A survivor of the historic event commemorated the 33rd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, recalled the courage of the famous Tank Man, who stood firm in front of an army, which became one of the twentieth century’s symbols.Jianli Yang, the founder and president of Citizen Power Initiatives for China, barely survived the September 4 massacre in 1989.I returned to America and have since continued my human-rights work.Yang recalled the famous Tank Man, which was shot during the Tiananmen massacre, because it depicted one completely vulnerable man standing in front of an array of tanks, but also that the entire world knew about the time.Although the Tank Man had survived a massacre, he was still risking his life, he said.
The government responded to the mounting demonstrations in late May 1989 by declaring martial law.On June 3 and 4, soldiers of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) opened fire on and killed an incredible number of nonviolent demonstrators and bystanders.The government has never accepted responsibility for the shootings or held any officials accountable for them.Yang said he was near Tiananmen Square in the early morning on June 4, the day after the massacre.This image, on any level, is one of heroism.
he asked.Yang said Beijing’s streets were packed with many Chinese, including Tank Man in June 1989, who walked face-to-face with the troops.However, some soldiers, like the second Tank Man and the deserter, refused the Communist Party’s orders.I’m convinced that the dissidents’ natural desire for dignity and freedom is not limited to dissidents.They exist in all people, he said.