Half of our family was in Beijing on that June 4, of 1989, when the infamous clearing of Tiananmen Square took place, by the army in tanks, leading to many killed, numbers never known but guessed from dozens to thousands. That half, my better half, was young, not involved, but watching and talking, too, to the young soldiers, super young, boys they say. Who were country lads, thick out-of-town accents, and to a man, to a boy, scared and jumpy.
And another half of our family was in Australia having just got back from a trip to Beijing, amid all the flutter and flaggery and fine fettles of students demanding democracy. Left Beijing, that’s to say, two days “early”. (But was back very shortly after, to see the damage, the bullet holes, people greeting each other with a mordant 你还活着呢? Nǐ hái huó zhene. You’re still alive, then!). I could never have believed that such a cataclysmic event could be so comprehensively forgotten.
Yet June 4 has been comprehensively forgotten, at least in China. I can say that from asking people about it every time I was there. Oldies, yes, though not keen to talk; anyone under thirty, no way, no memory.
Over the years, though, Hong Kong has memorialised June 4. Until now. Because a National Security Law, the loud backfire to 2019 demos and riots managed to decrease our circles of liberty. To bolshy western consulates and a few brave candle lighters.
By the way, note the Pride flag on the US consulate. It’s “Pride month”. Because LGBTWI+ issues don’t get anywhere near the recognition they should he rest of the year (/sarc). We are not surprised to learn that the United States fly no Pride flags in their embassies in the Middle East. Or Indonesia, or Malaysia, for that matter. Or Nigeria. Or Pakistan. Hmmm…
