The Movement for Peace and Justice

Forty years after the 2-28 Incident, Taiwan began to acknowledge the calls of the 2-28 victims, and under pressure from a strong democratic reform movement, authoritarian rule started to collapse. On the 40 th anniversary of the 2-28 Incident in 1987, when martial law was still in effect, the movement for redress of the 2-28 victims had begun.

The government tried but failed to suppress the movement. Through the hard work of human rights groups, political reform activists, religious leaders, scholars, and the general populations, the taboo of mentioning 2-28 had been broken. The government was compelled to acknowledge this chapter in history by allowing the building of memorials, apologizing to the families of victims and providing them with compensation.

The Taiwanese were deeply influenced by the peace and justice movement surrounding 2-28, which prompted many to reexamine Taiwan history, seek to rebuild significance in their lives, and resist an oppressive authority.