In commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre at UBC’s Goddess of Democracy, MP Jenny Kwan issued the following statement.

Thirty years ago, on June 4, 1989, China and the world was shook to the core by the massacre and violent military crackdown on the student demonstrations at Tiananmen Square.

Though 30 years have passed, I still remember vividly the shocking images from the news coverage then. Starting from Tiananmen Square, Chinese university students led a demonstration against corruption and sought government transparency and democracy for China. The demonstrations became a countrywide movement that lasted almost two months.

The movement pursued the universal values of equality and a fair world. The students exercised their human rights in their peaceful demonstrations. That a nonviolent demonstration, carried by young people and civilians with such optimism, could end in a violent military crackdown shook the world and broke the heart of many of Canada’s Chinese community, who had been watching with hope.

The events that transpired 30 years ago remain a painful memory today. I join community members in commemorating the brave youth and people who protested in Tiananmen Square, and send my deepest condolences to their families and loved ones.

It is my sincere hope that like other historical wrongs committed by governments, in Canada and elsewhere, that what happened on June 4 will eventually be redressed. It is my hope that the Tiananmen Massacre will not have to wait 40 or 100 years for redress, but instead, that the families and loved ones of all the victims and survivors will receive justice in the near future.

In closing, I must thank Vancouver Society in Support of Democratic Movement, which has worked tirelessly for the past 30 years in organizing vigils and other events of commemoration. Their efforts have lent invaluable emotional support and comfort to the victims and survivors of the tragedy, as well as allow the public to participate in honouring the victims and ensure that they are never forgotten. We remember.