The Tiananmen Square massacre is something China wants the world to forget. On June 4, 1989, the Chinese military entered Beijing’s Tiananmen Square and crushed a pro-democracy movement. The images shook the world and led to China’s isolation.
31 years on, China is at the same crossroads. Isolated and cracking down on pro-democracy protesters. 31 years later, China is still a one-party state. It is still deeply authoritarian. It is still stifling dissent and still muzzling the voices of its citizens.
The entire world is commemorating this day. But not China. The Tiananmen anniversary is being marked by a crackdown in Hong Kong.
For the first time in all these years. Beijing has cancelled an annual candlelight vigil in Hong Kong. Barricades surround Victoria Park, the traditional venue of the vigil. This event was the only one of its size on Chinese soil. It was a tradition to keep the memories of those killed– alive.
It has now been called off citing a ban on large gatherings. Hong Kong is fighting back nonetheless with smaller gatherings held across the city.
The citizens are paying tributes from wherever they are. They are also fighting back in the Hong Kong legislature. Beijing has managed to get a controversial bill passed. The national anthem bill criminalises disrespect of China’s national anthem. It makes the singing of the national anthem compulsory in Hong Kong.
Pro-democracy lawmakers say it will tighten Beijing’s grip on their city and that they will never let this bill become a law. 700 kilometres away from Hong Kong. Taiwan too is fighting back.
Tsai Ing-Wen, the Taiwanese president has urged Beijing to acknowledge the Tiananmen crackdown. She said: “Around the world, there are 365 days in a year yet in China one of those days is purposely forgotten each year in Taiwan, there were once days missing from our calendar but we’ve worked to bring them to light, I hope, one day China can say the same.”
Taiwan wants China to confront the legacy of this massacre. So does the world. The US state secretary Mike Pompeo said: “For the first time in 30 years, Hong Kong authorities denied permission to hold the Tiananmen vigil. If there is any doubt about Beijing’s intent, it is to deny Hong Konger a voice and a choice, making them the same as mainlanders. So much for two systems.”
Also backing Hong Kong’s independence is the United Kingdom. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has given his government’s biggest message of intent. He says China must not infringe on the political and civic freedoms in Hong Kong.
The European Union too has extended support to Hong Kong. It said: “We trust that the people of Hong Kong and Macau will be free to mark the anniversary appropriately. Freedom is now more important than ever in light of the recent development.”
In Beijing, several Tiananmen mothers paid tributes to the victims at the Wanán cemetery. They have also written an open letter addressed to China’s leaders. They want the Chinese regime to explain the events that led to the death of their loved ones.
They say that for 31 years the government has stayed silent without demonstrating the slightest trace of remorse. The letter carries 124 signatures and seeks compensation and accountability for the losses.
31 years have passed and China continues to crush dissent. Then it was Tiananmen Square in Beijing and now it is Hong Kong. The script is the same massive protests, brutal crackdowns, and fears of another state-sponsored slaughter.
