June 4 vigil turnout rises, but attendance still low

The annual June 4 vigil was held last night in Senado Square attracting approximately 200 attendees as the weather improved later into the evening. The turnout marks a rise compared to last year, when organizers were able to muster only 50 to 60 people.

The vigil commemorates the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square incident, when the government of the People’s Republic of China forcibly suppressed student-led demonstrations in Beijing and more than 400 other locations across the country. The demonstrators were demanding democratic reforms, freedom of speech and freedom of the press, as well as an end to corruption within the Communist Party.

Twenty-nine years on, the incident remains controversial, both on the mainland and in Hong Kong and Macau.

Last night’s vigil attracted scores of demonstrators who, wielding candles and electric lights, gathered around a black banner on the floor of the square to listen to several speakers.

The banner, written in Chinese poetry form, read: “The people who died for democracy will live forever. The courage of the people at Tiananmen Square will stay forever.”

Speeches were delivered by democrat lawmaker duo Au Kam San and Ng Kuok Cheong, the latter of whom criticized a lack of progress in the democratization of the mainland’s political system, even compared with three decades ago. Ng also criticized the distribution of wealth in China, saying it has been amassed in the hands of the few and the general populace is little better off than in 1989.

Suspended lawmaker Sulu Sou, who has become a stalwart of the city’s pro-democracy bloc, also made an appearance.

“This is a memorable historical matter for us,” said Sou. “As Macau and Chinese citizens, we have the responsibility to remember this matter […] and share it with the youngest people in our society.”

Regarding the turnout of the event, which had been steadily dropping in recent years, Sou believes that there are a number of factors at play. Perhaps the most important, he said, was a lack of formal education about the sensitive topic in Macau’s schools.

“One reason is that the young people cannot [find] a connection with this history matter from their school – or even the media,” he argued.

“Macau schools do nothing [to talk about this matter]. Some teachers teach the students themselves from independent material… but not from what is written in the textbooks. In the new textbook from the Education [and Youth Affairs] Bureau, there is nothing about this matter,” he said. “This is a big concern for the future.”

Nevertheless, this year’s turnout was slightly higher than in previous years. In 2016 and 2017, just 50 to 60 people attended the evening vigil, spurning concerns over diminishing interest.

Sou also took the opportunity last night to stress that he appreciates that events like the June 4 vigil can still be held in Macau. “I treasure that Macau still has this freedom to hold this rally and talk about this matter,” he said.

Sulu Sou still mulling appeal

ASKED ON the sidelines of the June 4 vigil whether the young lawmaker plans to appeal his sentencing last week, Sulu Sou said that he is still unwilling to commit either way at this point. “We will take more time to consider the whole picture before we make our final decision [over whether to appeal],” he told reporters, adding that his decision was unlikely to come before the deadline later this month. Stressing the seriousness of the case, he warned “this is not just a judicial issue, but also a political issue.”