President Ma Ying-jeou attended an event marking Human Rights Day on Wednesday.
Three hundred and fifty people directly affected by the White Terror, a period beginning in 1949 marked by serious human rights abuses in Taiwan, were also in attendance. These attendees included both survivors of the terror and relatives of victims who died during the years of oppression. They reflected on Taiwan’s turbulent road to becoming a nation that respects human rights.
The president said Taiwan must face its history and treat the relatives of victims with empathy and compassion. He also said he hopes the horrors of the White Terror will never be repeated.
The president said Taiwanese must think about the importance of safeguarding human rights every day rather than just on Human Rights Day.