For a 19th year in a row, tens of thousands of Hong Kong people have gathered in a city park on June 4 for a candlelight vigil to mourn and remember victims of the 1989 Beijing Massacre when the People’s Liberation Army killed untold numbers of student protesters and civilians. Organizers of the vigil, the Hong Kong Alliance In Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, estimated the latest turnout at 48,000. This year’s event also honored victims of a recent earthquake in China’s Sichuan Province.

By the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China

Through the candlelight, we saw the bloodbath of 19 years ago and the bodies in disarray. Through the candles, we also saw the countless dead and injured under the debris in the Sichuan earthquake. May the deceased rest in peace and the living strive on, so as to console those in heaven.

This year, Beijing will host the Olympic Games. We raise the slogan: “One World With Universal Human Rights, One Dream With the June 4th Verdict Rectified”. We firmly believe that alongside economic progress, political reforms must take place to realize democracy, freedoms, human rights and the rule of law. Generations of Chinese people have strived for the same goal.

Unfortunately, despite being awarded the Olympic Games, the Chinese Communist government has by far not improved its human-rights record as promised. Quite to the contrary, violations of human rights have intensified in China. The Chinese government has expressed no tolerance to criticisms, not even those of human-rights advocates Hu Jia, Yang Chun-lin, Chen Guang-cheng and Guo Fei-xiong, who all have ended up in jail.

After the heartbreaking earthquake in Sichuan, people from all walks of life worldwide are devoted to help by all means. All the good deeds have demonstrated to us the selfless love and care we have among the Chinese and others around the globe. Let us express our highest respect for all those who have generously helped.

However, we strongly condemn the corrupt officials responsible for poorly constructed and unsafe school buildings that claimed the lives of tens of thousands of students and teachers. We also condemn those who misappropriated relief supplies for their personal benefits.

More than 7,000 schools collapsed in the earthquake. Parents of the deceased children have protested and called for a thorough investigation. They raised the slogan “Natural Disasters Can’t Be Avoided. Man-Made Catastrophes Must Be Condemned”.

Indeed, how many people died from the natural disaster and how many from a man-made catastrophe? Why did the public receive no warning, despite experts’ predictions? We think it’s a case of a man-made catastrophe with the root problem in one-party rule.

Nineteen years ago, Chinese people fought against corrupt bureaucrats and demanded democracy. Today, we must learn painful lessons and insist that China take a path to democracy, freedoms, human rights and the rule of law whereby absolute power is countered by free speech, press freedoms and a system of justice and democracy. That’s where China’s hope lies.


Still mourned: one victim among so many.

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