WE WILL NOT FORGET JUNE 4th!June 4, 2014 will mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the massacre in Beijing of hundreds if not thousands of unarmed Chinese citizens by troops acting on direct orders from the top rulers of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). (The exact number of fatalities is unknown and in dispute.) The world knows this tragedy as the Tiananmen Massacre. Starting in mid-April 1989, hundreds of thousands of peaceful demonstrators and their supporters in Beijing protested against official corruption, for economic justice, and democratization of China's authoritarian political system. Similar demonstrations occurred in nearly two hundred cities throughout China. Sensing a threat to their monopoly of power, CCP rulers led by Deng Xiaoping branded the peaceful demonstrations a counter-revolutionary uprising. They chose to employ deadly force rather than engage in constructive dialogue. Despite significant opening in Chinese society since 1989, the authorities have prohibited any public discussion of what in Chinese is referred to simply as liu si (June 4th). It is time to break that silence.
We, the undersigned, bound to China by professional and personal ties, are deeply concerned about its future well-being which, we believe, requires frank and open discussion of its past. Therefore, we call upon our colleagues around the world in schools and universities, civic organizations, foundations, research institutions, non-governmental organizations, and similar entities to sponsor and convene public events between April 15 and June 4, 2014, to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of liu si in the form of teach-ins, lectures, memorial marches, press conferences, and other appropriate forms. Such events may serve to memorialize the victims, educate the public about what actually occurred in China in the spring of 1989, consider the significance of June 4 for the subsequent course of Chinese politics, and stimulate ongoing discussions in China about the imperative of genuine political reform. Tiananmen Initiative Project
Contact: Steven I. Levine, Department of History, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812 USA Steven.Levine@mso.umt.edu (406) 777-9802 Testimonials"The world must never forget."
- Winston Lord, former U.S. Ambassador to China Respecting human rights is the universe principle for human society. However the Chinese authorities brutely cracked down the peaceful demonstration in Beijing on June 4-9,1989. Thousands of people were killed during the crackdown. 25 years passed, lots of people in china were put into prison for fighting for freedom of speech, assembly, religion, etc since then.
The Chinese authorities become more severely since Xi became a new dictator since last year. I never forget the Tiananmen Massacre in 1989 and never forget the tragedy have happened in China since 1949. To make change in China from dictatorship to constitutional democracy is the only way to change the situation in China. However, it will still take one decade around to evolve this. -Youcai Wang, Independent Scholar Through commemorative activities, we denounce the crimes of the evil party that massacred students. I also hope that through commemorative activities we can let the peoples of the world clearly recognize the features of the bogus government and prevent the communist education from poisoning the world. I will actively take part in all kinds of commemorative events.
-Xinchao Chen, Australia The lies of a despotic government cannot cover up history that is written in blood.
-Professor Zhou Fengxiao In the end history will restore the truth and destroy the dictators.
-Bob Chen, Hong Kong Uphold liberalism; oppose the Chinese Communist tyranny.
-Mr. Henry Guo, Sweden I am a Chinese of the June 4 generation. In order to defend human rights, implement democracy and the rule of law in the country, I willingly forget my home to receive instruction and am heedless of my own safety on the eve of battle.
- C.S., China Let us see the true face of June 4 and put an end to dictatorial rule.
- Chu Cai, United States For twenty-five years this problem has not been resolved; the people can wait no longer!
- Liqun Chen, United States A government that slaughters its own citizens should be overturned!
- Mr. F.G., China As one of the diplomats in Beijing at the time, including visits in the Square over two weeks and then at the Beijing Hotel watching events during the night and morning, I remain convinced that keeping the conscience of the world aware of what really happened is key to eventual "reversal of verdicts" within China. We owe it to those who were killed and their families. China needs to own its real history.
