Lai visits political archives on anniversary of martial law lifting

New Taipei, July 15 (CNA) Important information in political archives must not be concealed for any reason, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said in a visit to the National Archives Administration (NAA) in New Taipei on Monday, the day Taiwan marked the 37th anniversary of the end of martial law.

During his tour, Lai observed how the political archives are open for members of the public to read declassified documents related to Taiwan's martial law period and its subsequent lifting, including lists of books and songs that were banned during that time.

The martial law period, one of the longest in modern history, began on May 20, 1949, when the then Kuomintang (KMT) government declared it as its position in mainland China was becoming untenable against the Communists in the Chinese Civil War.

This period lasted until July 15, 1987, ending with the lifting of martial law by former President Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) of the KMT after 38 years of significant political repression and restrictions on civil liberties in Taiwan.

When giving remarks after the tour at NAA, Lai said it is the government's undeniable responsibility to restore justice to the people, while making historical truths known to society and honoring the achievements of those who contributed to democratic movements.

"These archives are records of an authoritarian government's false accusations and even persecution of its people," Lai said, adding that he has issued three directives for the NAA to implement regarding political archives.

Lai said the NAA is not library or a museum that "passively receives (archives)," and therefore first needs to adopt a mindset of promoting transitional justice with a proactive attitude.

The NAA is also required to actively collect various archives and make them accessible, except for those related to national security, legal matters, or individual rights, Lai said.

"For archives sent by different units, important information must not be concealed under any pretext," Lai said, noting that such concealment would undermine the spirit of the "Political Archives Act" by "having the look of openness without actual transparency."

At the end of his remarks, Lai encouraged the public to visit the NAA to gain a better understanding of the history of Taiwan's martial law period, hoping society will cherish the hard-earned democracy in Taiwan.

Enacted in July 2019, the "Political Archives Act" aims to establish a system for accessing political archives that aligns with the spirit of transitional justice and "disclose truths and spur social reconciliation," while promoting historical research and education on topics such as authoritarian systems, martial law, and the 228 Incident.