Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
89BEIJING18828
1989-07-12 08:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:  

LATIN AMERICAN DIPLOMAT EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT

Tags:  PGOV PHUM SOCI CH 
pdf how-to read a cable
R 120857Z JUL 89
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3168
INFO AMCONSUL HONG KONG
AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
AMCONSUL SHANGHAI
AMCONSUL SHENYANG
AIT TAIPEI
AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
AMEMBASSY PARIS
AMEMBASSY SEOUL
AMEMBASSY TOKYO
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI
USIA WASHDC 8777
SECDEF WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 18828 

E.O. 12356 DECL:OADR
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI CH
SUBJECT: LATIN AMERICAN DIPLOMAT EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT
OF JUNE 3-4 EVENTS ON TIANANMEN SQUARE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 18828

E.O. 12356 DECL:OADR
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI CH
SUBJECT: LATIN AMERICAN DIPLOMAT EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT
OF JUNE 3-4 EVENTS ON TIANANMEN SQUARE


1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.


2. SUMMARY DURING A RECENT MEETING, A LATIN
AMERICAN DIPLOMAT AND HIS WIFE PROVIDED POLOFF AN
ACCOUNT OF THEIR MOVEMENTS ON JUNE 3-4 AND THEIR
EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF EVENTS AT TIANANMEN SQUARE.
ALTHOUGH THEIR ACCOUNT GENERALLY FOLLOWS THOSE
PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, THEIR UNIQUE EXPERIENCES PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL INSIGHT AND CORROBORATION OF EVENTS IN THE
SQUARE. THEY WERE ABLE TO ENTER AND LEAVE THE SQUARE
SEVERAL TIMES AND WERE NOT HARASSED BY TROOPS.
REMAINING WITH STUDENTS BY THE MONUMENT TO THE
PEOPLE'S HEROES UNTIL THE FINAL WITHDRAWAL, THE
DIPLOMAT SAID THERE WERE NO MASS SHOOTINGS OF
STUDENTS IN THE SQUARE OR AT THE MONUMENT. END
SUMMARY.


3. DURING A RECENT MEETING, CHILEAN SECOND SECRETARY
CARLOS GALLO AND HIS WIFE (PLEASE PROTECT) PROVIDED
POLOFF AN ACCOUNT OF THEIR MOVEMENTS ON JUNE 3-4 AND
THEIR EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF EVENTS AT TIANANMEN
SQUARE. ALTHOUGH THE GALLO'S ACCOUNT GENERALLY
FOLLOWS THOSE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, THEIR UNIQUE
EXPERIENCES PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INSIGHT AND
CORROBORATION OF EVENTS IN THE SQUARE.


4. GALLO SAID THEIR EVENING BEGAN AROUND 2100 HOURS
WHEN THEY FIRST HEARD THAT TROOPS WERE ENTERING THE
CITY. THE CHILEAN AMBASSADOR WAS HAVING DINNER AT
THE DRAGON SPRING MOVENPICK HOTEL IN FAR WESTERN
BEIJING; THE GALLOS WERE DISPATCHED IN THEIR OWN CAR
TO ALERT THE AMBASSADOR AND BRING HIM HOME. TAKING A
CIRCUITOUS ROUTE NORTH OF THE CITY, THEY DID NOT SEE
MUCH EVIDENCE OF THE VIOLENT EVENTS TO COME UNTIL
THEY REACHED WESTERN BEIJING ON THE ROAD TO THE
MOVENPICK HOTEL. THE ROAD WAS FILLED FIVE ABREAST
WITH MILITARY VEHICLES INCLUDING TANKS, APCS, AND
TRUCKS FILLED WITH TROOPS HEADING INTO THE CITY.
ONCE THE GALLOS IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES AS DIPLOMATS,
THE COUPLE WAS ALLOWED TO INCH ALONG THE SHOULDER OF
THE ROAD; MRS. GALLO DROVE WHILE HER HUSBAND WALKED
AHEAD OF THE CAR ASKING THE MILITARY VEHICLES TO MAKE
SOME ROOM FOR THEIR CAR. THEY REACHED THEIR
AMBASSADOR AND MADE THEIR WAY BACK TO THEIR EMBASSY
IN THE SANLITUN DIPLOMATIC AREA.


5. ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE SQUARE,
THE GALLOS, AGAIN IN THEIR OWN CAR, DROVE TOWARDS
TIANANMEN. ALTHOUGH THEY ENCOUNTERED SEVERAL
CIVILIAN MANNED BARRICADES AND PEOPLE WARNED THEM NOT

TO GO ANY FURTHER AS THE ARMY WAS COMING, THEY WERE
ALLOWED TO PROCEED. THEY EVENTUALLY PARKED THEIR CAR
JUST TO THE EAST OF THE MUSEUM OF THE CHINESE
REVOLUTION AND WALKED TO THE SQUARE VIA AN ALLEY JUST
SOUTH OF THE MUSEUM.


6. THE GALLOS POSITIONED THEMSELVES NEAR THE RED
CROSS STATION AT THE FOOT OF THE STEPS TO THE
MUSEUM. INITIALLY NOT MUCH WAS HAPPENING IN THE
SQUARE AS MOST OF THE FIGHTING WAS TAKING PLACE TO
THE WEST. BODIES AND WOUNDED, HOWEVER, BEGAN TO
ARRIVE AT THE RED CROSS STATION INDICATING THE EXTENT
OF THE FIGHTING AND THE FACT THAT REAL BULLETS WERE
BEING USED. AS THE MILITARY BEGAN TO REACH THE
OUTSKIRTS OF THE SQUARE AND SHOTS WERE FIRED IN THE
VICINITY OF THE RED CROSS STATION, MRS. GALLO DECIDED
SHE WANTED TO LEAVE. THE GALLOS MADE THEIR WAY BACK
TO THEIR CAR AND DROVE BACK TO THEIR APARTMENT IN
SANLITUN. GALLO DROPPED OFF HIS WIFE AND DROVE BACK
TO THE SQUARE, AGAIN PARKING EAST OF THE MUSEUM.


7. CONTRARY TO THE EXPERIENCES OF MOST AMERICANS ON
THE SQUARE, GALLO SAID THAT HE ESSENTIALLY WAS
ALLOWED FREE PASSAGE AROUND THE SQUARE, EVEN WHEN
SIGHTED BY TROOPS. HE SAID AT ONE POINT HE WAS
STANDING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CHANGAN JIE, JUST WEST
OF THE SQUARE, WHEN HE FOUND HIMSELF TO THE REAR OF
TROOPS ENTERING THE SQUARE FROM THE WEST. HE SAID
ALTHOUGH HE WAS SEEN, THE TROOPS PAID NO ATTENTION TO
HIM AND HE EVENTUALLY PASSED BACK AND FORTH ACROSS
TROOP LINES A COUPLE OF TIMES. ANOTHER CHILEAN
DIPLOMAT WHO STAYED AROUND XINHUAMEN AT ZHONGNANHAI
HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE. GALLO GUESSED THAT SINCE
MOST OF THE TROOPS WERE FROM THE PROVINCES AND DID
NOT USUALLY DEAL WITH FOREIGNERS, THEY FOLLOWED THE
GENERAL PRACTICE OF LEAVING FOREIGNERS ALONE. HE
ALSO NOTED THAT HE WAS NOT CARRYING A CAMERA.


8. GALLO EVENTUALLY ENDED UP AT THE RED CROSS
STATION, AGAIN HOPING THAT TROOPS WOULD NOT FIRE ON
THE MEDICAL PERSONNEL THERE. HE WATCHED THE MILITARY
ENTER THE SQUARE AND DID NOT OBSERVE ANY MASS FIRING
OF WEAPONS INTO THE CROWDS, ALTHOUGH SPORADIC GUNFIRE
WAS HEARD. HE SAID THAT MOST OF THE TROOPS WHICH
ENTERED THE SQUARE WERE ACTUALLY ARMED ONLY WITH
ANTI-RIOT GEAR--TRUNCHEONS AND WOODEN CLUBS; THEY
WERE BACKED UP BY ARMED SOLDIERS. AS THE MILITARY
CONSOLIDATED ITS CONTROL OF THE SQUARE'S PERIMETER,
STUDENTS AND CIVILIANS GATHERED AROUND THE MONUMENT
TO THE PEOPLE'S HEROES. GALLO SAID WOUNDED,
INCLUDING SOME SOLDIERS, CONTINUED TO BE BROUGHT TO
THE RED CROSS STATION.


