Taiwan in Time: Burning for freedom
Democracy and labor activist Chan Yi-hua self-immolated during Deng Nan-jung’s funeral in front of the Presidential Office on May 19, 1989, but his story is often forgotten
By Han Cheung / Staff reporter
May 17 to May 23
“Who still remembers Chan Yi-hua (詹益樺)?”
This question has been asked repeatedly over the decades, usually on the anniversary of Chan’s self-immolation on May 19, 1989 at fellow political activist Deng Nan-jung’s (鄭南榕) funeral in front of the Presidential Office.
People gather at Chan Yi-hua’s memorial on the 30th anniversary of his death.
Photo: Tsai Tsung-hsun, Taipei Times
Deng had committed the same act on April 7 when the police came to his office to arrest him for sedition. That day is now observed as National Freedom of Speech Day, and it would be pretty hard to find someone in Taiwan who doesn’t know Deng today.