Taipei, Dec. 1 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian urged the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) to return the property that it had illegally taken from individual persons or national coffers during its nearly 55-year rule of Taiwan.
Chen made the remarks in a speech delivered at the opening of an exhibition of photos, documents and artifacts featuring Taiwan's human rights development as part of the celebrations of the upcoming Dec. 10 World Human Rights Day.
Chen said he was pleased to see KMT Chairman Lien Chan publicly acknowledge that the KMT had committed many wrongdoings during its rule of Taiwan, including one-party dictatorship, martial law and human rights infringements.
Chen said a public apology from Lien is not enough. "The most important thing is action. Deeds speak louder than words. The KMT should take action to redeem its past sins that once caused many family breakups, social tragedies and distortions of human nature."
One thing that the KMT should do to show its genuine repentance is to return all the assets it had stolen from the people and the nation, Chen said.
Touching on World Human Rights Day celebrations, Chen said he hopes the values and regulations of human rights, the rule of law and democracy can take root in Taiwan's political, social and cultural arenas as early as possible.
In his 2000 inaugural speech, Chen said he outlined three key principles regarding his human rights policy -- pushing the legislature to pass and ratify the International Bill of Rights as a domestic law of Taiwan so that it becomes the "Taiwan Bill of Rights"; setting up an independent national human rights commission in line with the United Nations requirements; and bringing Taiwan back into the international human rights system.
Chen urged the opposition-controlled Legislative Yuan to support his human rights policy and pass all relevant bills as soon as possible to facilitate Taiwan's development into a "human rights" power in the world.
He lauded Academia Historica and the preparatory office of the National Human Rights Museum for their joint efforts in organizing the Taiwan human rights arts exhibition and establishing a new Taiwan human rights information network.
Chen further said he believes that with dedication and confidence, "human rights seeds" will blossom in Taiwan in the 21st century.