What I feel about the Memorial Service of June 4th Tienanmen Incident    

◎ John Chou

Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, How are you today?

We are gathering here, to remember the 20th Anniversary of the June 4th Tienanmen Square Massacre. This is a sad day.

I would like, as a activist for Taiwan's democracy, human rights, and civil right movement, to discuss my feeling on this.

I know, as well as you know that, it take a long struggle to gain advancement of human rights, civil rights and democracy in society.

I would like to point out some thoughts on this shocking and tragic massacre at Tienanmen Square.

First, I want to pay my highest respect to those students and brave people who have the unprecedented ability to stand up for their belief, despite ending up being killed, being hurt, being jailed and being tortured by the Chinese Communist government. With your persistent push for democracy, we were able to see the dramatic fireworks of the Chinese democracy.

Secondly, I want to make a strong condemnation to those who are ultimately responsible of ordering the suppression and massacre of the people in this incident. They are Communists Li Pong, Deng Shiao Ping and the corrupt system of the Chinese Communist Party. Their mistakes in decisions caused tens of thousands of people to lose their places. We should ask for the people of China to properly punished these criminals. 

Thirdly, in the last 20 years, after the Tienanmen incident, there have been no equal advancement in China's democracy movement, like the advancement of the China's economic development. On the contrary, because of the Chinese economic development, it has given the anti-democracy Chinese Communist Party to have the excuses to disallow the democracy and the human rights that Chinese people deserve. When searching in detail, one would say that the system of the ever present Communist Party in the Chinese society is the main obstacle. But the lack of knowledge and experiences on the struggle of democracy and freedom is something that Chinese people should pay greater attention to.

I am proud to report to you all that, for the past 20 years, the Taiwan government has realized that a free and democratic China is an important issue for the stability of the whole Asia, and the wellbeing of the people on the both side of the Taiwan Strait. That's why we see the support and positive attitude from Taiwan toward the Chinese freedom fighters in the Lee tung-huei and the Chen Shui-bien's era. I have participated in Seattle area and in the global activities of the organizations called "the global alliance of democracy and peace" since 2003. In these functions I can deeply sense and prove what I mentioned above.

But time changed again, in 2008, KMT (Kuo Ming Tang), led by Ma Ying Jou, with it's massive party asset, recaptured ruling power of Taiwan, and made a major change of heart. He put Taiwan's political and economical future on the acceptance and support of the Chinese government, and because of that, KMT, escaping the supervision of the Taiwan People, now directly talk with the Chinese Communist Party. As you can imagine, in order to gain the trust of the Chinese Communist Party, they have to keep a much farther distance with the Chinese Freedom fighters. What made us worry deeply is the situation that he might think he is try to rescue the Republic of China, Taiwan, but in so doing, he is ending up deepening the CCP's power of ruling China, interrupting the momentum of the China's democracy movement, speed up China's expansion of its military tread toward Asia. In the long run it will hurt Taiwan's security. And that is a very unwise move.

In conclusion, I am hoping what people from both countries should realized that, to pursue freedom and democracy will take great great perseverance and sacrifice. It is the task people should act upon. In an un-democratic country, the machine of the nation most often than not is playing the anti-mobilization role. They are the object that should be overturned. They might be reluctant cooperate only after a very clear and thorough expression by the will of the mass people.

In China, democracy still has a long distance to go. In Taiwan, we see the backward movement of democracy because of without powerful supervision.

People of both countries shall share our notes, our experiences and thoughts in the pursuit of democracy. We should work together. I am hoping in a near future, we can be congratulating the good results to each other. And I sincerely hope that in the near future, Taiwan and China can be proud to present two democracy and highly valued nations. Then people live without fear and with freedom.

2009-05-31