Lee Chiao (李喬), a prominent Hakka writer in Taiwan, published the short story The Informant (告密者) in 1985. Though fictional, it offers a sharp critique of life under Martial Law and a cautionary message, with the protagonist ultimately descending into madness. Taiwan’s martial law period was prolonged, and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) remained in power until 2000.
In 1988, one year after martial law was lifted, democracy advocate Deng Nan-jung (鄭南榕) became a martyr when he locked himself in the offices of Freedom Era Weekly and set himself and the building on fire on April 7. This underscores how party-state control persisted beyond the formal end of Martial Law, arguably until the first direct presidential election in 1996 or the democratic transfer of power in 2000.
Earlier this month, Academia Historica held a book launch for Postwar Taiwan Political Cases: A Compilation of Historical Materials on the Cheng Nan-jung Case, drawing on extensive archived surveillance records across five volumes. These materials reveal how, during the era of party-state control, networks of informants were deployed to monitor dissidents, and those pursuing freedom and democracy.
Although Taiwan has since democratized, with transitional justice still incomplete, the shadows of party-state rule remain. The materials from Deng’s case expose traces of these informant networks, bringing fragments of this history into the light.
At a democracy and human rights-related gathering, a young attendee showed me files tied to my own “case.” They included surveillance records on my work as a literary figure, covering my involvement with Taiwan Literature and Arts magazine the Taiwan Association for Human Rights, Taiwan PEN, and even my visits to overseas Taiwanese communities. Seeing them brought back memories of the early 1980s, when personnel from the Taiwan Garrison Command investigated the company where I worked.
I have written and translated poetry, novels, essays, and commentaries. Since the 1970s, I was involved in editing literary publications, linking cultural movements with political reform. In the 1980s, I wrote newspaper columns expressing a vision of Taiwan as a nation, which made me a target of surveillance.
Now that such documents are accessible, it appears some within the KMT at the time were more inclined toward alignment with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) than toward strengthening Taiwan itself.
Access to surveillance records from the Martial Law period can now be applied for through the National Archives Administration, effectively making them public.
During the White Terror era, some individuals, whether due to ignorance, weakness or coercion, became informants or collaborators, leaving troubling records behind.
For the full realization of transitional justice, such individuals should acknowledge their involvement and seek understanding and forgiveness. If they refuse, public condemnation is a natural consequence.
The psychological contortions of KMT members who shifted from anti-CCP to pro-CCP positions may reflect the lingering effects of incomplete transitional justice.
Some may seek to atone for past actions by aligning with the CCP. What they often overlook is that those who remained in China after 1949, including members of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang (中國國民黨革命委員會), also faced political purges and persecution.
Taiwan’s democracy must continue to develop. The formation of a national collective requires learning through setbacks and reflection. Truth and apology must precede forgiveness or reconciliation.
The tragedies in Taiwan’s history stem not only from external oppression but also internal divisions. As Taiwanese look toward a new future and national vision, they must also confront and clear away the residue of the past.
Lee Min-yung is a poet.
Translated by Gilda Knox Streader
Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on April 9 said that the first group of Indian workers could arrive as early as this year as part of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India and the India Taipei Association. Signed in February 2024, the MOU stipulates that Taipei would decide the number of migrant workers and which industries would employ them, while New Delhi would manage recruitment and training. Employment would be governed by the laws of both countries. Months after its signing, the two sides agreed that 1,000 migrant workers from India would
In recent weeks, Taiwan has witnessed a surge of public anxiety over the possible introduction of Indian migrant workers. What began as a policy signal from the Ministry of Labor quickly escalated into a broader controversy. Petitions gathered thousands of signatures within days, political figures issued strong warnings, and social media became saturated with concerns about public safety and social stability. At first glance, this appears to be a straightforward policy question: Should Taiwan introduce Indian migrant workers or not? However, this framing is misleading. The current debate is not fundamentally about India. It is about Taiwan’s labor system, its
On March 31, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs released declassified diplomatic records from 1995 that drew wide domestic media attention. One revelation stood out: North Korea had once raised the possibility of diplomatic relations with Taiwan. In a meeting with visiting Chinese officials in May 1995, as then-Chinese president Jiang Zemin (江澤民) prepared for a visit to South Korea, North Korean officials objected to Beijing’s growing ties with Seoul and raised Taiwan directly. According to the newly released records, North Korean officials asked why Pyongyang should refrain from developing relations with Taiwan while China and South Korea were expanding high-level
Japan’s imminent easing of arms export rules has sparked strong interest from Warsaw to Manila, Reuters reporting found, as US President Donald Trump wavers on security commitments to allies, and the wars in Iran and Ukraine strain US weapons supplies. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ruling party approved the changes this week as she tries to invigorate the pacifist country’s military industrial base. Her government would formally adopt the new rules as soon as this month, three Japanese government officials told Reuters. Despite largely isolating itself from global arms markets since World War II, Japan spends enough on its own
RSS