Tiananmen Square massacre anniversary: What you must know!

The world is today commemorating the 33rd anniversary of the People's Liberation Army soldiers firing to stop the student-led protest in and around Tiananmen Square, on June 4. The United States has said the bravery of students who made supreme sacrifices in a bid to bring democracy to Communist China.

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Keeping in mind the possible demonstration in the country, the Chinese authorities have put a blanket ban on any kind of public commemoration of the event on the mainland.

In a statement, the US Department of State said, 'We commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing, where tens of thousands of pro-democracy protestors peacefully joined together to call for democracy, accountability, freedom, and rule of law.'

The protest which went on for 50 days in 1989, was forcefully ended with a brutal assault by the Chinese troops.

Let's know about the Tiananmen Square massacre in detail:-

On June 4, 1989, numerous protestors, especially students were imprisoned and over 10,000 were killed by the state troops.

What were the reasons for the protest? 

During the 1980s, a huge number of corruption activities were reported in the country. China was in midst of changing its economic policies by allowing private companies and foreign investment to operate in Beijing. 

The idea was to boost the economy and raise people’s living standards.

On the issue, the ruling Communist Party was divided. One faction was for change while the other one wanted to maintain strict state control.

For a change, students started protesting around the Square. Besides students, a number of people who were living aboard had also participated as they were exposed to new ideas and better standards of living.

How did it gain momentum? 

The protest gained momentum in 1989 after the death of a leading political and social activist, Hu Yaobang. He had overseen major economic and political changes in the country.

The unrest grew by demanding greater political freedom and less censorship.

Just after Hu Yaobang's funeral in April, lakhs of protestors gathered around the Square for the implementation of the democratic setup.

Chinese administration's response 

A debate was held in the ruling communist party, wherein the liberal faction wanted to provide some concession while the hardliners wanted to crush the protest. The hardliners won the debate and martial law was declared in Beijing on May 15, 1989.

By June 3 and 4, the troops started opening fire on protestors who were around Tiananmen Square. A number of activists were arrested. Later, the Chinese soldiers regain control of the square. 

What has the US said?

"Thirty-three years have passed since the world watched brave demonstrators and bystanders peacefully demand democracy in Tiananmen Square. Despite the removal of memorials and attempts to erase history, we honour their memory by promoting respect for human rights wherever threatened," US Department of State Secretary Anthony Blinken said in a tweet. 

"The efforts of these brave individuals will not be forgotten," the US State Department said.

"Each year, we honour and remember those who stood up for human rights and fundamental freedoms," it added.

The department further added that the struggle for democracy and freedom continues to echo in Hong Kong, where the annual vigil to commemorate the massacre in Tiananmen Square was banned by the PRC and Hong Kong authorities in an attempt to suppress the memories of that day.  

"We will continue to speak out and promote accountability for PRC atrocities and human rights abuses, including those in Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Tibet," it said.

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