Memories of the violence in Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989 still burn bright for those who lost lo

(2 Jun 2014) (VOICE OVER)
THIS WEEK MARKS THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MASSACRE WHEN CHINESE MILITARY UNITS VIOLENTLY REMOVED THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS FROM THE CENTER OF BEIJING.
AUTHORITIES IN BEIJING HAVE STEPPED-UP EFFORTS TO GUARD TIANANMEN SQUARE FROM ANY PROTEST ACTIVITY SURROUNDING JUNE 4.
... A DAY ZHANG XIANLING HAS NEVER FORGOTTEN - THAT'S WHEN HER 19 YEAR OLD SON WANG NAN never came HOME.
THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT'S CURIOSITY LED HIM TO JOIN THE crowd at TIANANMEN THAT SPRING.
SHE FOUND OUT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE THAT HE'D BEEN SHOT.
(SOUNDBITE: (MANDARIN) ZHANG XIANLING, Mother of Tiananmen Demonstrator:)
"Twenty five years is a long time. It is one quarter of a century. But, toward such a big event, an event that caused horror to the world, sadly, our government continues to feign an attitude of complete deafness and silence."
(VOICE OVER)
ZHANG IS A MEMBER OF THE GROUP KNOWN AS THE TIANANMEN MOTHERS.
(SOUNDBITE: (MANDARIN) ZHANG XIANLING, Mother of Tiananmen Demonstrator:)
"As a mother I would never forget what happened. Not even after 25 years, or 50 years or 500 years from now. The pain and loss are eternal."
(NAT OF TANK MAN)
(VOICE OVER)
THIS IS ANOTHER ETERNAL IMAGE FROM TIANANMEN - THE SO-CALLED "TANK MAN" STOPPING A COLUMN OF ARMY TANKS AS THEY APPROACHED THE SQUARE.
ANOTHER STORY IS TOLD BY BAO TONG.
HE'S A FORMER AIDE TO A HIGH RANKING COMMUNIST OFFICIAL WHO SUPPORTED THE STUDENTS AND ... FOR THAT ... WAS POLITICALLY DISGRACED.
BAO SPENT MOST OF THE PAST 25 YEARS EITHER IN JAIL OR UNDER HOUSE ARREST.
(SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) Bao Tong, Former Communist Party Official):
"He has already passed away, but his successors, his heirs, and the heirs of his heirs in the Party still do not dare to point out and say: 'Deng Xiaoping made a mistake.' This is a tragedy."
(VOICE OVER)
BAO and ZHANG XIANLING SAY THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF GOING AWAY WITHOUT, FIRST, SPEAKING THEIR MIND.
AND MAKING SURE THE CHINESE AND THE WORLD NEVER FORGET WHAT HAPPENED HERE TWENTY FIVE YEARS AGO.
TOM RITCHIE, ASSOCIATED PRESS.

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