Support for June 4 reversal declining

Support for a reversal of the official verdict on the June 4 massacre has dropped markedly in the two years since the handover, a survey has found.

Some 45.6 per cent said they would support a reversal of the verdict, down from the figures in the past two years - 48.5 per cent in 1998 and 49.9 per cent in 1997.

Those who said they would not support the cause grew from 19 per cent last year to 21.6 per cent this year. The figure in 1997 was 18.9 per cent.

The percentage of those who did not hold a view stayed at around 32 per cent.

Thousands of people joined the annual June 4 rally organised by the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China on Sunday to demand 'rehabilitation of the democracy movement in 1989'.

A candlelight vigil marking the 10th anniversary will be held at Victoria Park on Friday.

In the annual survey conducted by Hong Kong University's Social Sciences Research Centre, 45 per cent said the alliance should not be disbanded. The corresponding figures in 1997 and 1998 were 53.4 per cent and 31.5 per cent.

But 15.4 per cent thought the alliance should be dissolved. It was the highest finding since 1993.

Some 56.8 per cent maintained the Chinese Government did not do the right thing on June 4, 1989, similar to last year's figure of 55.2 per cent.

Those who thought students had done the right thing grew from last year's 39 per cent to 45 per cent.

Compared with 1989, more than 70 per cent thought the human rights situation in China had improved. Five per cent said it had become worse.