China faces dark memory of Tiananmen
— AFP: “Authorities in China are bracing for the 20th anniversary of the deadly June 4 crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square, a pivotal moment that still haunts the nation.”
— “The way the government will likely mark the sensitive date on Thursday — with deafening silence — shows it is keenly aware of the emotional scars that remain after the army ended six weeks of peaceful rallies in central Beijing.”
— “China’s Communist leaders have made any discussion of the brutal quelling of the student-led demonstrations — in which hundreds, maybe thousands, were killed — taboo, but dissidents say the public could yet hold them accountable.”
— “‘People remember this date because they want the Communist Party to take responsibility for the crimes it committed,’ said 53-year-old Qi Zhiyong, who lost a leg after being shot by troops near Tiananmen Square.”
— “‘It reminds them the party will resort to unbridled violence whenever it feels threatened.'”
— “In a bid not to rankle the wary authorities, the main public commemoration planned for Thursday will probably be silent.”
— “Activist groups have called on citizens simply to wear white — the traditional colour of mourning — to honour those killed in the mayhem that erupted when tanks and troops rolled in to crush the protests.”