- Mr. Michael Ceurvorst, retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer I'm a 20-year-old Chinese student. I barely heard of Liu Si until I study abroad. It's such a taboo in modern China that my parents who actually participated the protest in Shanghai weren't even sure what happened in Beijing at the time. We still don't. I watched a movie called "The Truman Show", and I say to myself:"If they can lie about such a massacre, then everything about my life, everything I've heard about and believed for the last 20 years, could be nothing more than a lie." Moreover, the Chinese society has developed a new tide of democracy and appeal to human rights for the last few years, which, has been severely hit (of course). If we just forget what our people went through in 1989 and we don't pressure the government to tell the truth, this could happen again.
-Ms. C.Z., student, China The date June 4, 1989 at Tiananmen has entered into history and into all our memories. We shall not forget the victims of this massacre.
- Patrick Bonnassieux, president, Tibet Chine Actualité I taught in China before and never really shared this with my students in the mainland. I guess it's the pressure on people's mind to not speak about it openly in the mainland.
Well at this 25th year, I am currently teaching in Thailand. I would like to share this with my middle school students to commemorate the people suffered in this event. I hope my country will one day in my life time, own up the responsibility and apologise to the people. - Ms. W.Z., China |
SignatoriesPlease note: to protect the personal safety of signatories from within the PRC, we will only note their first and last initial.
Professor Johannes Adamsen, Denmark Professor Ken Anderson, Seigakuin, Japan Mr. Hermann Aubié, PhD student, Finland Ms. Marie-Rose Baboin, teacher (ret.), France Professor David Bachman, University of Washington, US Mr. Alexander Ballard, Independent Scholar, US Mr. Stephen Barru, translator/editor, US Mr. David Bartel, PhD Candidate, France Mr. Beauregard Johnson, artist, US Professor Jean-Philippe Béja, Centre nationale de la recherche scientifiques, Hong Kong Mr. Thomas Benner, attorney, Amnesty International, US Professor Gregor Benton, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Mr. Mitch Berman, writer, Columbia University, US Professor (Emeritus) Thomas P. Bernstein, Columbia University, US Mr. Ralph Bi, engineer, Canada Mr. S.B., China Mr. Dominic Blewett, writer, UK Mr. L.B., China Professor Ekaterina Bogoslovskaia, Capital University, US Mr. Patrick Bonnassieux, President, Tibet Chine Actualité, France Ms. Ellen Bork, Foreign Policy Initiative, US Mr. Christopher Brayshaw, artist/entrepreneur, Canada Mr. Eric B. Brown, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute, US Mr. Pierre Brun, consultant, University of Zurich Dr. Katia Buffetrille, Ph.D., Researcher, École Pratiques des Hautes Études, France Professor Jeoffrey Bull, Humber College, Canada Mr. Richard Burger, blogger, US Mr. Geordie Burnett Stuart, farmer, National Farmers Union of Scotland, UK Ms. Tiffany Butzbaugh, retired teacher, US Mr. C.C., China Mr. Chu Cai, editor, United States Ms. Shirley Cao, writer, poet, translator, Canada Ms. Y.C., student, China Mr. Michael Cappellli, US Dr. Kevin Joseph Carrico, Post-doctoral Fellow, Stanford University, US Professor James Carter, Saint Joseph's University, US Mr. Michael Ceurvorst, U.S. Foreign Service Officer (ret.), US Mr. Ling Chai, Founder and President, All Girls Allowed, surviving Tianamen student leader, US Mr. Ken Chan, engineer, US Senior Lecturer, Yin Ha Chan, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Mr. Gordon