(28 Feb 1996) English/Nat

Wednesday marks the grim anniversary of the massacre of up to 30 thousand Taiwanese by Chiang Kai-shek's nationalist soldiers in 1947.

Hundreds of Taiwanese paid tribute to the dead during a ceremony to rename a park to commemorate the killings, which have long been a taboo subject in the island state.

This park commemorates the victims of the 1947 massacre - when Chiang Kai-shek's nationalist troops killed between 3,000 and 30,000 people.

Chiang's army was fleeing the Communist takeover of mainland China and clashed with Taiwan's native population.

Two years later Chiang moved his government to Taiwan, ruling as a dictator until his death in 1975. Mention of the massacre was forbidden.

Both President Lee Teng-hui and rival presidential candidate Peng Ming-min attended a ceremony to rename the park the Taipei Peace Park in honour of the victims.

Only in the 1990's did it became possible to discuss the massacre in public - and on Wednesday feelings were still running high amongst friends and relatives of the dead.

President and Nationalist party leader Lee Teng-hui officially apologised to the victims' families last year - some still distrust his motives in the run-up to the March presidential elections.

SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) People all say that Lee is being hypocritical, I think he is being hypocritical today, if he hadn't come, how could he have been elected president.
SUPERCAPTION: Chuang Su Ho

Taiwan's legislature passed a bill in 1995 to compensate the families - but many at today's wreath-laying say the government's moves are too late.

SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin)
Today the weather is drizzling. I think that it is the victims crying, that is how I feel.
SUPERCAPTION: Peter Huang

As part of the ceremonies, religious services will be held during the day and tonight a government organised concert will take place.

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