Audio

June Fourth Podcast Series

In 2006-2007, Human Rights in China (HRIC) produced a series of podcasts to preserve a historical record as well as to support Chinese efforts promoting greater democracy and openness. The June Fourth Podcast Series includes oral histories of the June Fourth crackdown never previously made public and explores the role of the democracy and independent labor movements as China moves into the future. The original interviews were conducted by Feng Congde, a participant of the 1989 Tiananmen Square movement.

Wang Youcai (王有才) An organizer at Peking University, Wang Youcai was imprisoned for four years, then sentenced to 11 years in 1998 for helping to organize the China Democracy Party. He was forced into exile in 2004 and is now studying in Chicago. Download MP3 (Chinese) Part 1 Transcript currently unavailable Download MP3 (Chinese) Part 2 Transcript currently unavailable Download MP3 (Chinese) Part 3 Peng Rong (彭嵘) An organizer at Peking University, Peng was imprisoned for two years after organizing a commemoration on the first anniversary of June 4th at Peking University. Download MP3 (Chinese) Part 1 Transcript currently unavailable Zhou Fengsuo (周锋锁) A physics student at Tsinghua University, and a member of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Students Autonomous Federation, Zhou was arrested in Xi'an on June 13, 1989, and was imprisoned for one year. Download MP3 (Chinese) Part 1 Download MP3 (Chinese) Part 2 Transcript currently unavailable Download MP3 (Chinese) Part 3 Transcript currently unavailable Cheng Zhen (程真) One of the organizers of the hunger strike in Tiananmen Square, Cheng provides a rare eyewitness account of two deaths in the Square during the early hours of June 4th. Download MP3 (Chinese) Part 1 Transcript currently unavailable Download MP3 (Chinese) Part 2 Transcript currently unavailable Chang Jing (常勁) In 1989, Chang was vice-president of the Peking University independent student union. He conducted surveys of the wounded and dead in Beijing hospitals following the June 4th crackdown. Download MP3 (Chinese) Part 1 Download MP3 (Chinese) Part 2 Transcript currently unavailable Xiong Yan (熊焱) A graduate student of law at Peking University and a leader of the Students' Dialogue Group, Xiong was arrested on June 15, 1989 and held for 18 months without due process. Download MP3 (Chinese) Transcript currently unavailable Li Hai (李海) Download MP3 (Chinese) Transcript currently unavailable Wang Lei (王磊) A student at Northwest University in Xi'an, Wang participated in a Truth Committee investigating the violence that erupted in Xi'an on April 22, 1989, shortly after Hu Yaobang's death. Wang was arrested in Xi'an on March 23, 1990, and was imprisoned for twenty-one months. Download MP3 (Chinese) Transcript currently unavailable Meng Lang (孟浪) Meng is the former editor of the Shenzhen University Journal. He is now a poet living overseas. Download MP3 (Chinese) Transcript currently unavailable Anonymous: Hong Kong student A high school student in Hong Kong in 1989, this individual traveled to Beijing that summer to support the Tiananmen Square movement. Today, she is a researcher living in Hong Kong. Download MP3 (Chinese) Transcript currently unavailable Zhai Weimin (翟伟民) A student at the Beijing Institute of Economics in 1989, Zhai was detained in May 1990 while preparing to mark the first anniversary of June 4th. Download MP3 (Chinese) Transcript currently unavailable [Tuesday, June 12, 2006] Wang Zhixin (王志新) A student organizer at the University of Political Science and Law in 1989, Wang was detained in December 1990 and held for more than two years. Download MP3 (Chinese) Transcript currently unavailable [Friday, June 2, 2006] Introduction: Voices from June 4th This English podcast gives a brief overview of the events surrounding June 4th, 1989 and provides translated clips from the full interviews of Cheng Zhen, Chang Jing, Wang Zhixin, Zhai Weimin, and Han Dongfang. Download MP3 (English) Transcript currently unavailable Ding Zilin (丁子霖) Spokesperson of the Tiananmen Mothers, a rights defenders group whose basic tenets of peaceful protest and demands, include an official reassessment of the incident, a process of truth and reconciliation, and lawful compensation to the victims. Her son was killed during the crackdown. Download MP3 (Chinese) Transcript currently unavailable Han Dongfang (韩东方) A 1989 labor activist, Han is currently the head of China Labour Bulletin in Hong Kong. Download MP3 (Chinese) Transcript currently unavailable Ma Shaofang (马少方) A student at the Beijing Film Academy in 1989, Ma was one of the organizers of the hunger strike in Tiananmen Square. He was imprisoned for three years on charges of counterrevolutionary incitement. Download MP3 (Chinese) Transcript currently unavailable Lu Decheng (鲁德成) One of the individuals who splattered paint on the portrait of Mao Zedong that hangs over Tiananmen Square, Lu was sentenced to 16 years on charges of counterrevolutionary incitement and sabotage. He was recently granted asylum in Canada. Download MP3 (Chinese) Transcript currently unavailable Zhang Bin (张斌) Zhang participated in the 1989 protests while employed at a travel agency. He was wounded during June 4th. Download MP3 (Chinese) Transcript currently unavailable