As the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government seeks to establish closer ties with China, it should not forget about the Tiananmen Square Massacre or withdraw its support for the democratic movement in China, Chinese democracy activists said yesterday.
“Under the Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] government, the Straits Exchange Foundation(SEF) — especially when Chen Ming-tong (陳明通) was its head — paid a lot of attention to issues concerning human rights, democracy and freedom in China,” said exiled Chinese democracy activist Wang Dan (王丹), one of the student leaders in the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstration. “However, the MAC hasn’t touched on the issues since Lai Shin-yuan (賴幸媛) took over.”
The KMT used to give substantial support to China’s democratic movement before it lost power to the DPP in 2000, Wang said.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, AP
“I understand that the current government wants to focus on developing closer economic ties with China, but I think the MAC should still pay attention to human rights conditions in China,” he said. “After all, cross-strait relations can only be stable after China becomes a democracy.”
He made the remark at a news conference in Taipei to announce a series of activities to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre on June 4.
Events will include an exhibition of videos and photos from the demonstration at the Taipei City Council next Sunday afternoon and a rally and a sit-in at Liberty Square in Taipei from 6:04pm on June 3 until 9pm on June 4.
“Economic development in China has put many people who previously condemned Beijing’s violent crackdown at Tiananmen Square in a difficult position, as they are forced to be friends with the repressors in exchange for economic interests,” said Wuer Kaixi (吾爾開希), another former Tiananmen Square student leader who now lives in Taiwan.
He cited Straits Exchange Foundation Deputy Secretary-General Pang Chien-kuo (龐建國) as an example.
Twenty years ago, Pang was one of the organizers of a rally in Taipei to support the demonstrators in Beijing during the crackdown.
“However, when I called [Pang] to invite him to next week’s events commemorating the tragedy, he said he would love to come, but had to decline, saying it would be inconvenient for him to do so because of his position,” Wuerkaixi said. “As a friend, I understand his concern, but I still feel sorry to hear that.”
“There should not be any ‘inconvenience’ for anyone to remember that unarmed students were bloodily repressed by an authoritarian regime,” he said.
Former New Party Legislator Yao Li-min (姚立民), who is helping organize the events in Taipei this year, said he had also sent an invitation to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who actively participated in events commemorating Tiananmen Square before becoming president.
“We haven’t heard back from the Presidential Office yet, but I hope he will come,” Yao said.
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