Tiananmen 20 Years Later: Where Are They Now?
With a month to go before the 20-year anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre or crackdown or whatever you choose to call it, news publications are already beginning to run pieces on the 20 years since the massacre, and what has become of all those bright-eyed students and youths who chose to stand up to the Chinese government. To me, this is going to be the most interesting aspect of the June 4th commemoration — the “where are they nows.” China itself plans to ignore the anniversary and surely, all over the world, we’ll read pieces about how China has changed and positioned itself as a world superpower in the last 20 years, blah blah balh. Because we certainly won’t read about how China’s philosophy toward dissidence and free speech has changed since 1989. It hasn’t. But what has changed, and drastically, is the direction of the lives of those who were imprisoned for their roles in the Beijing protests. And these were some of China’s most promising minds. These stories are what should dominate the news on June 4th, stories of people who are constantly monitored now that they’re free, people who aren’t allowed to publish, speak to the press, earn a living, or travel in or out of China. Twenty years later, those who stood up for democracy, are still paying the price for that decision. I came across a fantastic piece from the AP on the lives of former Tiananmen protesters, how they live in 2009, and how that decision they made 20 years ago has completely altered their lives. Over the next month, I hope to post some good stuff that I read on the Tiananmen anniversary. Here’s a good start:
AP: Ex-Tiananmen convicts still struggling to survive
Thanks for raising the question and issue. On my blog Standoff at Tiananmen, I am running a daily recount of the movement 20 years ago as well as providing other resources including answers to questions of “where they are now.”
You may also find my book by the same title, a narrative history of the movement itself, interesting.
And a Chinese nowadays should care about them because…?
These people tried to turn China down another path. If they had succeeded, even in the most optimistic scenerio, China would just be one hell of a shithole like India with even more corruption and poverty. Why would China want to be like India?
China and India are not the same and no one, not even Falen, can say that China would be like India if it were a representative democracy.
That said, having spoken personally with many of the 64 crew, there are those who still feel that change is right for China, as the current admin is certainly not addressing the needs of the average Chinese people — only the needs of their own pocketbooks.
Folks, India vs. China ? Why argue? Lets celebrate the return of Flumesday!! Keep posting Flumesday!!