World News-
Closing arguments have been heard in the trial of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists who organised a vigil to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
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Advocates say the trial is part of a crackdown by Beijing on long-enjoyed freedoms in Hong Kong. What's next?
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Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung face up to 10 years in jail if convicted of "incitement to subversion".
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A lone man faces down a line of tanks: known only as 'Tank Man', his bravery during the Tiananmen Square massacre has been remembered at vigils in Hong Kong for decades.
That is until Beijing cracked down on events held on June 4, the anniversary of the massacre.
Earlier this month, Hong Kong's High Court began hearing closing arguments in the case of two democracy activists, Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, charged with inciting subversion for organising a candlelight vigil to remember Tiananmen Square.
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Experts warn it's a sign of China's increasingly hardline stance and are concerned that the world is forgetting about human rights in Hong Kong.
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No-one knows what happened to 'Tank Man' or his name.
On June 4, 1989, months of pro-democracy and freedom protests came to a head in Tiananmen Square, Beijing.
Under leader Deng Xiaoping, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ordered an estimated 180,000 troops and police to enter with tanks and armoured vehicles.
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Nearly 40 years later, the reverberations from that event are still being felt, as the Chinese government continues to stifle mention of the massacre and has cracked down on people in Hong Kong who attended events to remember it.
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Lee and Chow, two former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, have pleaded not guilty to "incitement to subversion" after organising vigils on the massacre anniversary.
If convicted, they face up to 10 years in jail.
A third defendant, 74-year-old Albert Ho, a former lawyer, pleaded guilty in January.
When the British handed back Hong Kong to China in 1997, Beijing promised that the "capitalist system and way of life shall remain unchanged for 50 years", under what's called the Basic Law, the document that forms the basis of Hong Kong's constitution.
But, less than 30 years in, human rights and legal advocates have become increasingly concerned about Beijing's crackdown on freedom of expression and approach to human rights in Hong Kong.
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Andrew Witheford, from Amnesty International Australia, told the ABC that a national security law brought in in 2020 has been a key instrument for China to essentially undermine the safeguards and undertakings that were given in the Hong Kong Basic Law.
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While mainland China quickly quashed any mention of the Tiananmen Square massacre, vigils have been held in Hong Kong on June 4 since 1990, with hundreds of thousands of people participating.
"In 2020, on the pretext of COVID, the vigils were banned by the government and, since then, anyone turning up on June 4 has been arrested and subject to charges under the national security law," Mr Witheford said.
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"The Chinese government has not only refused to reckon with past wrongs — it is trying to erase them," [Human Rights Watch Asia director Elaine Pearson ] said.
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In her closing submission to the High Court, Chow, a barrister who represented herself, argued that the "real core issue is whether the law truly forbids us from pursuing a democratic transition and defends the Communist Party's perpetual rule".
"In the face of the government's abuse of power and arbitrary killings, does the law only allow us to swallow and wallow in our discontent but not to demand an end to such a tyranny?" she said.
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[Edit: Added 'China' to the title for clarity.]
Man, for nothing of note happening there China sure is touchy about the subject.
Have you guys seen the "tank man" video? Media like to call it a "photo" but it's a still frame from a video. When you watch the video, it doesn't quite make the same impression.
https://youtu.be/qq8zFLIftGk
What impression did you expect it to make? Dude repeatedly stepped in front of a parade of tanks, climbed up on one, then jumped back down in front of it. He had to be pushed away by others at the end. Were you expecting a blood bath? It's pretty well known that he wasn't killed.
I mean, "remembering his bravery" with a candle light vigil kind of implies he didn't just walk away.
It's about remembering the bravery and the thousands that died. He's a symbol.
Sure, it just seems to beg a little skepticism when we're told that these same tanks, just hours ago, were smashing through crowds, crushing bodies in tests, murdering thousands, when just one seemingly random dude brings the whole column to a stop, then climbs on top and has a chat with the driver. I know I've seen American police ram protestors with SUVs for less.
It was the next day, not hours after. The tanks were doing patrols, not cleaning the rebels off their treads. This was all after the massacre.
As far as I know, there is indeed also a photo. It was made by photographer Jeff Widener. Here is also a story with more photos by him made on 4 June 1989.
But I agree that the video makes a much different impression.
Addition: It's not only one of the most iconic photos and videos, but also among the most censored (video, 3 min).
When you watch the video, it doesn't quite make the same impression.
What impression do you get?
I see a single civilian facing down a column of tanks. If anything, seeing the context of the photo makes him look more brave.
And for more context, everyone should know more about the events leading up to the massacre, just how large the protests were, what happened during, and the aftermath:
Content warning: violence, blood, gore, death
https://archive.ph/7Tdzh
I think it's important to understand this part:
Donald's cable to London described the “atrocities” against several thousand pro-democracy protesters as being undertaken by the 27th Army of Shanxi Province. He called this truculent group of soldiers "60 percent illiterate" and "primitives."
According to Donald and his trusted source, however, the troops that entered Tiananmen Square prior to the 27th Army were unarmed. This was an initial attempt to disperse the massive group of protesters without violence, as most were students, unarmed, and non-violent.
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“The 27 Army APCs (armored personnel carriers) opened fire on the crowd before running over them,” Donald wrote in his cable. “APCs ran over troops and civilians at 65kph (40 miles per hour).”
He explained that even though the CCP had provided protestors with a warning, even this small amount of leeway was underhanded, a lie, and viciously broken.
“Students understood they were given one hour to leave square, but after five minutes APCs attacked,” Donald said.
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“Students linked arms but were mown down,” wrote Donald. “APCs then ran over the bodies time and time again to make, quote ‘pie’ unquote, and remains collected by bulldozer.”
As if this wasn’t atrocious enough, the government’s criminal and brutal activity that day got even worse. With no regard for the families of these victims, not to mention their identities, what was left of them was disposed of — in an unspeakably callous manner.
“Remains incinerated and then hosed down drains,” Donald wrote.
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On top of that, the recently declassified cable stated that the 27th Army was called into action that day specifically because of its disregard for anything but orders. The troops were “the most reliable and obedient,” Donald explained.
“27 Army ordered to spare no one,” he wrote. “Wounded girl students begged for their lives but were bayoneted. A three-year-old girl was injured, but her mother was shot as she went to her aid, as were six others.”
The first group of Chinese military didn't kill anyone, by some accounts wouldn't kill anyone, and attempted to disperse the students peacefully. This didn't work, so the CCP called in a group of brainwashed thugs who could be relied on to kill anyone they were instructed to, and they did, with no regard for life and no respect for the dead. Those thugs made the CCP what it is today, and there is still no regard for life or respect for the dead, which is why they are so desperate to hide information about what happened, spread disinformation, and suppress memorials.
Never let these people, or the crimes committed against them, be forgotten.
The .ml people will think this is a good thing
I'm not the most educated on exactly what happened or the details of the case here, but no, I do not think it's a good thing.
