Pelosi on 20th Anniversary of Tiananmen Square: 'We Will Never Forget. We Will Never Forget'

Washington, D.C.-- Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Members of Congress and Chinese human rights activists participated in a press conference in the Rayburn House Office Building today in commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre. Below are the Speaker's remarks as prepared:

"Today, I am honored to join with Harry Wu and three former Chinese prisoners who were arrested during the Tiananmen Square protests.

"I had the opportunity to meet with them - Yu Zhijian, Yu Dongyue, and Lu Decheng - in the Speaker's office yesterday.  Together, they spent nearly 40 years in prison.  It is a relief that they are finally free.

"I would also like to thank Harry Wu for leading the effort to display the Tiananmen Photo Exhibition here in the Rayburn Building by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists David and Peter Turnley.

"Twenty years ago this week, thousands of Chinese students, workers, and citizens assembled in Tiananmen Square.

"They called for the elimination of corruption.  They called for an acceleration of democratic reform, freedom of speech and assembly.  They called for a dialogue with China's leaders on how to make progress for the future.

"We remember with sadness and outrage how China's military was unleashed on its own people.

"One of the most enduring images of the 20th Century will forever be seared into our conscience - the picture of the lone man standing in the street, bringing the line of tanks to a grinding halt.

"Tuesday, the House of Representatives sent a clear message by passing a resolution commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Tiananmen Square, calling on China to allow full and independent investigations into the massacre, and calling for the release of those imprisoned in the 1989 protests.

"Last week, I had the opportunity to lead a bipartisan delegation to China. The topic of human rights was discussed in our high level meetings and in my speeches.

"In particular, I delivered a letter calling for release of certain prisoners of conscience, in accordance with the principles in China's Constitution.

"Liu Xiaobo is one of those individuals.  Liu spent five years in prison for supporting the Tiananmen students and questioning the one-party system.

"Late last year, Liu was again arrested for being one of the organizers of Charter '08, an online public petition for democracy and the rule of law.

"Liu continues to be held without charges.  Today, we call for his immediate and unconditional release.

"Many in China do not know about the events of June 4th, but they continue to fight for the same causes - accountability from the government, freedom from corruption, and respect for the rule of law.

"Today we say to the people of China and freedom-loving people everywhere:  Your cause is our cause.  We will never forget.  We will never forget."