Peace laureate Tutu visits Taipei, shares reconciliation experiences

This article was written by Edwin Hsiao and published by the Taiwan Journal on April 27, 2007. It reports that Desmond Mpilo Tutu, former archbishop of Cape Town and 1984 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, recently visited Taiwan at the invitation of the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy. He was accompanied by Alexander Boraine, chairperson of the International Center for Transitional Justice.

While in Taiwan, Tutu paid a visit to the Machangding Memorial Park, which was an execution ground for political prisoners in the 1950s. He also visited the 228 Peace Memorial Museum, where he met family members of victims of the 228 Incident in 1947.

Tutu was quoted as saying that his main purpose in visiting Taiwan was to share South Africa's experiences of resolving disputes and problems resulting from historical tragedy. He also said that he was glad to hear stories from the families of victims. Letting them tell their stories was the best way to heal their pain, he said.

Tutu was chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission from 1995 to 1998. While in Taiwan, he attended a forum titled "International Symposium on Transitional Justice and National Reconciliation", which was organized by the Taiwan Foundation of Democracy. In his speech to the forum, Tutu said that reconciliation was a long process, which could happen only after mistakes had been recognized.

According to Tutu, following the end of apartheid in South Africa, the country faced calls to put on trial those who perpetrated crimes under the cloak of apartheid policies, a process that would be similar to the Nuremberg Trials. There were also calls for a general amnesty to all perpetrators and for the country to forget about the past and move on. However, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, under Tutu, chose another way -- offering pardons only to perpetrators who confessed their crimes and apologized to their victims in public hearings. Tutu stressed that in this way, old wounds were opened, treated and rebandaged, and South Africa avoided a division between its people.

President Chen Shui-bian received Tutu and praised the latter as "the world's conscience" for his efforts to advocate justice and reconciliation and to boost the transition from apartheid to democracy in South Africa. Chen further added that Tutu's visit was helpful for exchanges regarding the struggles for human rights in both South Africa and Taiwan.

While in Taiwan, Tutu also visited the National Palace Museum, the Taipei 101 building and other tourist sites, and traveled to Kaohsiung and Pingtung in southern Taiwan. He then left for Japan.