Tiananmen leader's 'diary' revealed

[pampango]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8721953.stm

A diary which publishers claim is that of the man many blame for the Tiananmen massacre is to be published in Hong Kong. It gives details on events immediately before and after the killing of workers and students in Beijing in June 1989. Publishers say the author is Li Peng, the man who announced martial law in Beijing shortly before troops moved in.

"It provides amazing details of how decisions were made and how the order was carried out, and how the leaders reached internal consensus," said Bao Pu, talking about the diary. "These are the kind of things that are not in official records."

It reveals such things as how many troops were involved in the suppression, and where they were deployed. Who said what in the higher echelons of the party is also detailed in the publication, which will initially appear only in Chinese.

He admits that there are questions about the diary's authenticity, which the publishers say they have worked hard to resolve. There are still some doubts, admitted Mr Bao, but they will be published in the book.

Mr Bao last year published the memoirs of China's former communist party chief, Zhao Ziyang. Mr Zhao and Mr Li were great party rivals who had different views on how China should develop. Mr Zhao was sacked during the pro-democracy protests and remained under house arrest until his death in 2005. Mr Li was never the most popular leader in China.

[TexasObserver]

1. Just 21 years ago, Tiananmen is a reminder that China has a long way to go.

Their abuse of human rights, their oppression of dissent, their oppression of religious and spiritual beliefs, their treatment of female babies - it's a long and unsavory list.

[Captain Hilts]

2. Yes. They treat people like crap. nt