The 12th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre passed off peacefully yesterday, after more than 100 mothers of victims of the 1989 massacre signed an appeal for an investigation to determine responsibility for the killings. Security around the square was heavy. Officials were determined to prevent any embarrassing incident, with only weeks to go before the decision on whether Beijing hosts the 2008 Olympics.
Some news organisations were contacted by the Foreign Ministry and warned against "illegal reporting", which covers visits to Tiananmen Square and unapproved interviews.
The group of mothers, led by Mrs Ding Zilin, a retired professor whose son was killed in the massacre, have lobbied in vain for years for an official inquiry into the incident. They called for an investigation into the role of the then Chinese Premier, Mr Li Peng, in the incident. He is now the chief of the parliament.
Details of the letter, revealed on the eve of the anniversary of the massacre, were published as a new Communist Party report warned of an increase in conflict between party officials and the masses.
The letter, signed by 111 mothers, and released through the group Human Rights in China, said they were against the refusal to reassess the 1989 incident in the name of maintaining stability.
The mothers said they support all economic reforms that would bring prosperity to the Chinese people.
"But we strongly oppose all stagnation and regression in the political arena. We are against the refusal to reassess the 1989 Tiananmen movement and the June 4th incident in the name of maintaining stability."
Referring to the controversial book purportedly revealing internal leadership debates that led to the crackdown, The Tiananmen Papers, the letter calls on the 1989 protesters to contribute to these independent efforts to document the facts.
The Communist Party has published a report saying there is mounting public anger over inequality, corruption and official aloofness in China.
The report paints a picture of unrest and warns that the coming years of rapid change, driven by the opening of China's markets, are likely to mean even greater social conflict.