The Association for the Advancement of Feminism (AAF), in Hongkong, sent the following appeal for the support to the students of China on 31 May 1989. Events have precipitated since then with the massacre, arrests and repression that have been widely reported in the mass media.
The Association for the Advancement of Feminism (AAF) has been monitoring the student movement in Beijing and is outraged by the patriarchal and high-handed measures dictated by the Chinese government. In coordination with other women's groups in Hong Kong, AAF dispatched a telegram to Chinese Premier Li Peng and the Chinese Communist Party Secretary General Zhao Zhiyang in support for the demands of the Beijing students. A statement was also sent to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China, signed by AAF, Hong Kong Women Christian Council, Hong Kong Women Workers Association, Hong Kong International Women's Council, Hong Kong Women's Council-Women's Centre and the Garment Manufacturing Workers Union.
In the beginning of the struggle, the Chinese National Women's Federation expressed its cautious support to the
students on hunger strike through a letter dated May 18, which reads:
"You were once happy in your families with your mothers and sisters. But today, your hunger strike has entered the fifth day. Now the spectre of death is haunting you, and the hearts of every mother, sister and father. How we wish you could take a sip of water; how we wish you could sit down with your fellow students, your fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, to share food and drink, for yourselves, for your mothers and for your nation.
"Students, please believe us, that to enable you to eat again soon, and to realise your reasonable requests and demands, we shall mobilise our meager strength, join hands with people of all walks of life, to create a favourable environment. Children, didn't you want to Speak to your mother? Mother has heard you. Children, come back."
On May 19, Li Peng declared Martial Law in most parts of Beijing and denounced that the student demonstration was a conspired riot, he further announced the calling in of troops to crackdown on the demonstrators.
Immediately after Li Peng's announcement, people from all walks of life rushed to Tiananmen Square and to various entrances of Beijing to stop troops from entering the city. Hong Kong press reported that at one entrance, women lay on the roads to stop armed trucks from progressing. Hong Kong television also showed women residents speaking to the soldiers to persuade them from suppressing the students.
On May 21, members and representatives of different women's organizations in Hong Kong went to the mainland of China and met with the representatives of the Guandong Province Women's Federation and the Guangzhou City Women's Federation to express concern and understanding of the student's position.
The New China News Agency (NCNA), on May 30th, reported that the Standing Committee of the National Women's Federation studied the May 19th declaration of Li Peng and concluded that the recent happenings were a political struggle involving the fate of the Chinese Communist Party and the future of the nation. The Standing Committee sided with the Central Committee of the Party and the State Council, and expressed willingness to contribute to quickly stop the riots and defend the security and unity of the country.
According to reports of the NCNA, the Standing Committee of the National Women's Federation called upon all cadres of the Women's Federation, women of all nationalities and all social strata "to struggle with the conspiracy of an extremely small group of people, and to support the decision and policy of the Party and the government with concrete action."
Women in Hong Kong have clearly sided with the Chinese students. Besides showing up in massive numbers in demonstrations and rallies held by various organizations, they have also been raising funds for the support of the democratic movement in China. They have been continuously appealing to the National People's Congress of China to act on the demands, not only of the students, but also of the intellectuals, workers, civil servants, residents and thousands of Chinese and foreign journalists; and most importantly, to lift the repression.
AAF requests that letters of appeal and concern from women's organizations, and from a women's position be sent to:
Mr. Li Peng, Premier, State Council, Beijing, People's Republic of China
and
National Women's Federation, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
Please send a copy to:
AAF, Room 1202, 17-23, Thompson Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
