On the anniversary of China’s greatest lie, Hong Kong stands up
Hong Kong stands up
Two decades ago on this very evening the world was watching in hope, anguish, and ultimately disbelief as a peaceful demonstration in support of a better tomorrow was about to end in bloody tragedy. The Chinese leaders have been trying to wash the blood from their hands ever since.
The indiscriminate massacre of innocent civilians twenty years ago in the heart of China’s capital cannot be quite so readily extinguished from the records as the CCP leadership and their apologists would like. This is not to say that the efforts made in that direction have been without success, rendering 1.3 billion people mute with apathy, fear, and ignorance.
History has yet to measure the debt of gratitude that all Chinese people owe to that brave outpost of residents in Hong Kong. For they, and they alone among the wider Chinese community, have never forgotten. They choose not to forget in defiance of Beijing’s revisionist policy, for they love their country as much as any Chinese citizens do and appreciate the importance of truth and accountability better than their mainland counterparts.
The bloody end to the ‘89 mass protest is, and – so long as 6/4 is denied its place in Chinese history – will remain, a litmus test of China’s willingness to embrace responsible governance and grant its citizens, among other basic dignities, the right of free expression.
It’s difficult to imagine that China could have made greater economic progress had 6/4 ended differently. Sadly, among so many mainland Chinese who have found their circumstances much improved in the last twenty years, this is proof positive that the government was justified in its actions 20 years ago. This illogical thinking is the way that many Chinese try to rationalise the guilt of their silence. Martin Luther King Jr said it best:
We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.
Others will write far more eloquent and moving memorials to the fallen of 6/4 this week. I will link to their sites as the articles and op-eds begin to appear – a kind of roll of honour. I salute them all for remembering. But most of all I salute the people of Hong Kong, because it is only through their efforts in keeping the flame alive that the Chinese people will finally find, and accept, closure on this issue.
Don’t forget to light your candles.
Roll of Honour (in no particular order)
Boston Globe (must see pictures)
BBC (+video)
Guardian (+video interviews/footage)