They say time is the best cure for memories of pain and suffering, yet time has not lessened our pain of watching thousands of students being slaughtered in Tiananmen Square 10 years ago. Their noble aspirations and bravery will be remembered by this generation, and by the next generation through our cartoon collection.

The patriotic democratic movement triggered by the death of Hu yaobang in 1989 have brought out the problems of widespread corruption and commodity price manipulation of government officials. It has subsequently led to the June 4^th Massacre in the Tiananmen Square….

On April 15^th, 1989, Chinese Communist Party ex-Secretary Hu yaobang die. Hu, an un-corrupted leader rarely found in the Government, was accused of failing to implement the “Anti-bourgeois liberation” and wad forced out of office. Citizens and students of Beijing spontaneously organized activities to commemorate Hu. In Tiananmen Square they protested against the privileges, corruption and illegal dealings of government officials, and they demanded a dialogue with the Government.

On April 18^th, tens of thousands of students staged sit-in at Tiananmen Square and put forward Seven Demands. The next day students protested outside Zhongnanhai Xinhuamen and confronted with the police. Two days later the police dispersed the protest by force and 300 students including a Hong Kong reporter were injured in the incident.

On April 21st, Beijing students protested against police crackdown by marching to Tiananmen Square and staged overnight sit-in. Fourty-seven scholars jointly submitted and open-letter to the Chinese Communist Party, the National People’s Congress and the State Council to support the students demands.

On April 22^nd, Chinese Government held official ceremony to commemorate Hu, Over 100,000 students staged sit-in at Tiananmen Square under the survellence of 10,000 millitary police. The students demanded a dialogue and submission of a petition letter to the Government, their demands were rejected.

3. The Rally

In response to the Government rejection of a dialogue, the Beijing students began their class-boycott, they made public speeches and held fund-raising campaign to lobby support for their movement.

On April 24^th, students of 35 Beijing universities began their class-boycott, Shanghai, Changsha, Xian, Nanjing students followed suit.

On April 26, the “People’s Daily” editorial condemned the students’ movement as “turmoil”, and called it a “conspiracy”. This editorial angered the populace, the next day 200,000 students rallied on all main streets supported by 1 million citizens rulling along. The military and police attempted to stop the rally without success, which marked an important battle won by the joint forces of the students and the people.

On April 28th, the Autonomous Students Union of Beijing was formed and put forward its Seven Demands. The next day State Council officials for the first time conducted a dialogue with some of the students. The day after Beijing City Councillor also conducted a dialogue with 29 Beijing students.

On May 1st and 2nd, the Autonomous Students Union of Beijing demanded an honest, equal and open dialogue with the Government, and planed to hold a rally on May 4th if this demand was not met. The next day its demanded was rejected by the State Council.

On May 4th, the day of the 70th Anniversary of the May 4th Movement, over 100,000 students marched to Tiananmen Square. They were joined by several hundred news media workers. The student movement has taken a new course to demand freedom of press, crackdown on corruption and continuation of political reform.

As the Government remained non-responsive to the rallies and used delay tactics to their demands, the students decided to upscale their protest by staging a hunger-strike in Tiananmen Square during Gorbachev‘s visit to China.

The hunger-strike started on May 13th with 2,000 students, and increased to over 3,000 students. A few days later they started to forego even water to make their voice heard. Yet their voice was not heard. All sectors in Beijing were impressed by the students’ determination and angered by the Government’s non- responsiveness, they held rallies to support the students and urged a dialogue to take place. Participants of the rallies included workers, peasants, army, media, intellectuals, educators, primary and high school students totalling over 1 million people. The students movement has spreaded to major cities of the whole country. Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan were also supportive of this campaign to fight for freedom and democracy for China.

On May 15th, the Chinese Communist Party Secretary Zhao ziyang declared that the student movement was patriotic and asked the students to end their hunger-strike. The next day Li Peng met with the students but parted in displeasure. On May 19th, Zhao and Li came to the Square, with tears in his eyes Zhao said, “We have come, but it‘s too late, we are sorry!”

Yet, in the early hours of May 20th, Li Peng declared that Beijing has entered a lawless state. He condemned the student movement as riots and imposed martial law and news blockade. 200,000 students in the Square immediately announced their joint hunger-strike in protest..

