The retired linguistics professor from Beijing’ Renmin University and his wife Ding Zilin were the heart and soul of a group of people that demanded justice and truth from the authorities in connection with the 1989 massacre. After 26 years, they have heard nothing from the government.

Beijing (AsiaNews) – The Tiananmen Mothers, a group demanding justice and truth from the Chinese government in connection with the 4 June 1989 massacre, are mourning founder Jiang Peikun who passed away on Sunday. In view of the situation, they have called for privacy and quiet for his widow, Ding Zilin.

Jiang, a former linguistics professor at Beijing's Renmin University, died of a heart attack at the age of 82 at the family home three days ago. His friends believe that the roots of Jiang's illness lay in his persecution at the hands of the government a few years ago.

The Tiananmen Mothers are a group of relatives of 125 individuals killed on 4 June 1989 during the bloody crackdown against the defenceless protesters who had occupied Beijing’s main square to demand democracy and an end to corruption in Chinese society.

The authorities have never released a final death toll but independent international organisations say that several thousands of people were killed in the square and the side streets on the day of the crackdown and following days.

Ding Zilin had been running the group after her husband’s health had taken a turn for the worst.

"She didn't think that somebody who knew the situation would put it on the Internet, so I think Professor Ding turned off her cell phone because she was getting too many calls from the media," group spokeswoman You Weijie told Radio Free Asia. "I don't think she can bear that right now.”

Fellow Tiananmen Mother Zhang Xianling, who lost her 19-year-old son during the crackdown, said Ding's own health is poor. "She has had a huge shock, and she is in very poor health," Zhang told Radio Free Asia. "I hope the media won't disturb her, because that will just add to her burden."

In the 26 years since the bloodshed, the group has repeatedly called for a reappraisal of the student-led democracy movement, which the government has styled a "counterrevolutionary rebellion."

The Mothers want a public apology, compensation, the release of details of the crackdown held in secret by the government, and the political rehabilitation of victims and their families.

But most of all they want the authorities to stop the cover-up information and assume responsibility for what happen in the heart of the capital on the night between 3 and 4 June 1989.

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• tiananmen
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• square
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• jiang
• peikun
• ding
• zilin
• death