This year marks the 36th anniversary of the June 4th Incident. The Tiananmen Mothers, a group founded by the families of the victims, publish memorials and open letters annually, urging authorities to reveal the truth about the incident. This has led to repression as a result. On the eve of June 4th this year, our station conducted an exclusive interview with Zhang Xianling, one of the founding members of the Tiananmen Mothers. She explained that at 88 years old and with limited mobility, she doesn't understand why the authorities continue to monitor her so closely. She asked, "Am I that terrifying?" She vowed to uphold her commitment to speaking out about the truth about June 4th and will not be silenced.
Zhang Xianling, one of the founders of the Tiananmen Mothers, who has not been seen in public for a long time, gave an exclusive interview to this station on the eve of the 36th anniversary of June 4th. She said that although she is old and has difficulty moving around, and is confined to a wheelchair, she will definitely visit the Wan'an Cemetery on June 4th to pay tribute to her son, Wang Nan, who died during the incident, as long as she is physically able.
Zhang Xianling has been under close surveillance for years by the authorities for her persistence in speaking out about the truth about June 4th and her identity as a founding member of the Tiananmen Mothers. She stated that during what the authorities consider sensitive periods, her phone is inevitably jammed. Last year, on the eve of June 4th, her phone was completely disconnected, and she lost contact with the outside world. This year, authorities have not relaxed their surveillance of her, placing her under close surveillance as early as April, upon her return to Beijing from abroad.
Zhang Xianling said, "They (the authorities) keep a very close eye on me. For example, when I returned from Hainan, it was almost midnight when I got home, and they (the national security officers) were so nervous they called and told me they were going to post a guard outside my door. At 6:00 the next morning, they had someone guarding my door. I don't know why they're so afraid of me. I'm 88 years old, and I can't walk 200 meters without being in a wheelchair. Am I that scary?
Authorities offer exchange terms: Zhang Xianling: Telling the truth is my belief and commitment
Zhang Xianling said she protested the authorities' frequent posting of guards at the gate, demanding advance notice before such a move. She also said her guards also refused to provide advance notice. She said she protested the temporary posting this year, but they offered her an exchange.
Zhang Xianling said, "I asked the police officer who frequently contacts me, 'You're setting up a post at my door, and I can't object. I understand you (the National Security Bureau) are doing it to make a living. But you're violating human rights. You're executioners, watching over us, the families of the victims.' I asked if you were breaking the law, and they admitted it. They said there was nothing they could do, but they wouldn't let me meet with reporters. They asked me to promise not to meet with reporters or speak, but I said I couldn't do that. I said if you arrest me for spreading rumors, I have no objection. I'm telling the truth. If you (the Chinese government) don't tell me the truth, then won't I tell it if someone asks me? Whether someone comes to me, a reporter or not, I'll tell them about June 4th."
The pain of losing my son 36 years ago is heartbreaking, and my wish for redress has not been fulfilled.
Zhang Xianling disagrees with the authorities' designation of June 4th as a sensitive period and the resulting close surveillance of her. However, she admits that she feels a pang of pain every year as the anniversary of her son's death approaches, adding that the pain of losing her son will not be diminished or erased by the passage of time.
Zhang Xianling said, "Between April and June, even if the current government didn't declare it a sensitive period, I would have been heartbroken. As a mother, it's impossible to forget, especially a death this sudden. This kind of loss under such tyrannical repression will never be forgotten; the pain is deeply engraved in my heart. (Thirty-six years later) This sadness is different from before; it's a different kind of pain. There's the pain of missing someone, and there's also the pain of not having this matter resolved."
Zhang Xianling said that the members of the Tiananmen Mothers are scattered all over the place and cannot meet often, but judging from the number of people who sign the open letter every year, many of the victims' families, like her, firmly adhere to the commitment to redress the June 4th incident, which also strengthens her belief and will.
Zhang Xianling said, "I have firm faith and will not stop fighting. I will always tell the truth, uphold justice, and seek the truth of my conscience. How the government suppresses me is a matter of its ability. If the government doesn't wake up and refuses to face reality, that's a matter of its capacity. Whether we persist or not is a matter of our conscience. Our original promise was to tell the truth, refuse to forget, seek justice, and appeal to our conscience. I am fulfilling my promise. We want justice for the victims of the June 4th Incident. We have this unwavering belief, which is why we have been able to persevere until now. I want to tell my children that I am still persevering, and to tell the authorities that we are still persevering."
Taiwan and other places held June 4th memorial activities. Zhang Xianling: The fact that people are still commemorating is a comfort and support.
Zhang Xianling said that the Chinese government has always wanted to erase the truth about June 4th, but she believes that no matter how powerful the regime is, it cannot completely erase what has happened. It is because of this belief that people who commemorate June 4th in various places every year support her and the Tiananmen Mothers group.
Zhang Xianling said, "The June 4th massacre took place in full view of the public, so it won't be easily forgotten. Although the candlelight in Victoria Park (Hong Kong) was blown out by the strong wind, the spark of justice it embodies still burns brightly in the hearts of every person with a conscience. As long as there's a spark, or even just one person commemorating, it's meaningful to us, the families. And now, it's more than just one person or one place. Regardless of the number of people, it's a source of comfort and support for us, and it gives us spiritual strength."
Zhang Xianling said she doesn't want to assess whether she will see the day when the June 4th incident is vindicated. But she said that as long as everyone remembers the massacres that took place in Beijing and Tiananmen Square, she firmly believes that one day the truth will be made public and mourning will be achieved in China.
Our station also attempted to contact Ding Zilin, another founder of the Tiananmen Mothers, but the call was disconnected. It is understood that Ding Zilin's health is acceptable, but her hearing has deteriorated to the point of near deafness. She can no longer communicate by phone and is unable to make public statements.
