China (MNN) — As the 20th anniversary of Tiananmen Square Massacre approaches, 80 Chinese Christians voiced a calling for forgiveness, reports ChinaAid Association .
ChinaAid Association's founder Bob Fu said that this is a step for China, but a small one. China's government still won't allow the commemoration of the event that took place on June 4, 1989. The massacre day was the final straw after nearly two months of peaceful protests by university students calling for free media. On that day,
tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square killing demonstrators as the world watched.
While the government claimed that 200-300 mostly student demonstrators died, the Chinese Red Cross put the actual numbers between 2,000 and 3,000. On top of that, more than
10,000 people were sentenced to death by the government as retribution.
Fu helped lead the movement when he was a student. He finds threads of hope in the statement given by Chinese Christians. ""We are encouraged that the persecuted Chinese church and church leaders are awakened to repent for their silence regarding the massacre and to move forward toward true justice and reconciliation."
Those involved in the offering the statement were deeply affected by the massacre whose aftermath left much destruction and little change. They found their reality and hope in Christ. In the statement they say that besides the grace and forgiveness they've found in God, and because of our sinful nature, they "are not fundamentally different from the decision makers, commanders or transactors of the massacre." But they declare, "We cannot go on like this! We cannot remain silent any longer! We must speak out as God commands Christians to do – as the voice crying out for justice." Finally, They ask for an end to the silence and hypocrisy, and for care for victim's families among other things.
Prayer is the ultimate call. Not only for the victims of the June fourth massacre, but also for those killed in the May 12 Sichuan earthquake. They suggest holding "Pray for China Days" specifically on those dates.
With an economic slowdown in China as the rest of the world, protests for protection of basic labor rights took a sharp rise. In light of the Tiananmen anniversary, the government is tensing up in fear of further protests, despite the fact that China's labor ministry says they are doing what they can to get back on track according to another news source.
