Echoes From Tiananmen Issue No. 3 — March 1990 m Editoriai . 1 Features 4 CHINA'S SPRING - TheTruthAboutJune? 4 Updates ^ The Iron Fist Crushes On 19 The Embarrassing Defeat ofYuan Mu at Beijing University 22 Why Lift Martial Law and Release Some Democratic Movement Participants? 24 Analysis ^ Re-confront the fundamental question 26 Analysis of the Present Chinese Working Class 33 Accounts of Activists 40 "the Government will retaliate against every one of us" — Chai Leng ... .40 Independent Labour Leaders Secretly Detained in China 44 Revolutionary Worker Han Dongfang . 46 Solidarity 51_ East Europe Solidarity With China 51 An Appeal on behalf of the Workers Autonomous Federation 53 Manifesto of Mass Rally in Victoria Park, Hong Kong .55 The Price of Protest —Victims 58 © 1990 by Friends ofChinese Minzhu WARNING: All material in this publication, except for reproductions of press reports and previously published cartoons, is subject to copyright by Friends of Chinese Minzhu and may not be reproduced or re-sold. Material may be used without permission only by non-profit organizations or individuals working on social, human and civil rights and labour issues. Friends of Chinese Minzhu is a coalition of Hong Kong organizations and individuals who have been collating and disseminating information from and about China to interested groups and people around the world. Correspondence, views, reports of activities in other countries involving the Chinese democracy movement, questions and other related material is welcomed. These, and any supporting donations, should all be addressed to the publisher: Friends ofChinese Minzhu c/- Hong Kong Trade Union Education Centre 57 Peking Road, 3rd Floor, Kowloon, Hong Kong nationalist sentiments, when people Editorial from different countries expressed con cern and took concrete steps to demonstrate their solidarity with For ALL PEOPLE aspiring to people's struggles elsewhere. This democracy, 1989 will be remembered as resurgence of international solidarity a year ofhopes raised, hopes fulfilled or willbe an increasingly significant factor hopes dashed. in the forthcoming worldwide struggle For people in most parts of Eastern for liberty, democracy and peace. In Europe, the year and the decade ended China, the people's hopes for change in elation. Their feelings ofanxiety, joy were brutallycrushed, but their calls for and excitement were shared by people democracy and their courage remain all around the world. The Chinese deep in the hearts of the people. One people watched with admiration, some example is the opportunity taken bystu with envy, as momentous events in dents who boldly raised many pointed Eastern Europe unfolded. The questions during a formal meeting in demands put forward by the peoples' early 1990 with Chinese leaders over movements in Eastern Europe struck a developments in Eastern Europe. sympathetic chord with the Chinese Unfortunately, the present Chinese Democracy Movement. Calls for regime has opted to be a lone fossil freedom of expression, freedom of as- amidst the upsurge of the people's sociation, freedom of the press, democracy movements. Rather than freedom of assembly, and for the right answering the peoples' call for reforms, to elect a government of their choice the government chose to revert even rang through the peoples' uprisings in more to brute force, intimidation, lies, both Eastern Europe and China. and threats in an attempt to retain their These passionate calls pushed basic absolute power. In its refusal to reform, human and civil rights to the forefront the present Chinese regime is increas of international issues. With advances ingly bogged down by the rope of the made in 1989, it becomes clearer^o feudal autocracy, just like the late more people that there can be no cor^ Empress Dowager. The latest ploy used promise in the struggle between by the Chinese regime in its attempt to freedom and democracy versus subdue international protests against authoritarianism and dictatorship. The its violation of human rights was the peoples' pro-democracy movements in lifting of martial law in Beijing in 1989 also helped to bring about a most January 1990. remarkable advance in forging inter This gesture might have helped to - 1 ease the consciences of those govern young man for attacking a military ments and businessmen who have been vehicle on June 4th, 1989. The Asia itching to resume business with China. Watch report on China (released 9 However, for Beijing residents, the February 1990) reported that Han whole exercise involvesonly a change of Dongfang (26), who has been detained uniform — from that ofthe PLA to that since the end of June 1989 for organiz of the militaiy police. Many people are ing the Beijing Workers Autonomous still being detained and jailed for at Federation, was seriously ill and had to tempting to exercise basic human be hospitalized for the sixth time since rights. Ifthe government sees fit, it can his arrest and put on an intravenous still at anytime deploylarge