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Letter from Ding Zilin to IFCSS
Dear Friends,
In the past 17 years the route we have traveled has not been even or smooth. On the way towards seeking truth and justice, about 20 victims' family members have already left us, having died without injustice being corrected. Whenever an anniversary comes near, I cannot help thinking about the friends I used to have, such as Ms. Su Binxian, Mr. Wu Xuehan, and Mr. Kuang Diqing. I also think about Ms. Zhou Shuzuang, who is disabled and has lost her voice. These names are familiar to some of you since they once had direct or indirect contact with some of you. The world may remember the names of those young people who died for liberty and democracy in China, and people will also remember the names of the fathers and mothers whose conduct has been admirable.
Within this group of ours, formed out of the pain and love for the lost ones, some have left, and others are disabled, and many are getting old. Nevertheless, whoever survives will not give up on attaining justice. We may not be able to make grand accomplishments, but we appreciate the accumulation of small steps. We aim to have the persistence and sincerity of Sisyphus in the ancient Greek legend.
We once announced to the world that perhaps we do not possess much and perhaps we cannot do much, but we have the love of a mother. We will regard this love as our duty and use it to rouse the conscience of human beings, to dissolve hatred and suspicion among men, and to change the nonchalance for life and value of life that still remain with us. There have been too many tears and too much hatred in our race and nation. We have a duty to end such an unfortunate history with our efforts. Today at this solemn gathering, I would affirm our pledge one more time.
The June 4th event must receive a just assessment so that the dead ones would finally remain at peace. The rights and interests of the victims' families must be protected and preserved. For this we have fought for 17 years. In our hearts we are hoping that our actions can help resolve the hatred and separation so that a harmonious settlement can be reached between the government and people. Maybe this can lead to political peace in the nation. The end goal is to prevent a human tragedy such as June 4th from happening again. I believe that this is what our lost loved ones would have wanted, and this was what the people of the 1989 Tian An Men movement were seeking. Ultimately, we want to establish a society where there will be no dictatorship and where liberty and human rights will be fully protected. In such a society, people are mutually respectful, mutual understanding is promoted, and people live in harmony with differences being resolved by negotiation and dialogue among the participants who are all on an equal footing. In such a society, there will be law and order and moral standards.
Today China is at a crossroads again. It is a challenge for all Chinese at home and abroad to carry out a peaceful transition towards a modern democratic society. We are commemorating the Tian An Men victims so that such an historic transition can be advanced. I have always believed that friends living abroad can play a significant role in advancing this transition. It is my hope that a large number of Chinese students and scholars who are trained in the West and whose conduct and values are consistent with modern civilization can take up the grave responsibility for the future of China. This is my wish and my expectation, and this is the reason why I am optimistic for the future of China.
Thank you.
Ding Zilin |
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