HONG KONG – CHINA Hong Kong: a “blank page” in the Christian Times to remember Tiananmen

The newspaper pays tribute to the victims on the 35th anniversary of the massacre. In the editorial he talks about an increasingly “restrictive” reality and even “a sentence” can become “a cause for concern.” In Beijing, blockades and access prohibitions and web censorship prevail. Taiwan responds “to authoritarianism” with “freedoms” and promotes a demonstration in the capital. Ceremonies also in Canada and the United States.

Hong Kong () – A cover empty and blank, without headlines or articles. This is how the Hong Kong newspaper Christian Timesin its latest edition published last weekend, wanted to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the massacre of the Tiananmen Square, in Beijing, on June 4, 1989. It was a way to pay tribute to the victims of the repression carried out by the Chinese Communist Party against young people and activists who demanded democracy and rights, but at the same time a cry – silent – of alarm at the growing restrictions on individual freedoms. On “sensitive date” Card has also recently spoken. Stephen Chow Sau-yan, with a reflection in which he speaks of a “deep wound” that still requires “adequate care” to heal.

Returning to the “blank page” of the Christian weekly, the editors justify the choice by explaining that the “current situation” can only be told by “turning the paragraphs into blank lines and blank spaces” in a society – from China to the former colony. British – increasingly “restrictive.” If before it was the only space where you could comment on the events of June 4 and organize prayer vigils and demonstrationsespecially in Victoria Park, today the reality – also due to the introduction of local version of the Security Law – is that any form of dissent is prohibited. And punished with prison sentences.

In the past, the Christian Times itself often published Tiananmen-related content on the eve of the anniversary; This year, however, the cover could not be published “due to a problem.” “In recent years,” the editorial continues, “Hong Kong society has changed dramatically and become more restrictive,” and even “a sentence based on the memory of historical events can be a cause for concern.” The climate of repression is confirmed by the events of the week: the authorities arrested seven people for “sedition”, because they allegedly published messages on social networks in which they “took advantage” of an “upcoming sensitive event” in reference to the anniversary. on June 4. Among those arrested last night in Hong Kong was the artist Sammu Chen (for the second year in a row), who pretended to write and draw in the air in front of a police van. In the morning he was released again.

Meanwhile, the Chinese authorities – who have never made public the official toll of victims of the repression, although activist groups speak of thousands of deaths – have reinforced security measures around Tiananmen, access to which is severely restricted. The website of the tower that overlooks the square warns that the structure will remain closed to the public today and the time slots to visit the area are also inaccessible on the WeChat application. In addition, Chang’an Avenue, the street that borders the square, has been closed to pedestrians and cyclists since yesterday afternoon, and for days groups of “stability maintenance” volunteers have been monitoring the central districts and guards have been controlling the bridges. pedestrians, a common practice in “sensitive” periods.

On Chinese social platforms, including WeChat and Douyin, users were not allowed to change their profile photo. In the past, some users had changed their name and photo to include symbolic images, such as candles, to mark June 4. The Mothers of Tiananmen, a group of more than 100 survivors and relatives of the victims of repression, most of them residing in China, are also speaking out at this time: “35 years have passed and the authorities remain silent,” they say, adding that “we cannot accept or tolerate” official statements or versions from the authorities “that ignore the facts.”

The one who continues to celebrate the events of the square is Taiwan, the island considered “rebellious” by Beijing, with President Lai Ching-te stating in a note that “the memory of June 4 will not disappear in the river of history.” He added that Taipei will “respond to authoritarianism freely”, being the only Chinese-speaking area in the world where the events can be openly remembered, with a commemoration planned for that day in the capital. Other events are planned in countries such as Great Britain, Canada and the United States, while Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong recalled the “brutal force” used against students and the government remains concerned about continued restrictions on individual rights. . “We call on China – she stressed in a note – to end the suppression of freedoms of expression, assembly, media and civil society, and to release those detained for peacefully expressing their political opinions.”