numbers of drip. troops to shootand kill civilianswithout At the end of January, the Beijing having to follow any meaningful politi authorities made public a circular the cal process or legal procedure, as hap Communist party issued in December pened in June 1989. to all 'mass organizations' such as the On the day following the lifting of Trade Unions, the Communist Youth martial law in Beijing, eye witnesses League and the Women's Federation, reported that two people were taken calling on them to "keep to the correct away by military guards for laying a political orientation and identify them wreath in Tiananmen Square to com selves with the party Central Commit memorate the victims of June 4th. At tee in politics, thinking and action". the same time, Beijing authorities aii- Tales of denials of basic rights are nounced a new regulation banning any endless. In fact, if one examines the protest actions in the Square. Editors reality of government power in China, andjournalists have beensacked for not one could argue that the Chinese towing the official line. Recent reports people have been ruled under martial concern the arrest of dozens of law since 1949. (The situation was Catholics, including bishops, whom the similar in Taiwan prior to 1988, the dif Chinese government refused to ac ference being that the Taiwan govern knowledge as prisoners of conscience ment formally admitted that they had but as 'criminals.' It is illegal in China been ruling under martial law from to recognize papal authority and prac 1949 to 1988.) tice one's faith outside the officially- Those who support the democratic condoned church bodies. aspirations of the Chinese people must In early December, the Beijing persist in their solidarity as strongly as Public Security Bureau openly ad ever. For no\y they must prepare to mitted that they had arrested about withstand the pressure from conserva 2,600 rioters in June and only 190 of tive forces of the commercial and those had "repented" and were government leaders of the world who released. Only on January 23rd, a Beij are beginning to add their harmonic ing court announced the execution of a 2 - accompaniment to the songs beingsung 2. Civil and Political Rights by the oppressive Chinese government. Efforts should be directed to bring We have been heartened by the bril about the introduction of legal and con liant protest action by the Goa Cam stitutionalchanges inChinawhich will paignAgainst5-starTourismagainst an endorse the protection of universal official Chinesevisit to Goa. Our hearts civil and political rights of Chinese also warmed .tremendously when we citizens. The forces of change will read all the solidarity actions waged by primarily come from inside China. brothersand sisters in Poland, Czechos However, peopleoutsideChinacanalso lovakia, and Hungary condemning the helptheprocess by exerting pressure on June massacre.(Seepp.52) We alsopay the international community, be it tribute to the efforts of trade union government, financial or non bodies such as the International Con governmental, to make the recognition federation of Free Trade Unions of human rights an uncompromisable (ICFTU) and the British National As condition for engaging in cooperation sociation of Local Government Of with the Chinese government. ficers (NALGO), and others who were It is also important for progressive committed enough to directly take up social movements, such as peace and the issue of violation of basic labour ecology, union and labour, women's, rights with the official Chinese unions. justice and peace movements, from all (See pp.54) over the world to begin to look for The need for solidarity actions is cooperation and communication with greater than ever. We recommend the genuine progressive civil movements in following priorities: China instead of the quasi government bodies. The experience of 1989 has 1. Political Prisoners taught us that given the existing politi Publicize the condition of political cal structure, there is little scope for detainees. Exert pressure, both directly genuine democratic change coming and also through your corresponding from within the official framework. governments, on the Chinese govern Let Us Continue Our SolidaritySup ment for their release. During the in port! Behind the smokescreen, the iron terim period, we should also call for the clad suppression of the voices of observation of fair and humane condi democracy continues in China. There is tions for the detainees such as prisoiT"^ a need for continued support and ongo visits, correspondence with the outside, ing action. On the day of Victory, our and an end to all physical and mental Chinesebrothersandsisterswill be able torture. Efforts should also be made to to express their thanks for our support. collect names, whereabouts and condi Until then, let uscontinue to speak and tions of all detainees. act when they most need our support! - 3 place, butplace the mass ofkillings out CHINA'S SPRING side rather than inside Tiananmen Square.