Hong Kong (AsiaNews) –The bishop of Hong Kong, card. Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, yesterday expressed his desire to see the authorities of continental China “wash away the filth” produced 18 years ago with the Tiananmen massacre.
The prelate led a prayer meeting for democracy on Chinese soil in the lead up to the great vigil which in memory of the anti-corruption, pro-democracy movement yesterday evening in Victoria park. An estimated 500 Catholics were present at the meeting.
Card. Zen recently returned from a trip to North America, added: “Many Chinese emigrants currently living in the west are experiencing the freedom that it entails. I ask myself when the Chinese people living in the homeland shall be able to enjoy such a blessing. I hope that Beijing may find the courage to face up to what it did 18 years ago”:
According to organizers data over 55 thousand people participated in the march in memory of the victims of the Tiananmen Square slaughter, which is organised each year to mark the anniversary of that violent repression ordered by Deng Xiaoping.
In May, a pro-Beijing Hong Kong deputy provoked public uproar after he cast aspersions over the massacre, defining it a san “invention”, and for having disrespected the victims. The deputy later apologised to party members, but not the general public.