VICTORIA PARK, Hong Kong – For the 22nd time in as many years, people in Hong Kong have sent a brightly flaming message to the central government. It's one of constant support and respect for the pro-democracy demonstrators killed by Chinese soldiers during the Beijing Massacre on June 4, 1989. Last Saturday, 150,000 people attended an annual candlelight vigil to mark the anniversary of the bloodletting.
Over the years, millions of candles have lit up Hong Kong's night sky to remember the thousands of innocent victims. This year's event also highlighted the plight of Chinese dissidents, like Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, acclaimed artist Ai Weiwei and others, arrested in the latest crackdowns. National authorities fear the prospect of a much-needed, new protest movement inspired by recent uprisings in the Middle East.
As usual, attendees at the vigil, many of them youngsters not yet born in 1989, held up burning candles and sang somber songs. They wore mainly black clothing in mourning for the massacre victims and for the lack of progress toward democracy in Hong Kong and China.
After arriving in Victoria Park, people of all ages paused to write defiant Chinese or English chalk-messages on the smooth surfaces underfoot. Some of their jottings deserve to be quoted again and again:
“We will remember June 4, 1989, forever, no matter what.”
“Never forget that the struggle, for democracy, for justice, for the future, must never end, or else the blood that martyrs have spilled will have been in vain.”
“We are not afraid. We will fight for freedom and peace.”
“Somebody please tell me why the death of mass-murderer (Osama) bin Laden was treated with more respect than the unwarranted killing of thousands of Chinese students who only wanted their own voices heard and their country to improve.”
People onstage and in the audience paid tribute to the late Szeto Wah (1931-2011). A leading pro-democracy campaigner and member of the Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, he helped to organize past candlelight vigils before dying of cancer.
No other city under Chinese sovereignty has the freedom to hold such a large anti-Beijing protest. Many Chinese mainlanders attend when visiting Hong Kong. For them, it's extra instructive to hear free speech and criticisms of their government.
Vigil participants have no intention to relent in honoring the massacre victims and demanding a better, more democratic future for everyone in China. The Beijing authorities may pretend not to hear, but Hong Kong people will continue sending their heartfelt message – no matter how many years pass or how many millions more candles must burn.
A tiny girl and her guardian add flowers
of hope to the pro-democracy message.
'We will remember, no matter what,'
vows a message scrawled underfoot.
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