Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
89BEIJING14103
1989-05-22 04:54:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:
SITREP NO. 10: VIEW OF TIANANMEN SQUARE
how-toO 220454Z MAY 89 FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING TO SECSTATE WASHDC NIACT IMMEDIATE 8996 INFO AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY SEOUL IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY BANGKOK IMMEDIATE AMCONSUL HONG KONG IMMEDIATE AIT TAIPEI IMMEDIATE USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU IMMEDIATE AMCONSUL SHANGHAI IMMEDIATE AMCONSUL SHENYANG IMMEDIATE AMCONSUL CHENGDU POUCH)
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 14103
CINCPAC FOR FPA
E.O. 12356:DECL:OADR
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI CH
SUBJECT: SITREP NO. 10: VIEW OF TIANANMEN SQUARE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 14103
CINCPAC FOR FPA
E.O. 12356:DECL:OADR
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI CH
SUBJECT: SITREP NO. 10: VIEW OF TIANANMEN SQUARE
1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
2. POLOFFS VIEWED TIANANMEN SQUARE THE MORNING OF
MAY 22 FROM 1000 TO 1100 HOURS LOCAL. NO TROOPS
WERE ANYWHERE IN SIGHT. NO BUSSES WERE RUNNING,
BUT PEOPLE APPEARED TO BE MAKING THEIR WAY TO WORK.
POLOFFS ESTIMATED THAT THERE WERE FEWER THAN 10,000
STUDENTS INSIDE THE INNER SQUARE ITSELF AND SOME
40,000 PEOPLE, INCLUDING ONLOOKERS, IN THE AREA.
3. DEMONSTRATING STUDENTS APPEARED TIRED, DIRTY,
AND GRIM. SOME LOOKED ILL. POLOFFS OBSERVED
SEVERAL STUDENTS ON IV'S. THERE WERE CONFLICTING
ACCOUNTS AS TO HOW MANY STUDENTS WERE STILL FASTING.
ONE STUDENT SAID NONE, BUT MEDICAL SUPPORT STAFF SAID
THERE WERE STILL SOME 50 TO 100 FASTING STUDENTS.
THE INNER SQUARE, WHICH POLOFFS ENTERED, WAS FOUL-
SMELLING AND NASTY IN APPEARANCE, WITH GARBAGE AND
LITTER EVERYWHERE. THE STUDENTS REMAINING IN THE
SQUARE ITSELF APPEARED TO BE THE DETERMINED HARD CORE
OF THE DEMONSTRATORS. ALL STUDENTS EXPRESSED
CONFIDENCE THAT TROOPS WOULD NOT COME BECAUSE THE
STUDENTS HAD THE SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE.
4. STUDENTS WERE EAGER TO TALK TO FOREIGNERS.
THREE STUDENTS SEPARATELY TOLD POLOFFS THEY WERE
DISAPPOINTED THAT U.S. EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT
FOR THE STUDENTS HAD NOT BEEN STRONGER. THEY
SPECIFICALLY CITED PRESIDENT BUSH'S STATEMENT AS
REPORTED ON THE VOICE OF AMERICA THE MORNING OF
MAY 22.
5. THREE BUSSES IN THE SQUARE FACING NORTH TOWARD
THE PORTRAIT OF CHAIRMAN MAO (ABOVE THE ENTRANCE TO THE
FORBIDDEN CITY) ALL BORE PICTURES OF LI PENG AS A
RAT BEING POUNCED ON BY AN EAGLE REPRESENTING THE
PEOPLE.
LILLEY
CINCPAC FOR FPA
E.O. 12356:DECL:OADR
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI CH
SUBJECT: SITREP NO. 10: VIEW OF TIANANMEN SQUARE
1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.
2. POLOFFS VIEWED TIANANMEN SQUARE THE MORNING OF
MAY 22 FROM 1000 TO 1100 HOURS LOCAL. NO TROOPS
WERE ANYWHERE IN SIGHT. NO BUSSES WERE RUNNING,
BUT PEOPLE APPEARED TO BE MAKING THEIR WAY TO WORK.
POLOFFS ESTIMATED THAT THERE WERE FEWER THAN 10,000
STUDENTS INSIDE THE INNER SQUARE ITSELF AND SOME
40,000 PEOPLE, INCLUDING ONLOOKERS, IN THE AREA.
3. DEMONSTRATING STUDENTS APPEARED TIRED, DIRTY,
AND GRIM. SOME LOOKED ILL. POLOFFS OBSERVED
SEVERAL STUDENTS ON IV'S. THERE WERE CONFLICTING
ACCOUNTS AS TO HOW MANY STUDENTS WERE STILL FASTING.
ONE STUDENT SAID NONE, BUT MEDICAL SUPPORT STAFF SAID
THERE WERE STILL SOME 50 TO 100 FASTING STUDENTS.
THE INNER SQUARE, WHICH POLOFFS ENTERED, WAS FOUL-
SMELLING AND NASTY IN APPEARANCE, WITH GARBAGE AND
LITTER EVERYWHERE. THE STUDENTS REMAINING IN THE
SQUARE ITSELF APPEARED TO BE THE DETERMINED HARD CORE
OF THE DEMONSTRATORS. ALL STUDENTS EXPRESSED
CONFIDENCE THAT TROOPS WOULD NOT COME BECAUSE THE
STUDENTS HAD THE SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE.
4. STUDENTS WERE EAGER TO TALK TO FOREIGNERS.
THREE STUDENTS SEPARATELY TOLD POLOFFS THEY WERE
DISAPPOINTED THAT U.S. EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT
FOR THE STUDENTS HAD NOT BEEN STRONGER. THEY
SPECIFICALLY CITED PRESIDENT BUSH'S STATEMENT AS
REPORTED ON THE VOICE OF AMERICA THE MORNING OF
MAY 22.
5. THREE BUSSES IN THE SQUARE FACING NORTH TOWARD
THE PORTRAIT OF CHAIRMAN MAO (ABOVE THE ENTRANCE TO THE
FORBIDDEN CITY) ALL BORE PICTURES OF LI PENG AS A
RAT BEING POUNCED ON BY AN EAGLE REPRESENTING THE
PEOPLE.
LILLEY