4 June:
say that students were shot as they tried to withdraw from square, others crushed under tanks, survivors bayonetted, soldiers set fire to corpses. Ambulance drivers and medical workers shot as they tried to help injured. (Guardian.7.6.89)
PLA newspaper Jiefangjun Bao reports that a "serious counter-revolutionary riot" took place in Peking in early hours of 4 June. Martial law troops took "determined measures .. and quickly put down this riot. This is a great victory in the struggle to end turmoil and safeguard stability and unity in the capital and throughout the country".
Xinhua reports "thugs" beating up hundreds of servicemen and the masses "who were helping to maintain order: A number of soldiers reported to have been killed. Accuses Autonomous Federation of College Students and Autonomous Federation of Workers of issuing butchers knives, daggers, chains and other weapons to people in Tiananmen Square, calling on them to overthrow the government.
Supreme Court sends message to Qiao Shi and the Standing Committee of the CCP Politburo supporting the decision to put down the "counter-revolutionary rebellion", fuels speculation in Western Press that he had taken over from Zhao Ziyang as General Secretary.
Peking Television reports "the martial law troops, facing an intolerable situation were forced to take decisive action to sternly punish a small number of counter-revolutionary ruffians according to the law... All the measures the martial law troops were compelled to take are completely legal.'
Peking Radio broadcasting in English describes the events of 3-4 June as "most tragic" and claims "thousands of people, most of them innocent civilians, were killed by fully armed soldiers. It calls on listeners "to join our protest for the gross violation of human rights. and the most barbarous suppression of the people."
"
Chinese Red Cross sources estimate number of dead to be 2,600 and number of injured 10,000 (Kyodo 4.6.89).
VC3ASH
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.