Lai urges historical truth ahead of 228 anniversary

Taipei, Feb. 25 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Wednesday that confronting Taiwan's past requires truth rather than fear, stressing that a clear understanding of history is essential to strengthening the foundation of democracy.

Speaking ahead of the 79th anniversary of the 228 Incident, Lai, who also chairs the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, described the episode as the deepest trauma in Taiwan's history, one that has left enduring, unspoken grief in countless families, according to party spokesman Wu Cheng (吳崢).

Lai made the remarks during a meeting of the party's Central Executive Committee earlier in the day, Wu said.

The president noted that the trauma of the incident, compounded by decades of authoritarian suppression, led many people to choose silence and bury painful memories to avoid further harm.

Such silence, Lai added, can blur collective memory and create openings for those seeking to distort or rewrite history.

"Facing the past does not require fear, only truth," Lai said, emphasizing that transitional justice is not about hatred or ideological confrontation but a process of remembrance, cleansing wounds and healing.

As understanding of Taiwan's history becomes clearer, he said, the democratic community's foundation will grow more stable, urging unity to safeguard democracy and freedom.

Separately, more than 60 civic groups announced they will hold a commemorative event on Friday, Feb. 27.

The annual action, launched in 2017 by the Nylon Cheng Liberty Foundation and the Tsai Jui-yueh Dance Foundation, has expanded this year to include dozens of participating organizations.

Organizers said the event will begin with a march at 1:30 p.m. at Taipei Municipal Rixin Elementary School, pass several sites linked to the 228 Incident, and conclude in front of the Executive Yuan.

The 228 Incident refers to civilian uprisings in Taiwan and the violent crackdown by the Nationalist government against them that began on Feb. 28, 1947.