9. THE TROOPS BEGAN A SLOW ORDERLY APPROACH TO THE
MONUMENT FROM THE NORTH WITH SOLDIERS ON FOOT
PRECEEDING APCS. FROM WHAT HE COULD SEE, GALLO FELT
THAT MOST OF THE TENTS ON THE SQUARE WERE EMPTY WHEN
THE ARMORED VEHICLES ROLLED OVER THEM. THE FIRST
LINE OF TROOPS TO REACH THE MONUMENT AREA, PASSED BY
THE RED CROSS STATION AND IGNORED THE MEDICAL
PERSONNEL AND WOUNDED. AS A SECOND LINE OF TROOPS
APPROACHED, THEY CIRCLED THE RED CROSS STATION AND
BEGAN YELLING AND THROWING STICKS AND DEBRIS OVER THE
HEADS OF THE PEOPLE AT THE STATION. THE MEDICAL
PERSONNEL PANICKED AND FLED, LEAVING BEHIND THE
WOUNDED. MOST PEOPLE, INCLUDING GALLO, FLED TO THE
MONUMENT AREA WHERE THE STUDENTS WERE GATHERED.


10. ALTHOUGH GUNFIRE COULD BE HEARD, GALLO SAID THAT
APART FROM SOME BEATING OF STUDENTS, THERE WAS NO
MASS FIRING INTO THE CROWD OF STUDENTS AT THE
MONUMENT. WHEN POLOFF MENTIONED SOME REPORTEDLY
EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS OF MASSACRES AT THE MONUMENT WITH
AUTOMATIC WEAPONS, GALLO SAID THAT THERE WAS NO SUCH
SLAUGHTER. ONCE AGREEMENT WAS REACHED FOR THE
STUDENTS TO WITHDRAW, LINKING HANDS TO FORM A COLUMN,
THE STUDENTS LEFT THE SQUARE THROUGH THE SOUTHEAST
CORNER. ESSENTIALLY EVERYONE, INCLUDING GALLO,
LEFT. THE FEW THAT ATTEMPTED TO REMAIN BEHIND WERE
BEATEN AND DRIVEN TO JOIN THE END OF THE DEPARTING
PROCESSION. ONCE OUTSIDE THE SQUARE, THE STUDENTS
HEADED WEST ON QIANMEN DAJIE WHILE GALLO HEADED EAST
TO HIS CAR. THEREFORE, HE COULD NOT COMMENT ON
REPORTS THAT STUDENTS WERE AMBUSHED AND SLAUGHTERED
IN THE ALLEY JUST WEST OF THE SQUARE NEAR THE BEIJING
CONCERT HALL.


11. LATER THE MORNING OF JUNE 4, GALLO AND HIS WIFE
MADE THEIR WAY BACK TO THE SQUARE, AGAIN VIA THE
ALLEY TO THE SOUTH OF THE MUSEUM OF THE REVOLUTION.
HE SAID THAT FOR NO APPARENT REASON THAT ALLEY WAS
THE ONLY ONE NOT SEALED OFF. FROM THE ALLEY THEY SAW
TROOPS CLEARING THE SQUARE PILING UP LARGE PLASTIC
BAGS AND DRAGGING THEM TO HELICOPTERS. THEY COULD
NOT COMMENT ON WHETHER THE BAGS CONTAINED REFUSE OR
BODIES. AT THE TIME, THEY SAID, THEY COULD NOT
IMAGINE THE BAGS CONTAINED BODIES AND HAD ASSUMED IT
WAS GARBAGE. ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT ACTUALLY WITNESS
ANY LARGE SCALE SHOOTINGS ON THE SQUARE PROPER, GALLO
SAW MANY CASUALTIES BROUGHT INTO THE SQUARE AND DID
NOT DOUBT THAT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN BEIJING WERE
KILLED BY THE ARMY ON JUNE 3 AND 4. HE SAID THAT A
SPANISH TELEVISION CREW MIGHT HAVE FOOTAGE OF THE
REPORTED MASSACRE AT THE BEIJING CONCERT HALL AND
THAT THE SPANISH AMBASSADOR WOULD BE HOLDING A
SCREENING FOR OTHER AMBASSADORS WHEN HE RECEIVED A
GOOD COPY. APPARENTLY AN EARLIER VERSION OF THE TAPE
HAD BEEN BADLY BUTCHERED BY EDITORS IN SPAIN WHO HAD
SPLICED TOGETHER PIECES OF THE VIDEO IN THE WRONG
SEQUENCE.


LILLEY