Скачать или смотреть KMT protests plan to transform Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

The Transitional Justice Commission has released its plan for transforming the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. It plans to convert the memorial into a park, where visitors can reflect on Taiwan’s authoritarian past. A key change is removing the large statue of Chiang Kai-shek that’s inside the main hall. The proposal was condemned by KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang. He compared the commission to the Taliban, saying that both “tear down what they dislike.” The Transitional Justice Commission pushed back on Thursday.

Chen Yu-fan
Transitional Justice Commission spokesperson
We are not the Taliban. Taiwan’s authoritarian rule left behind victims of all ethnic groups. Being able to reflect on history, to reflect on the mistakes of our country is a lesson our entire society must learn. The bronze statue – based on our understanding and according to the Bureau of Cultural Heritage – the statue was not included in the heritage site report, or in its inventory. The hall itself is indeed a heritage site. So the statue’s removal must be planned very carefully, so that it doesn’t conflict with the work of cultural preservation.

The commission says it will hear views from the public, before releasing a more detailed renovation plan in the first half of next year. The final plan will then be submitted to the Executive Yuan for implementation.