Time to establish the truth about Tiananmen

On Wednesday evening, thousands of people flocked to Victoria Park to attend the candle-light vigil to commemorate the 19th anniversary of the June 4 massacre in Beijing.

It is not known how many people perished. Beijing should conduct an independent inquiry and present its findings to the people. This should include recommendations for rehabilitation and compensation for the victims and their families. The leaders in Beijing should make a formal apology to the victims and their families. Only then can the healing begin.

At the time, hundreds of thousands of people in Hong Kong took part in huge demonstrations to offer their support for the Beijing students. They donated money, blood and tents. Democrats who led the movement were not allowed to travel to the mainland. Almost two decades later, the ban is still in place and there is no sign that it will be lifted. Twelve members of the Legislative Council, including myself, are affected.

On April 30, I moved a motion debate in Legco calling on Beijing to lift the ban. It was voted down.

On the 19th anniversary of the massacre, we should reflect on the values that the Tiananmen protesters fought, and died, for. One can never say they died in vain, but the road to a democratic and free China is long and rocky.

On August 8, the Olympic Games will open in Beijing. When, in 2001, the Chinese government made its bid to host the Olympics, it gave an undertaking to enhance human rights and develop democracy. That promise has not been kept.

This year's Amnesty International report, released last week, painted a grim picture. It said a growing number of human rights activists were being imprisoned, harassed, and put under house arrest or surveillance. Repression of minority groups, including Tibetans and Uygur Muslims, has continued.

Amnesty said people who peacefully exercised their rights remained at high risk of enforced disappearance, or illegal and incommunicado detention. It estimated that some 500,000 people had been subjected to punitive detention without charge or trial.

The report also estimated that for 11 to 13 million people, the only practical channel for justice remained outside the courts, through petitioning local and higher authorities, where the vast majority of cases remain unresolved.

While the space for civil society activities has continued to grow, as seen by the relief efforts in the Sichuan quake disaster, the targeting of human rights defenders who raised politically sensitive issues has also intensified.

Lack of press freedom continues, with authorities keeping tight control over what topics and stories are published. The freedom to cover the earthquake was a rare exception.

About 30 journalists are known to be in prison and at least 50 individuals have been jailed for posting their views on the internet.

Nineteen years is a long time but the people will neither forgive nor forget. The central government must investigate the atrocities and apologise to the nation.

Emily Lau Wai-hing is a legislative councillor for The Frontier