May 17 is an important date in Taiwan’s human rights history. Sixty-two years ago, a group of alleged political prisoners were dispatched to the outlying Green Island to undergo involuntary ideological reform. The Ministry of Culture has organized a photography exhibition titled “Reflections on the Isle of Fire” to commemorate this fragment of history.
At the opening ceremony, two former political victims – Dr. Su You-peng and Chang Chang-mei – were invited to speak on stage. They reminded the general public to uphold human rights and to fight for the wellbeing of their children, citing the loss of their own youth due to political oppression.
As one of the very first political prisoners to be imprisoned on Green Island, Chiang Min-chuan also carefully retold some stories from prison life by referencing the photos on display.
Each image is representative of the painful memories of each victim, and their legacy will be jointly displayed at the Huashan 1914 Creative Park until July 28. The Ministry hereby cordially invites everyone to visit “Reflections on the Isle of Fire.”