Founding member of army Nie rongzhen and Xu xiangqian, when questioned by the students, said martial law was aimed to bring the city back into order and not to suppress the protest. When the army gradually advanced into the city, they were deterred by the peaceful resistance of civilians and students who erected barricades and “human walls”. The army eventually retreated on May 23rd, at which time over 1 million people has gathered in the Square.

6. The Sit-in

Though the army has treated temporarily, Government leading circle continued to express its support of a hard-line approach advocated by Deng Xiaoping, Li Peng and Yang Shangkun. The rumours of army’s stabbotage have intensified the situation and exhausted the civilians.

In the face of a possible crackdown, the students have different opinions as to their course of action. A group believed its time to leave the Square and reserve their strength for future movements. Another group insisted on remaining in the Square to await the Government’s reply. A general vote was conducted and the second group won. As the students decided to continue their sit-in, the students of the Central Arts Institute created a Statue of Goddess of Democracy for encouragement and reinforcement. The statue was erected in the Square on May 29^th.

On June 2^nd, the Tiananmen Square Democratic University was formed. “Four Gentlemen” Hou Dejian,Liu Xiaobo,Zhao Duo and Gao Xin started their 72-hour hunger-strike in front of the Monument to the People’s Heroes and issued their June 2^nd Hunger-strike Declaration.

7. The Support for the Movement

The student movement of Beijing has spread to places outside of China. In Hong Kong the Hong Kong Federation of Students has expressed its support as early as April. The intellectuals, media and people of different circles in Hong Kong all expressed their support. They issued joint-declarations, held gatherings, marches and hunger-strikes in various places including outside Xinhua News Agency to urge the Chinese Government to conduct a dialogue with the Beijing students.

On May 21^st, 1 million Hong Kong citizens held an eight-hour march and the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China was formed. At that time, organizations left and right reinforced the students’ course by condemning the hard-line approach advocated by Deng, Li and Yang.

On May 27^th, the Hong Kong entertainment group organized a 12-hour fund-raising concert for the student movement. Over HK$ 12 million was raised. The next day a World Chinese March was held with 1.5 million Hong Kong people participating. On June 2^nd, the Hong Kong Alliance representatives went to Beijing bringing the money raised, but they were detained for three days, the money was confiscated and was never returned.

8. The Massacre

By June 2^nd and 3^rd, the army has secretly infiltrated into the city and has surrounded the Square and the area around it. In the afternoon of June 3^rd, army troops and civilians confronted at places like Liubukou, Xinhuamen and the around the Great Hall of the People. For the first time the troops used tear gas, rubber bullets, baton and long sticks to disperse the crowd, close to 100 civilians were injured.

Starting from 10 o’clock of June 3^rd, hundreds of tanks, armored vehicles and troops converged on central Beijing and Tiananmen Square from all directions. The troops fired on the people indiscriminately and deliberately, armored vehicles and tanks drove blindly into crowds, crushing, killing and injuring people. From Muxidi, Fuxingmen, Jianguomen and Liubukou leading to the Square, killing took place along these parts of the Avenue of Eternal Peace.

The people of Beijing demonstrated immense courage and bravery as they mounted their human barricades against the advance troops. With their own bodies they attempted to block the armored vehicles, tanks and armed troops. In doing so they put their lives in danger, yet they did not turn back. Their devotion and courage command our greatest respect.

In the morning of June 4^th 2:00am, troops have surrounded the whole Square. Students and civilians have retreated to the area around the Monument to the People’s Heroes, Hou Dejian and the student representatives tried to negotiate with the army to let the students go unharmed, shortly after they were allowed to do so. But before they did, at 4:00am, suddenly all the lights of the Square were shut off and the crackdown began. Troops with helmets, camouflages and rifles marched into the Square and surrounded the Monument. With electric batons and rifles they attacked the students many of whom were injured or killed. At the same time, armored vehicles and tanks rolled into the Square crushing people and tents set up by the students. The Statue of Goddess of Democracy was also destroyed. For the rest of the day, troops continued to fire on civilians gathered in the city, killing and injuring many.

On the next day June 5th, troops still occupied the Square. The civilian, however, still shouted anti-army, anti-govenment slogans on the streets. An Beijing citizen, Wang Weiling, have by himself stood in front of a troop of tanks to block their advancement. He even climbed onto one of the tanks. On June 6^th, troops of tanks still surrounded the Square while Beijing citizens and students continued to set up barricades to block them. In the afternoon, the spokesman of the State Council Yuan Mu held a press conference for local and international media. He said during the incident of “clearing” the Square, 5,000 soldiers were injured, and 2,000 civilians and “rebels” were also injured, 300 “law-breaking criminals” were killed, 23 students were also killed. He also said that no student or civilian were killed on the Square, neither have any armored vehicle or tank crushed anyone to death.

