On the morning of February 28—the 66th anniversary of the 228 Incident—President Ma Ying-jeou visited Yilan Sports Park in the northeastern county of Yilan to attend the nation's main memorial ceremony to mark the 66th anniversary of the 228 Incident. On behalf of the government, the president again expressed his deepest apologies, and personally issued certificates that restored the reputations of family members of the victims of the incident. Among the high-ranking officials attending the event were Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺), Minister of the Interior Lee Hong-Yuan (李鴻源), Minister of Education Chiang Wei-ling (蔣偉寧), and Yilan County Magistrate Lin Tsung-Hsien (林聰賢).
In remarks, President Ma stated that according to research carried out by the 228 Memorial Foundation, 17 individuals from Yilan County were killed in the incident and the associated white terror, eight went missing, and 21 others were victims in one form or another. One of the most well-known 228 Incident victims from Yilan was Dr. George C. Y. Kuo (郭章垣), who was the superintendent of I-Lan County Hospital. The president explained that when he studied overseas, he had the opportunity to read a piece written by Margaret Lu (郭勝華), the daughter of Dr. Kuo, which opened the doors to his understanding of the incident. President Ma recalled that after he returned to Taiwan and began serving in the government, he decided to honestly face the truths of what happened and critically examine the mistakes of the government at that time.
The president stated that after he became Minister of Justice 20 years ago, he worked hard for passage of the February 28 Incident Disposition and Compensation Act (since renamed the February 28 Incident Disposition and Indemnification Act). To this day, he said, we must face the facts of history and must empathize with what the families have gone through. He expressed hope that this might provide some solace to the families of the victims, while also acknowledging the government's responsibility for what has occurred in the past.
President Ma mentioned that for many years the government has continued to communicate and interact with the families of victims. He noted that the government has addressed the 228 Incident by admitting its wrongs, apologizing, establishing memorials, enacting legislation, establishing a memorial foundation to uncover the truth, designating a national holiday, and creating memorial halls. These steps have been made not only to help heal the wounds of history, but also to provide historical education, thereby enabling the facts of the 228 Incident to become an important link in human rights education for the people of Taiwan, he said.
President Ma mentioned that an effective legal framework is the best way to avoid repeating past mistakes and to solidify the foundation of Taiwan's democracy, rule of law, and human rights. He also highlighted the importance of education and the maintenance of world peace in this effort. Consequently, the president said, after taking office in 2008 he began proactively promoting cross-strait peace, and on December 10 of that year announced that the ROC would ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. President Ma explained that he signed the instruments of ratification for these two United Nations (UN) covenants the following year. Subsequently, an enforcement act was adopted to incorporate these two documents into domestic law and make them binding upon all government agencies here. At the same time, the president said, the ROC has followed UN procedures to release a national human rights report, and invited world-renowned human rights experts and scholars to assess Taiwan's implementation of the two covenants. This shows that the measures adopted by the ROC to protect human rights are in line with international practices and that the nation is determined to ensure freedom and human rights, he said.
In discussing efforts to educate the public on the events of the past, President Ma praised the work carried out by Premier Jiang, when he served as Minister of the Interior, to encourage civil servants to visit the National 228 Memorial Museum in their free time. He expressed hope that the establishment of this facility along with the founding of the National Human Rights Museum will encourage more research on the victims of the 228 Incident and the White Terror period, so as to uncover and preserve the truth. In addition to commemorating the victims and helping to soothe the pain felt by the families of the victims, the museum can also educate the public about the development of democracy and human rights in Taiwan, he added.
In the afternoon, President Ma headed to 228 Peace Park in Taipei, where he attended a memorial service to mark the 66th anniversary of the 228 Incident. Accompanying him at this activity was Taipei City Mayor Lung-Bin Hau (郝龍斌).
In remarks at this event, the president stated that in one respect the 228 Incident carries important historical significance, as it opened the door to the development of democracy in Taiwan. For instance, many of the calls for political reforms in the "32 Demands" of the Committee to Settle the Monopoly Bureau Incident (二二八事件處理委員會), including local self-rule, direct civil liberties, and protection of human rights, were subsequently implemented in the course of the development of the nation's political system, he said.
President Ma emphasized that he strongly feels the many years of sorrow suffered by the families of the victims, adding that compensation and apologies cannot heal these wounds. He stated that the government must critically assess the past, learn from its mistakes, and bravely face the facts of history, which will provide the means to create a new future. President Ma urged the 228 Memorial Foundation and other concerned entities to continue researching to uncover the truths of history. He also called for strengthened education work so the people of Taiwan will better understand the lessons of history and cherish the value of human rights.
Prior to making the remarks, President Ma prayed at the Fude Temple in the 228 Peace Park, asking for the country to be blessed and for the public to enjoy peace and prosperity.