G. Chang, author, US Associate Research Fellow, Wen-Chin Chang, Center for Asia-Pacific Area Studies, Academia Sinica, Taiwan Mr. Henry Chau, retired, Vancouver Society in Support of Democratic Movement, Canada Mr. Abraham Chen, pastor, US Mr. Alexander Chen, network technician, US Mr. Kuide Chen, Executive Director, Princeton China Initiative, US Ms. Liqun Chen, China Democracy Party Overseas Auxiliary, US Professor Titus C. Chen, National Chengchi University, Taiwan Mr. Weiming Chen, sculptor, US Mr. Yihong Chen, student, US Mr. Y.C., China Ms. Y.C., student, China Mr. James Cheng, independent scholar and journalist, The China Reporters Foundation, US Mr. Luo Cheng, France Mr. Georgiy Chernyavskiy, researcher, Johns Hopkins University, US Professor Anna Cheung, US Ms. Che Chi, student, France Mr. Yu-Tai Chia, retired engineer, Taiwan Mr. Toby G. Chiu, retired history teacher, US Ms. Suk Fong Choi, Hong Kong Mr. Norman Choy, journalist, AppleDaily, Hong Kong Professor Peggy S. Christoff, Stonybrook University, US Professor Katherine Chu, California State University, US Mr. Sean Clinton, technical program manager, Apple Inc., US Professor Rena V. Cochlin, University of Santa Cruz, US Constitutional Amendment Campaign by Chinese Citizens Professor Alam Corlos, Italy Mr. Jim Cowan, social worker (ret.), Amnesty International, US Professor John A. Crespi, Colgate University, US Mr. Pedro Cristovao, web developer, Portugal Mr. James Crocker, author, US Mr. Wuwei Cungu, independent thinker, Canada Ms. Kelley Currie, senior fellow, Project 2049 Institute, US Mr. Li Da, engineer and Tiananmen survivor, US Professor Wang Dan, National Tsing Hua University, Tiananmen student leader and survivor, Taiwan Ms. Angeli Datt, US Professor Michael C. Davis, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Ms. Brigitte Demoustier, activist, France Professor Martin Dewhirst, University of Glasgow, Scotland Mr. Hongfu Ding, Independent Scholar, US Professor June Teufel Dreyer, University of Miami, US Independent Scholar Arif Dirlik, Global Center for Advanced Studies, US Professor Josephine Chiu-Duke, University of British Columbia, Canada Professor (Emeritus) Michael S. Duke, University of British Columbia, Canada Mr. Don Dunwell, journalist, US Mr. Remy Engelmann, France Professor (Emeritus) Joseph W. Esherick, University of California at San Diego, US Professor José Elías Esteve, University of Valencia, Spain Dr. Marie-Dominique Even, M.D., Centre nationale de la recherche scientifiques, France Mr. M.F., educator, China Mr. Zheng Fang, Tiananmen Survivor, US Mr. Charles Faulkner, concerned individual, US Mr. Lee Feigon, Independent Scholar, US Professor Chongyi Feng, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia Mr. Congde Feng, Tiananmen Survivor and Student Leader, US Ms. Su-ying Feng, retired, US Professor Joel Fetzer, Pepperdine University, Mr. Charles Firneno, citizen, US Ms. Gely Flo, teacher, France Mr. Thierry Fontaine, France Mr. Michael Fonte, Director, Taiwan DPP Mission in the US, US Professor (honoraire) Neil Forsyth, University of Lausanne, Switzerland Professor (Emeritus) Edward Friedman, University of Wisconsin, US Mr. Qingdong Fu, service engineer Mr. Robert A. Gagnon, retired/businessman, Canada Mr. F.G., China Mr. Roger Garside, author, retired diplomat, UK Ms. Rochelle Gatlin, community college teacher (ret.), US Ms. Diane Gatterdam, human rights activist, US Mr. George Ge, technician, US Professor Peter Gohz Ngya, Hong Kong Institute of Asian Studies, Hong Kong Mr. Norbert Goldfield, physician, US Professor Anne Goldstein, Western New England University, US Mr. Yi Gu, student, US Luoji Guo, Senior Research Fellow (emeritus ), Harvard Law School, US Mr. Paul Guo, Pastor, US Ms. L. Hammond, English educator, US Mr. Lianchao Han, attorney, US Ms. Pia Näsman-Hao, teacher, France Mr. W.H., China Mr. Yu Hao, student, France Ms. Judy He, teacher, US Mr. Robert He, business director, US Ms. Y.H., student, China Mr. Vien Ho, computer programmer, US Professor Beth Holmgren, Duke University, US Professor Marie Holzman, President, Solidarité Chine, France Mr. Charles Horner, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute, US Mr. L.H., general manager, China Mr. Ping Hu, Editor, Beijing Spring Magazine, US Mr. H.H., student, China Mr. Hebian Huang, editor, Canada Mr. Louis Huang, Research Fellow, Canada Mr. Shixu Huang, pro-democracy activist, China Alliance of Democracy, US Mr. H.H., student, China Ms. Gloria Huffman, teacher (ret.), US Professor Victoria Hui, University of Notre Dame, US Professor Hofung Hung, Johns Hopkins University, US Mr. Chih-Ming Hu, retired physicist/engineer, Silicon Valley for Democracy in China, US Professor Ruth Hung, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Professor Dongyoun Hwang, Soka University of America, US Professor J. Bruce Jacobs, Monash University, Australia Mr. Dav Jeck, researcher, UK Harlan W. Jencks, Ph.D., University of California, US Ms. Joanne Jin, data administrator, US Mr. T.J., software engineer, China Mr. C.J., art dealer, China Mr. Will Johnson, Financial Services Industry, US Professor Nicholas A. Kaldis, Binghamton University (S.U.N.Y.), US Professor Xiazhi Ke, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Professor (Emerita) Barbara Keller, Capital University, US Ms. Dollie Kelly, retired clinical psychologist, US Mr. Cornelius Kelly, medical ethicist (ret.), US Professor Jeffrey Kinkley, St. John's University, US Mr. Alexander Kolchinsky, Researcher Fellow (retired), University of Illinois at Chicago, US Mr. L.K., public servant, China Ms. Anu Kumar, writer, US Ms. Kanako Kuramitsu, language teacher, Finland/Japan Ms. Anita Kurtz-Magee, retired teacher, US Mr. X.K., China Mr. A.L., freelance journalist, Canada Mr. Scott Lahti, cultural historian, US Ms. Irene Lam, teacher, US Mr. L.L., translator, China Mr. Meng Lang, poet, Hong Kong Mr. Yunguan Law, engineer, Canada Ms. Allison Lee, art teacher, Canada Ms. Susanne Lee, writer, US Mr. Fred Leong, retired, US Ms. Ann Leong, retired, US Professor (Emerita) Madeline G. Levine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, US Professor Steven I. Levine, University of Montana, US Ms. Faye Leung, free citizen, Republic of China Mr. H.L., IT consultant, China Mr. Da Li, researcher, Human Rights Watch, US Mr. Xiaorong Li, consultant/freelance writer, US Mr. Ray Lilley, journalist, New Zealand Mr. Chiao-Ying Lin Mr. Ming Lin, student, US Professor Perry Link, University of California at Riverside, US Professor (ret.) Arthur Lipow, Co-Director, Center for Global Peace and Democracy, US Ms. Gretchen Lipow, Center for Global Peace and Democracy, US Ms. Reggie Littlejohn, Founder and President, Women's Rights Without Frontiers, US Professor David Palumbo-Liu, Stanford University, US Ms. Wen Liu, writer, US Professor Kwai-Cheung Lo, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Mr. J.L., student, China Mr. Marven Lyew, student, US Mr. J.M., scholar, Trinity College, US Research Professor Roderick MacFarquhar, Harvard University, US Professor (emeritus) Stephen MacKinnon, Arizona State University, US Mr. William Magginis, student, US Ms. Kim Man, travel consultant, Canada Mr. James Mann, fellow-in-residence, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, US Professor Surjit Mansingh, American University, US Mr. M.M., China Professor