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102:25 MDHIAN 2346
(B) IT IS COMMON IN THE WEST TO REFER LOOSELY TO THE GHASTLY EVENTS OF 3/4 JUNE AS 'THE MASSACRE IN TIANANMEN SQUARE''. THE CURRENT PROPAGANDA LINE IN CHINA INSISTS THAT THERE WAS NO MASSACRE IN THE SQUARE ITSELF, MAKING AN IMPLICIT DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE SQUARE AND THE OTHER PARTS OF PEKING WHERE WE KNOW THAT GREAT VIOLENCE WAS CARRIED OUT. IN THE SAME WAY, THE PROPAGANDA IS CAREFUL TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE MAJORITY OF THE STUDENTS WHO HAD LEGITIMATE GRIEVANCES AND WERE PATRIOTIC, AND A HANDFUL F ''RUFFIANS AND HOOLIGANS WHO ALLEGEDLY CAME OUT ON THE STREETS AND WHOSE ACTIONS ''MISLED'' A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE. A BLANKET CONDEMNATION THEREFORE OF THE SUPPRESSION AND MASSACRE OF STUDENTS (FOLLOWING FOUR WORDS UNDERLINED) IN THE TIANANMEN SQUARE IS AGAIN LITERALLY NOT QUITE ACCURATE AND COULD PLAY INTO CHINESE HANDS.
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(C) IT IS EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO ASCERTAIN THE PRECISE EXTENT OF
THE CASUALTIES ON THE NIGHT OF 3/4 JUNE AND SINCE LARGELY BECAUSE
OF THE CHINESE WHITEWASH AND THEIR CLEVER USE OF TELEVISION
MATERIAL. LIKEWISE IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO BE CERTAIN HOW MANY
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AND HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY SENTENCED TO DEATH AND ON WHAT GROUNDS. THE OUTWARD TRAPPINGS AT LEAST OF LEGALITY ARE BEING INSISTED UPON, HENCE THE TELEVISED SCENES OF COURT ROOMS, POLICE STATIONS AND CONFESSIONS.
(D) THERE HAS BEEN A TENDENCY TO DESCRIBE THE PROTESTS IN PEKING AS A GENERAL PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT'' STARTED BY THE STUDENTS. DESPITE THE EXTENSIVE USE OF ''DEMOCRACY AS A POSTER SLOGAN AND IN STUDENTS' INFORMAL STATEMENTS THE FACT IS THAT THE ORIGINAL SEVEN POINTS OR ''DEMANDS'' PUT FORWARD BY THE STUDENTS IN THE SQUARE IN APRIL WERE:
(1) THE REHABILITATION OF HU YAOBANG:
(2) A REASSESSMENT OF THE SPIRITUAL POLLUTION CAMPAIGN OF 1983:
(3) A REASSESSMENT OF THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST BOURGEOIS LIBERALISATION
IN 1987:
(4) DISCLOSURE OF THE SALARIES OF THE TOP LEADERSHIP:
(5) GREATER FREEDOM FOR THE PRESS:
(6) MORE MONEY FOR EDUCATION:
(7) PROPER REMUNERATION OF INTELLECTUALS.
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