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)
June 3rd, 2009 at 6:45 am
Someone thinks this story is fantastic…
This story was submitted to Hao Hao Report – a collection of China’s best stories and blog posts. If you like this story, be sure to go vote for it….
June 3rd, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Is the same Hong Kong which is denying entry to people connected to 1989?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8080437.stm
While some ( a few) Hong Kong residents may refuse to forget, the supposedly autonomous HK government is going along with Beijing’s lies.
June 3rd, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Thanks for visiting, Eric.
Yes, it’s the same HK, which makes it that much more commendable that so many defy Beijing’s acolytes.
June 4th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Just like I did last year, I wish to thank you for your post, Stuart.
Nothing else, no blown fuses this time. (Then again, it helps there are no “broken record” characters to argue with, this time around!)
Godspeed.
June 4th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
P.S. You may consider including Under the Jacaranda Tree in your Roll of Honour: http://underthejacaranda.wordpress.com/
The post I have in mind is titled ???? (tried to copy/paste direct link but it looked iffy).
Cheers.
June 4th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
P.P.S. Can I do anything right? “????” stands for Chinese script post title…
June 4th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Thanks, Neddy, I’ll take a look and add them now.
June 9th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
[...] On the anniversary of China's greatest lie, Hong Kong stands up … [...]
June 17th, 2009 at 4:23 am
[...] two weeks ago there passed an anniversary that escaped few people’s notice. So where were you Google? Where was the clever tank, wheels [...]
July 21st, 2009 at 6:06 pm
You are a massive fool. Both the 86 and 89 riots led to the purging of progressive reformed minded leaders in the CCP by hardliners.
And BTW, democracy, human rights and freedome weren’t much discussed in colonial HK, because guess what, the british were iron fisted racist overlords. These memes were pushed on the population of HK before the handover so that the UK could put barriers between HK and China and maintain its own influence.
Study up on some history, eh, fool.
July 22nd, 2009 at 4:21 pm
afds, you’re coming to this party a bit late, but let’s embrace the fact that you bothered at all.
“Both the 86 and 89 riots led to the purging of progressive reformed minded leaders in the CCP by hardliners.”
And without the people voicing their displeasure at the leadership the moderates take control of the party? Get real, bro.
“These memes were pushed on the population of HK before the handover so that the UK could put barriers between HK and China ”
One of the many reasons the people of HK look upon the old colonials with fondness.