Elliott Mark, Harvard University, US Professor Thomas Maroukis, Capital University, US Ms. Lynne Martin, retired, US Mr. Scott Matthews, Flagship Youth Development Coordinator, US Professor Glenn Anthony May, University of Oregon, US Ms. Nicolette McConnell, teacher (ret.), US Professor Barret L. McCormick, Marquette University, US Ms. Kathleen McLaughlin, research specialist (ret.), University of Montana, US Mr. Z.M., Independent Scholar, China Mr. Doug Merwin, publisher, US Dr. Alice L. Miller, Stanford University, US Professor (ret.) Joseph Miller, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, US Mr. Stephen Miller, Independent Scholar, US Jonathan Mirsky, Ph.D., journalist and writer, London, UK Mr. Paul J. Mooney, journalist, US Mr. Tom Morris, human rights campaigner (ret.), Canada Ms. Stacy Mosher, translator from Chinese, US Mr. Harbans Mukhia, National Fellow, Indian Council of Historical Research, India Mr. Tsoi Wing Mui, journalist, Hong Kong Mr. Z.M., farmer, China Professor Andrew J. Nathan, Columbia University, US Ms. Susanna Nied, translator, PEN International, US Mr. Roger Ning, engineer, US Mr. Sean O'Donnell, teacher, US Mr. Choi Omen, Independent Scholar, US Reverend Steve Oreskovich, Episcopal Clergy, US Professor Ken Ostrand (ret.), Villanova University, US Professor Mariusz Ozminkowski, California State Polytechnic University, US/Poland Ms. X.P., student, China Professor Alexander V. Pantsov, Capital University, US Professor Kyungseok Park, Incheon University, Korea Mr. Sunil Pawar, control engineer, India Mr. Jason Pearson, CEO, TRUTHStudio, US Professor David Petrasek, University of Ottawa, Canada Professor Steven Phillips, Towson University, US Mr. H.P., China Mr. Z.Q., software engineer, China Mr. Qin Ji, US Mr. Olivier Qin, teacher, US Mr. W.R., consultant, Hong Kong Professor John Rapp, Beloit College, US Professor (Emeritus) Peter Reddaway, George Washington University, US Professor (Emeritus) John Shelton Reed, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, US Mr. Roland Reimers, student, UK Ms. Sophie Richardson, China Director, Human Rights Watch, US Professor Bruce Robinson (ret.), University of Texas at Austin, US Ms. Eileen Robison, college administrator, US Professor Donald Rodgers, Austin College, US Professor (Emeritus) J.S. Rohsenow, University of Illinois at Chicago, US Mr. Alex Rose, human rights activist, US Mr. Joshua Rosenzweig, PhD candidate, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Mr. Ken Roth, Executive Director, Human Rights Watch, US Professor (Emeritus) Marshall Sahlins, The University of Chicago, US Mr. Thubten Samdup, Tibet activist, Canada Ms. Eileen Sansom, concerned citizen, US Mr. Scott Savitt, journalist, author, Durham, North Carolina, US Ms. Philippa de Sausmarez, retired, France Professor (Emeritus) Morton Schagrin, SUNY at Fredonia, US Professor Mike Shang, Brigham Young University, US Mr. Charles Shao, retired engineer, US Ms. Fiona Shen, Australia Mr. John Shen, system administrator, US Ms. Catherine Shi, writer, Canada Ms. Huang Sih-Jie, student, Taiwan Mr. John Simms, logician (ret.), US Ms. Xing Siyao, student, Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales Mr. L.S., China Mr C.S., lawyer, China Mr. Charlie Smith, co-founder, GreatFire.org, China Mr. Leo Slaggie, attorney (ret.), US Professor Yongi Song, California State University, US Professor Howard Spendelow, Georgetown University, US Professor Elliot Sperling, Indiana University, US Ms. Marianne Spiegel, senior researcher, Human Rights Watch, US Professor Marie-Madeleine Stey, Capital University, US Ms. Rebecca Stebbins, educator, US Mr. Nicholas Stember, graduate student, Canada