On the Eve of the 37th Anniversary of the June Fourth Incident, the Tiananmen Mothers Are Once Again Calling for the Truth to Be Revealed

Many out-of-town students living in tents on Tiananmen Square died inside them. (Photo: DaJiYuan ImageLib / Dajiyuan)

[People News] On the eve of the 37th anniversary of the June Fourth incident in 1989, the group known as the "Tiananmen Mothers," which consists of the families of victims, issued their annual memorial statement. They reiterated three key demands: the disclosure of the truth, compensation for the victims and their families, and legal accountability for those responsible. The statement highlighted that despite the passage of 37 years, the families of the victims are still unable to mourn publicly, and many young people are unaware of the tragic events in June 1989, when the military opened fire on unarmed students and citizens in Beijing.

As reported by Radio Free Asia, the memorial statement authorised by the Tiananmen Mothers and released by China Human Rights is titled "Memorial for the 37th Anniversary of the June Fourth Tragedy in 1989." The statement recounts that from June 3 to 4, 1989, the June Fourth incident took place in Beijing, where the authorities ordered the military to suppress peaceful demonstrators, including students and citizens. As victims, the families are urging the government to address the unresolved issues from that time through legal means, in a peaceful and rational manner, and to deliver justice to every victim's family.

You Weijie, a spokesperson for the "Tiananmen Mothers" group, told Radio Free Asia that this June 4, some families of the victims will still visit the Wan'an Cemetery in Beijing to pay their respects. She stated, "We will go, probably around 8 o'clock, usually with five or six families. Everything we want to say has already been expressed in the memorial statement; that is what we want to convey. I believe this is an issue the government cannot sidestep and must resolve."

The official narrative has changed multiple times.

The memorial text emphasises that 37 years after the June Fourth Incident, there remains no prospect for resolution. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) government continues to maintain a stance of evasion, failing to address the issue and suppressing free speech. In mainland China, the public is unable to freely access information about the June Fourth Incident, cannot engage in open discussions, nor can they publicly mourn; the memorial activities of the victims' families have long been under surveillance.

The memorial also reflects on the varying official narratives from the CCP regarding the June Fourth Incident. Initially described as 'stopping the turmoil and quelling the counter-revolutionary riot,' it later evolved into being referred to as a 'political storm,' and in November 2021, the CCP's third historical resolution used terms like 'serious political storm' and 'opposing turmoil.'

The Tiananmen Mothers assert that no matter how the official narrative shifts, it fails to acknowledge the reality of the military's suppression of the people, which led to the deaths of innocent lives. Zhang Xianling, the mother of June Fourth victim Wang Nan, told Radio Free Asia that the voices of the Tiananmen Mothers are not as rare as some outsiders suggest; rather, their identities as relatives compel them to speak out. She stated, 'In fact, there is nothing that should be done. My child, right? He is my child. This winter, I saw a little bird; suddenly it got cold, and it started to snow. A little bird, its mother protects it, a big bird protects it, and the big bird froze to death protecting the little bird. That is a bird; we are human beings, right? We protect my son, and I still cannot see him. Is that what should be? And there are so many children, not just my one child.'

Thirty-seven years ago, Zhang Xianling's son, 19-year-old Wang Nan, was shot and killed at the southern entrance of Nan Chang Street, located west of Tiananmen Square. For decades, the families of the victims have sent open letters to the authorities each year, demanding accountability for the truth behind the June Fourth incident and seeking justice for those responsible.

Another family member of a victim has passed away.

This year's memorial specifically noted the passing of Xiong Hui, the father of another victim, Xiong Zhiming, who died during the June Fourth protests. Xiong Hui passed away due to illness in May 2025 at the age of 87. Xiong Zhiming was just 20 years old at the time of his death and was an undergraduate student in the Economics Department at Beijing Normal University, class of 1988. Xiong Zhiming's parents once expressed, 'Our child went to Beijing to study, but he did not complete his education and instead lost his life.' The Tiananmen Mothers remarked that this statement resonates with the shared grief of many families affected by the tragedy.

During an interview, a reporter asked about the health of another victim's family member, Ding Zilin. Zhang Xianling shared that Ding Zilin has been in poor health in recent years and prefers not to be disturbed by outsiders. She explained, 'He himself does not want anyone to disturb him or visit him, as speaking is very exhausting for him. He is quite weak, and his hearing is not good; you have to lean close to his ear for him to hear you. Speaking tires him out, so he hopes that everyone, including friends, will refrain from visiting him.'

The Tiananmen Mothers reiterated three key demands.

In the memorial, the Tiananmen Mothers once again called for three specific actions: to reveal the truth about the June Fourth incident; to provide fair compensation to the victims and their families; and to legally hold accountable those responsible for the events.

Zhang Xianling stated that her recent public interviews are connected to the current environment. She remarked, 'Given the situation in the country, I don't need to elaborate for you to understand; finding people is not easy. In the past, I could reach out to Ding Zilin, but now she is in poor health and unable to meet with anyone. My address and phone number are the only public ones available, so they can only come to me. If someone approaches me, can I transfer the risk to someone else? That's not possible, right? Therefore, for these years, it has been me who has been speaking, as I am currently the only one able to do so.'

The refusal of Xu Qinxian to open fire was noted.

The memorial also mentioned Xu Qinxian, the former commander of the 38th Army Group, who refused to follow a shooting order at that time and was subsequently sentenced to five years in prison. The memorial quoted his words: 'Such actions must withstand the test of history... Carrying out such a mission may lead to recognition, but it could also make one a historical sinner. I cannot carry out such orders while armed.'

This memorial has garnered a total of 107 signatures, and it includes a list of 80 deceased friends among the signatories over the years. Zhang Xianling noted that the Tiananmen Mothers group is dwindling in numbers, but they will continue to persevere. The events from 37 years ago have yet to be included in the official narrative of the Chinese Communist Party.
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