These lies angered everyone watching the press conference. On June 16^th, Yuan Mu was interviewed by the US news station ABC, he said the news films shot by ABC depicting troops entering the Square killing civilians and students were actually created by “advance technology” with the aim to twist the facts.

9. The Condemnation

The “June 4^th Massacre” angered Chinese all over the world, gatherings and rallies were held everywhere to condemn the Chinese Government’s brutal killing of unarmed civilians and students.

On June 4^th, condemnation gatherings were held in both Hong Kong and Macau. People gathered to condemn the “Deng (Xiaoping) Li (Peng) Yang (Shangkun) group”. They dressed in black and white with black cloths wrapped around their arms or their heads. In Hong Kong 200,000 people gathered in a stadium to mourn the deaths. Some newspapers changed the color of their headings from red to black.

June 7^th was the day the people of Hong Kong commemorated those who died during the Massacre. Some schools, shops and factories were closed, and citizens went to the Monument to the Unnamed Heroes and the Xinhua News Agency to lay flowers and pay respect. Chinese immigrants and students all over the world also organized activities to mourn the deaths of the Tiananmen Square. They organized protests, rallies and marched to the Chinese Embassies to condemn the ‘Deng Li Yang group”.

To the June 4^th Massacre, government leaders of many countries have reacted strongly, among those were the US President Bush and the British Prime Minister Thatcher. Governments of Japan, France, Australia, West Germany and Thailand all condemned the Chinese government of its cruelty and brutality. They acted to extended the stay of Chinese students in their countries and provide political asylum for defecting Chinese Embassy officials. Fong Lizhi, a well-known political activist, together with his wife, were protected by the US Embassy in Beijing.

After the Massacre, Beijing City Government and the Marshall Law Commanding Army have announced that Autonomous Students Union of Beijing, Independent Federation of Beijing Workers, Autonomous Federation of Beijing Resident, Capital’s Intellectuals Union and Capital’s Society for the Preservation of the Constitution as illegal organizations. They demanded these organizations to be dissolved immediately and set up hot-lines for citizens to provide information of their activities.

Ministry of National Security and Ministry of Public Security have issued a nation-wide warrant for Fong Lizhi couple, 21 student leaders, 23 members of the Capital’s Intellectual Union and workers’ union leaders. Local governments issued their own wanted list. They wasted not time in arresting and trailing activists in an attempt to crackdown the movement completely.

According to the Reform-through-labour Work Administration Bureau, within one month after June 4^th, over 2,000 people were arrested, this figure is believed to be understated. On June 11, a Hong Kong student Yao Yongzhan was arrested while leaving Shanghai, he was detained for over one year in China.

The students and intellectuals who have fled from China and settled overseas organized the Federation for a Democratic China to continue the movement. Overseas Chinese communities also formed organizations of their own to support the democratic movement of China.

The Hong Kong Alliance have always been in the front-line of the pro-democratic movement of China. The Chinese Government have tried to weaken, and eventually eliminate it. They called it “The Foundation of subversion of Communist China” and warned Hong Kong people to stay clear of events happened in the Mainland. However, over the years, tens of thousands of Hong Kong citizen participated in the June 4^th commemorative activities. This is a solid proof of Hong Kong people’s love for China and love for democracy.

At the end of 1989, the democracy movement of Eastern Europe have overthrown the dictatorial rule of communist countries like Poland, Czechoslovakia, East Germany and Rumania. These countries are now under the rule of a democratic regime. This movement in Europe have given the people of Hong Kong and Mainland renewed hope that a democratic China is also a goal achievable.

A group of intellectual have establish the University of Democracy in Hong Kong to educate the populace about the movement. It holds exhibitions and various kinds of artistic performance to bring the idea to all levels of the society.

As time passed, some activists were released, together with the release of some older activists imprisoned during 1979 Beijing Spring Movement, the democracy movement of China is given new strength. On the other hand, the corruption of the government, their illegal dealings with businessmen, coupled with the lack of protection of human rights and people’s basic livelihood have created conflicts within the Chinese society. Pro-democracy movement has been revived through workers’ movement, human rights movement and anti-corruption movement.