101 Ways to Address Slow Violence By C. J. Anderson-Wu

Lamuran CC



101 Ways to Address Slow Violence

As the invading troops launched attacks to the newly established country, the long forgotten place also emerged in news headlines,
“Is the island country next to be aggressed?”

Thanks for the concern, finally. We have been aware of it for some time now, as the incursions into our air defense zone are common, occurring as frequently as once, twice, thrice... eighteen, nineteen times daily. 

We were condemned for the visit of Ms. House Speaker, and were threatened with retaliation when our democratically elected president traveled overseas. 

Misinformation inundated our social media, hackers continue to ambush our networks. Any symbol of our de facto independent status is blocked in all international events, and rather than having embassies, we are represented by “Offices of Economy and Culture”.

Our legislators are turned away at the gate of the United Nations, our medical teams are rejected by the World Health Organization. When the pandemic was raging, we were on our own. 

Whether or not we have a future, we never stop living fearlessly. If tomorrow we will have to write our history with blood, we are enjoying today. We indulge in seasonal fashion at malls or night bazaars every now and then, we go to the cinema to be entertained by Hollywood on weekends, and plan for a trip to Prague next spring. 

Missions for the mitigation of climate changes are still carried out, aid to refugees is delivered, funds for victims of natural disasters are raised. Survivors of any misfortune deserve to be congratulated, and hopes should be materialized. If it is not for us, celebrate us in your memory.

Sing our songs, dance our dances, perform our plays and recite our poetry. Toast to our spirits when good wine is served. Learn our lessons, and make sure we are not gone into oblivion from your history books.

 It is how you can avenge us in the coming centuries.

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C. J. Anderson-Wu (吳介禎) is a Taiwanese writer who has published two collections about Taiwan's military dictatorship (1949–1987), known as the White Terror: “Impossible to Swallow” (2017) and “The Surveillance” (2020). Currently she is working on her third book “Endangered Youth—to Hong Kong.” Her short stories have been shortlisted for a number of international literary awards, including the Mastermind Short Story Contest and the Art of Unity Creative Award by the International Human Rights Art Festival. She also  won the Strands Lit International Flash Fiction Competition, the Invisible City Blurred Genre Literature Competition, and the Best Story of 2023 by the Story Sanctum.

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