Wang Dan Speaks to Kennedy School

Wang Dan, a student leader of the 1989 pro-democracy movement in China and participant in the protests at Tiananmen Square, fielded questions and criticism during a forum yesterday at the Kennedy School of Government.

Wang, currently a graduate student at Harvard, joined four other human rights activists involved in the pro-democracy movement in recalling the events at Tiananmen Square and commenting on the current movement in China.

The forum marked the start of a month of events leading up to the 10th anniversary of the June 4, 1989 student uprising at Tiananmen Square.

"Talking about 10 years ago--it's just like yesterday," said Xiao Quiang, executive director for Human Rights in China and a speaker at yesterday's event.

Wang described the effect the Communist government's reaction to the student protests has had on his life.

"It was a horrific evil," Wang said. "The 1989 democratic movement has become an emotional burden in my heart."

Wang said the protests by students and other democratic leaders were "unavoidable social confrontations" in China.

But later in the forum, an audience member from China challenged the human rights activists' vision for modern China.

"If you want everything, you get nothing," the audience member said. "You have turned a patriotic action into a rebellion."

According to the audience member, China had been moving toward democracy years before the 1989 demonstration.

"Even without your protest in Tiananmen Square, China will still go to democracy," he said.

Wang answered, saying that the motivations of the student protestors made their actions patriotic.

"In their minds they were doing something to better their country," Wang said. "The government responded with violence--it is quite clear which side was more radical."

The other speakers at the event echoed Wang's passion for the democratic cause. Lu Jing Hua, a labor activist in the Tiananmen protest, spoke about the importance of free speech for the Chinese people and told the audience about her experience as a protestor.

"The army comes into the city and kills us people," Lu said. "This is the real truth."

The speakers concluded by remarking on the current state of China's politics and the path they will take in attempting to create a democratic China.

Xiao said that the leaders of China must acknowledge that the events in Tiananmen Square 10 years ago were crimes against the Chinese people.

"That's the path to justice," Xiao said. "That's the beginning of political liberation."

Xiao said that the increase in communication options among national and international protest groups helps to facilitate change. He said the Internet provides a way to inform Chinese people about democracy.

But Xiao said reaching out to the people would not address the problem directly. The heart of the anti-democratic movement lies in the communist leadership, he said.

"[The leaders] do not represent the interests of the people," he said. "[Changes come] from the bottom up, but also from the top down."