The president of the body, Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai, blocked the motion that calls on the government to shed light on what happened during the massacre on 4 June 1989. Those pushing for the motion say the most important thing is that the pro-democracy movement is remembered.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Hong Kong’s Legco (Legislative Council) yesterday blocked a motion condemning Beijing for its crackdown on the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy and anti-corruption movement on 4 June 1989.

Legco’s president, Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai (considered by many to be very close to the Communist government) said it would be "out of order" for the legislature to criticise the central government.

Responding to Leung Kwok-hung, the legislator who proposed the motion, Fan said: “The Council, being a local legislative body under the central government, has no right to demand an end to the one-party rule the Communist Party enjoys.”

If Leung does not manage to reach agreement with the president, this will be the first year in which a motion recalling the Tiananmen Square massacre is not debated in Hong Kong.

The motion currently says “the Council condemns the prime culprits of the bloody crackdown in Tiananmen” and demands that "the Chinese communist government investigate the massacre and bring those responsible to justice.” It also calls for “the release of political prisoners and an end to the one-party dictatorship, and return of political power to the people.”

Leung said “this wording is already milder than an earlier version”, but added that he would “negotiate with Mrs Fan”. Ultimately, he said, "I don't care whether the motion can be debated or not, since it is doomed to be voted down. The most important thing is to get people to remember June 4 1989."

• China
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• kong
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• june
• 1989
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• repression