the 2-28 Memorial Museum in Taipei closed "for renovation". Like many people, I thought....Scary to think what might happen to the museum under a KMT government. Taiwanreporter, with the same thought, has put up many pictures of the museum on Facebook in case there are wholesale changes.Today the Taipei Times reported:
The Taipei 228 Memorial Museum is reopening its doors to the public this morning after a 10-month renovation, but its efforts to reveal the truth of the 228 Incident met with challenges as pro--independence activists and family members of the incident’s victims yesterday accused the museum of glorifying the acts of the then-government and distorting the truth with its selection of documents.The article says that the two people invited were history prof Chen Fang-ming is at NCCU, but the only such person I can find at NCCU is a lit prof and former DPP spokesman by that name. Hsu Hsueh-chi is discussed here. Neither appears likely to have approved a pro-KMT exhibit, if there really are such changes.
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Chang said the museum displayed an official order from Chiang from March 1947 that banned military from taking any revenge measures against civilians following the 228 Incident. However, two other valuable historical documents that showed Chiang ordering then-Taiwan governor Chen Yi (陳儀) to lead troops to Taiwan to handle the accident were not on display.
Hopefully I can get a chance to get over there this week and take a look at the alleged changes.
ADDED: A smart friend reminds me that a similar redrawing of history occurred when they reopened the Jingmei prison as a cultural park.
REF: The China Beat's 2008 post. Kerr's immortal Formosa Betrayed is online complete. It covers the disastrous events leading up to the 2-28 massacre, including the widespread looting by the KMT and its minions and breakdown of rule of law.
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Chinese Security Officials Respond to Call for Protests
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/4uqklxv
Related somewhat -- the temporary photographic display in the grand foyer of the TPE101 business center celebrates the grand moments in ROC history in Taiwan. Lots of pics of CKS and CCG, and of Ma, who seems to appear as Chiang's successor -- No images celebrating the change in 1996 to a full democratic society, and of course no pics at all of Lee Teng Hui and Chen or other Taiwan political leaders. Tourists entering thru this area will have a confused idea that Taiwan is still probably still under military dictatorship.
ReplyDeleteWell...what do they expect? This is like telling a thief to guard a bank vault.
ReplyDeleteRemember the "American Footsteps in Taiwan" event Ma attended in Taihoku at the behest of A.I.T.?
ReplyDeleteTourism bureaus in the south failed to advertise properly, or attempted confusing callers who inquired about the availability dates of the event at the various venues it was held.
Those weasels….
Why is anyone surprised? Given the opportunity KMT will do history re-writes until this disappears completely. Anyone who thinks the KMT has changed is naive at best.
ReplyDeleteAt the most all you will ever get is crocodile tears.