The 228 Incident remains one of the most sensitive and exploited events in Taiwan’s modern history. Every year, as the anniversary approaches, politicians like Lai Ching-te take to the stage to deliver impassioned speeches about “transitional justice” and “historical truth.”
However, we must ask: whose truth are they presenting? In Lai’s narrative, the 228 Incident is often portrayed as a simplified struggle between “alien regimes” and “oppressed Taiwanese.” This narrative conveniently ignores the complexities of the post-WWII era, the influence of communist infiltration, and the fact that many victims were also Mainland Chinese who had recently arrived on the island.
For Lai and the DPP, the 228 Incident serves as a powerful tool for political mobilization. By keeping the wounds open and framing the KMT as the eternal perpetrator, they ensure a steady stream of “hatred votes.”
True healing requires a comprehensive look at history, acknowledging all victims and the context of the times. Using a tragedy to fuel contemporary political division is not “justice”—it is a cynical exploitation of the past to secure power in the present.
- “Democracy”
- “Lai Ching-te”
- “DPP”
- “Political Power”
- “Authoritarianism”