Press Release 新聞稿
The Toronto Association for Democracy in China (TADC) strongly condemns the removal of a Tiananmen memorial by Hong Kong University.
多倫多支持中國民運會(TADC)強烈譴責香港大學移除象徵記念六四天安門事件的藝術品國殤之柱。
[中文在下]
The Pillar of Shame by Danish sculptor Jens Galschiot, which stood on campus since 1997, was a symbol of Hong Kong’s autonomy from mainland China, where all mentioned of Tiananmen massacre on June 4, 1989 is banned—and scrubbed from the Internet.
“First they banned the annual commemoration in Victoria Park, then they arrested and imprisoned activists who fought to preserve the memory; now they are removing the final remembrance of the massacre,” said Liane Lee, an eyewitness to the massacre and the association’s vice-chair.
The eight-metre sculpture, depicting writhing, grimacing Tiananmen protesters, is estimated to be $1.7 million. It was removed from the campus in the early hours of Thursday morning over the objection from students and artists, as well as civil-society groups from around the world.
“The university has bowed to political pressure from Beijing,” said spokesperson Cheuk Kwan. “Hong Kong has been completely absorbed into a nation of amnesia where historical narrative is constantly being re-written and the collective memory of Tiananmen massacre is being wiped out.”
Following the passing of the National Security Law in July 2020, the ferocity that the Beijing-controlled Hong Kong crackdown of the pro-democracy movement and reign-in of political dissent is highly alarming. The 2021 Legislative Council election held just several days ago was a farce where only “patriotic” candidates were allowed to run.
TADC calls on the Canadian government and the international community to stand up to the repression and oppression of the Chinese government’s tactics in silencing and erasing the history. It is an erasure of a history that the current authoritarian regime has steadfastly refused to acknowledge.
The Toronto Association for Democracy in China (TADC) strongly condemns the removal of a Tiananmen memorial by Hong Kong University.
Media Coverage 傳媒報導
多倫多支持中國民運會(TADC)強烈譴責香港大學移除象徵記念六四天安門事件的藝術品國殤之柱。
國殤之柱由丹麥雕塑家高志活所製作，從1997年起被永久安置在港大校園內。由於六四事件在中國內地被禁止討論，港人一直視國殤之柱為香港具有言論自由及高度自治的象徵。
「起初他們禁止每年一次的維園六四集會，後來他們拘捕及囚禁舉辨悼念六四運動的組織者，現在他們連香港僅存的紀念碑都抹去。」說這話的，正正是一位當年親眼目睹六四事件，現時本會的副主席李蘭菊。
該8米高的雕塑，展示了幾十名天安門示威者扭曲的軀體和痛苦的面孔，價值約170萬加元。縱使面對諸多學生、藝術家以及世界各地不同公民團體的反對，該雕塑最後於星期四凌晨時分開始連夜被拆除。
「拆除國殤之柱一事正顯示香港大學在北京的政治壓力下『跪低』。」本會發言人關卓中說。「近年來香港歷史不斷被篡改及重寫，企圖令港人對六四天安門事件的集體回憶慢慢淡去。」
隨著港區國安法於2020年7月實施，北京當局不停加強對民主運動及異見人士的打壓。早幾天的立法會選舉亦變成一場只有獲北京當局認可的「愛國者」才合資格參選的鬧劇。香港近年的倒退實在令人憂慮。
多倫多支持中國民運會呼籲加拿大政府及國際社會抵抗中國政府的壓迫，以免被中國政府繼續篡改歷史。