Thread by @timmyzone

In light of NTU's long overdue decision of approving the text on the plaque in commemoration of its late professor & Taiwan's democracy activist Chen Wen-chen (陳文成), who died under mysterious circumstances in 1981 during White Terror, here's a long and heart-wrenching thread.

Chen was born in the family of 8 kids in Taipei in 1950, studious like most students back in those time in Taiwan, he graduated NTU and left for US in '75 to UMich (Go Blue!), earning both a master and a PhD in statistics under just 3 years. He soon joined the faculty at CMU.

At school, he was known to have criticized the KMT-led government and advocated for Taiwan independence, raising funds to help those imprisoned in the wake of the Kaohsiung Incident as well as in support for Formosa Magazine, which opposed the KMT's one-party rule.

Chen returned to Taiwan for the first time since '75 for a family visit, arriving on 5/20, 1981 with his wife and son. He applied for the exit permit required to return to the US upon arrival, but it had not been granted by the time he was scheduled to depart on 7/1.

Instead, Chen was taken in and interrogated by Garrison Command for 12 hours about his activities in the US on 7/2. His body, heavily bruised, was discovered on the campus of NTU the next morning. Authorities claimed that Chen killed himself out of guilt. He was 31, his son 1.

Fast forward 40 years, through declassified state archives, researchers say that murder 'at the hands of state security services' is the best explanation for Chen’s death, this delayed justice only came last year by the Transitional Justice Commission under Tsai's administration.

The autopsy results released by govt. was incomplete, and the investigation led by CMU and Cyril Wecht, US forensic expert, back in '81, and later the TJC's reexamine both certain that Chen was murdered, as pattern of injuries suggests that he was held and dropped to the ground.

The govt. "had" previously tried to re-open and investigate the case, back in 2009 when the original interrogation transcript was recovered, there were some hope, but case was shortly closed by TPE prosecutor's office, stating evidence insufficient to charge the 5 interrogators.

With transcript, only captured 6 out of the 12 hours of interrogation, sentences choppy, with the original tape recordings missing. The only way in was through forensic evidence, which all lead to the parallel bruises that's unmatched with the way he fall and lay on the ground.

What was revealed in the documentation was how brave and firm Chen was during the entire interrogation. Under all the mental torture and threats, Chen was quoted "I believe in democracy.", "I've always hoped Taiwan for the better." in a resolute manner, not shying away –

– from most questions, pleading for those sentenced during Kaohsiung Incidents', while never named any single names. The lead interrogator– Col. Tso Hsiao-Han , later 'immigrated' to the US, gave Chen basically two choices– be tried and then prosecuted or plead guilty.

Today, through disclosed files, we know that the intelligence unit had been tracking Chen's activities since 1979, after his brief phone call with Shih Ming-teh, then Formosa Magazine head. His activities in oversea TW communities were tracked, phone calls were wire-tapped.

What broke Chen during the interrogation might be occasions and direct quotes of his convo with his US roommate and friends on "Taiwan independence" being presented, there was no way of knowing if he was being wired or a close contact in the meeting snitched on him.

Here's the report of Chen's murder reported by Michigan Daily on 7/9, 1981. It mentioned about 'suspected KMT secret agents' working at UM student community keeping track of the activities of Taiwanese students and reporting any deviations back to Taipei, creating a certain fear.

TWnese UM students named 'Free China Student Asso.' group the 'KMT agents,' The Daily then contacted the group correspondence, the response is quite bizarre, disrespectful, yet eerily familiar till this day (tonally speaking)

Back to present day, what's the significance of the NTU memorial? Chen's death represents countless promising lives and families taken ruthlessly by KMT's authoritarian regime in the span of 5 decades in Taiwan. And the fact that collectively, we're still unable to face it.

2014, NTU students successfully lobbied to rename the space where Chen's body was found as a memorial space, a design contest was held in 2016 to increase awareness of Chen's death. As construction begun, then president Kuan Chung-ming withdrew the university's half of the funds.

The Foundation along with student groups were able to raise sufficient funds and complete the project. The school board then voted against the dedicated text, which wrote, “In memoriam of a hero who unyieldingly resisted state violence.” Disagreeing on 'state violence.' 🙄

It worked out eventually, through a close vote of 74-64 in favor of the plaque at a school affairs meeting. Several professors opposed the text, citing a need to maintain “tranquility on campus,” but were outvoted (If you weren't enraged by the 64 votes in 2021, I can't with you)

Ok, this is too long, if you've read through it, I just wanted to say, someone had fought for our freedom and way of life in the past, and every single day till this day, and it's important that we remember that, and continue their legacy! To all #freedomfighter, don't lose hope!