Mr. Alan Stewart, author, Progressive Global Commons, US Mr. Roy Sturgeon, librarian, Tulane University, US Mr. Schwinn Su, computer engineer, CalTrans, US Ms. Yutong Su, journalist, Germany Mr. S.C.Y., China Mr. Y.S., China Mr. GangLiang Tan, student, Canada Mr. Kevin Tan, student, US Ms. Danhong Tang, writer, teacher, Tel Aviv University, Israel Ms. Rose Tang, writer, activist, artist, US Mr. Oliver Tao, Senior Staff Engineer, Minnesota Chinese Democracy Foundation, US Professor William Thornton, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan Mr. John J. Tkacik Jr., U.S. Foreign Service, retired, US Mr. Ming To, retired engineer, Canada Mr. L.T., doctor, China Ms. Tenzing Tsayong, student, US Mr. Lionel Tung, engineer, US Mr. Samson Tu, research scientist, Stanford University, US Professor (Emeritus) Andrew Twaddle, University of Missouri, US Mr. M.T., student, China Professor Carsten Vala, Loyola University Maryland, US Mr. Kristof Van den Troost, lecturer, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Mr. Chinh Dang Vu, consultant, France Professor Arthur Waldron, University of Pennsylvania, US Mr. Fidel Wang, security guard, Canada Mr. Jason Wang, US Mr. Kevin Wang, student, US Mr. Ning Wang, freelancer, Canada Mr. Shuoshuo Wang, Postdoctoral Fellow, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel Mr. Sibo Wang, student, US/China Mr. Youcai Wang, Independent Scholar, US Professor Yuan-kang Wang, Western Michigan University, US Mr. Zhou Jie Wang, National Taiwan University, Taiwan Mr. Jun Wang, Independent Scholar, Alliance of the Guard for Canadian Value, Canada Professor Jeffrey Wasserstrom, University of California, Irvine, US Professor Terry Weidner, University of Montana, US Mr. Xin Weiss, tutor, New Zealand Mr. Yunchao Wen, media industry, US/China Professor Timothy Weston, University of Colorado, US Mr. Winston Lord, former U.S. Ambassador to China, US Mr. A. Winthrop, journalist (ret.), US/Hong Kong Ms. April Wolff, retired social worker, US Ms. Tiffany Wong, student, University of Chicago Mr. Chung Chu Woo, structural engineer, Vancouver Society in Support of Demoncratic Movement, Canada Mr. Yi Wu, data analyst, US Mr. S.W., engineer, China Mr. T.W., student, China Mr. N.W., student, China Mr. Congzhi Xia, PhD student and teaching assistant, US Professor Ming Xia, City University of New York, US Mr. L.X., engineer and Tiananmen survivor, China Ms. G.X., lawyer, China Mr. Jeffrey Xing, IT professional, Canada Mr. G.X., business owner, China Mr. Liping Xu, Independent Scholar, US Mr. Ming Xu, US Mr. Qi Xue, businessman, China/US Ms. J.X., student, New Zealand Professor Michael B. Yahuda, George Washington University, US Dr. Bruce Yang, US Dr. Jianli Yang, Initiatives for China/Citizen Power for China, Japan Mr. Y.Y., China Professor (ret.) Albert Yee, University of Montana, US Mr. Jiang Yefei, Chinese exile, Thailand Professor Emily Yeh, University of Colorado, US Professor (Emeritus) Anthony C. Yu, The University of Chicago, US Professor Maochun Yu, educator, US Mr. Jim Yuan, transportation industry, US Mr. A.Z., writer, China Ms. W.Z., educator, China Mr. Wang Zang, poet and writer Professor Peter Zarrow, University of Connecticut, US Professor Boshu Zhang, Columbia University, US Ms. Clara Zhang, student, China Mr. Hai Zhang, sales manager, US Mr. H.Z., student, China Ms. Rui Zhang, student and daughter of Tiananmen dissident, US Mr. Tao Zhang, economic manager, Germany Mr. Z.Z., insurance broker, China Ms. Jian Zhao, tax consultant, Germany Ms. Xiunan Zhao, student, US Mr. Yunlong Zhao, student, United Kingdom Mr. T.Z., student, China Mr. Liquan Zhu, Independent Scholar Mr. Abraham Zodick, student, US |
