Au Kam San continues remembrance of Tiananmen victims

On the 36th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown yesterday, Au Kam San, president of the now-dispersed Macau Union of Democratic Development and a former lawmaker, marked the occasion by posting several texts on Facebook about the crackdown, continuing his practice of remembrance from previous years.

“These are the best ways I can honor the memory of the event,” he said in an interview with local media outlet All About Macau (AAM). Au described his mourning practices as just “performing ritual bows,” which included posting reflective articles on social media, as he has in previous years, and lighting candles on the windowsill at night.

Since April 15, he has been posting relevant articles on social media daily, recounting the historical facts leading up to June 4, with a few additional articles scheduled.

This incident is widely regarded as the spark that ignited the “political turmoil of the spring and summer” of 1989.

“My stance is very clear, and I am not someone who changes easily. I won’t alter my approach simply because someone shows a bit more ‘concern,’” said Au, who told the media outlet that he had received several “concerned” calls in the past 10 days.

However, he noted that the callers were merely making a “courtesy call,” just as they, whom he did not identify, had done in the past.

He added that both sides should continue to act according to their own positions, “going through the motions” and doing what they should.

The Macau Union of Democratic Development held annual candlelight vigils at Largo do Senado for 30 consecutive years until 2020, when authorities first banned outdoor vigils, citing the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2021, police elevated the ban on “June 4” gatherings to a national security level, stating that the central government had clearly defined the incident as a counterrevolutionary disturbance.

Since 2009, Macau has implemented the National Security Law, which originally stipulated that only violent or serious illegal actions could constitute the crime of “splitting the nation.” However, amendments passed by the Legislative Assembly in May 2023 expanded the definition to include nonviolent acts as well.

Each year on June 4, Au commemorates the date by lighting a candle and making a Facebook post, maintaining his belief that the memory of June 4 will endure.

The former lawmaker acknowledged that although more than three decades have passed since the incident, the intense emotions from that time have faded.

Still, as someone who experienced it, he believes it is important to commemorate the event and document key aspects of that period. He emphasized that in recent years, such commemorations have been conducted without violating any laws.

Based on Au’s observations, since 2019, Hong Kong authorities have sought to expand the “battle achievements” from the event. He stated that around the June 4 anniversary, they may have believed there was an opportunity to demonstrate loyalty.

In contrast, Au noted that Macau has remained “relatively peaceful,” reflecting the central government’s tolerance as long as no red lines are crossed. He said the diary entries he posted were historical retrospectives, avoiding terms deemed prohibited by the Court of Final Appeal (TUI), and therefore did not constitute illegal behavior.

However, Au denied that mourning the June 4 incident in a personal capacity was “absolutely safe,” noting that political changes can happen quickly.

Still, he believes that personal mourning is the most meaningful action he can take within his means.

The Public Security Police Force rejected a request from Au on May 17, 2021, for a candlelight vigil for June 4.

The police stated that “June 4 gatherings” occur at specific times each year with slogans and promotional materials that challenge central authority and include provocative or defamatory content. Such actions, they said, violate relevant Penal Code provisions and the principle of good faith in the Administrative Procedure Code.

Citing the Penal Code, police said past “June 4 gatherings” in Macau openly supported and praised the actions of a small group involved in unrest through assemblies, speeches, slogans and media dissemination.

These activities incite subversion of the Chinese Communist Party’s leadership and advocate for altering the nature of the state. They also promoted concepts like the “Jasmine Revolution,” using slogans such as “Never forget June 4, fight to the end,” “Beijing fears the blooming jasmine,” “The June 4 revolution has not yet succeeded,” and “Overthrow the dictatorship,” which, they argued, fundamentally undermine the ‘One country, two systems principle.

“The decision to prohibit the ‘June 4 gatherings’ aligns with the principle of proportionality,” the police said. They argued that, in the absence of objective facts, such gatherings mislead the public with extremely negative false information, such as “massacre” and “persecution.”

They said such slander of the central government incites subversion, disrupts social harmony, and misleads citizens. These actions could easily cause conflict among residents of mainland China and Macau, ultimately harming national interests and damaging relations between the central government and Macau.