Making a stand

Post date: Jun 05, 2014 10:53:32 AM

The young man was certainly the image of standing up for democracy. Very much in the Boenhoffer image from Nazi Germany.

Being strong enough to make such a stand is something I can hope none of us ever has to do - but if required that I might have the courage to do so. Not sure if I could . . .

Maria was just a baby in June 1989. As a family we sat around the TV in Yeovil Place watching with horror the quashing of the democracy protests in China based in Tiananmen Square This image was very much the image of the time - one man standing in front of the tanks. Chinese government was not that keen on the demonstration (this is an understatement). Demonstrators were quashed - literally for the young man in front of the tanks. Official death toll is between 200-300. Unofficial toll is more than 10x greater.

25 years on the event is still too raw - Chinese government still does not recognise the event - let alone the commemoration.

It doesn't feel like quarter of century has passed