我们的权利

浅墨，04-21-2015

和许多走出国门的人一样，阿信也是留学生之一，他的专业是历史，致力方向是世界现代史。在一次完成导师布置的作业时，东欧剧变这段历史，引发了阿信 的兴趣。他看见，六四天安门事件发生后，东欧各国纷纷放弃了坚持了几十年的共产主义制度。东欧人民普遍认为：推翻共产党一党专制的统治，使社会开始走向人人拥有选举权的时代，是我们的权利。

六四事件时的一张照片，改变了整个东欧世界。1989年4月5日，中国北京长安街上，发生了震惊的世界一幕。一名身穿白色寸衫和黑色裤子，手持购物 袋的男子（有人说他叫“王维林”，但实际姓名已无可考证，阻挡坦克后他下落不明）只身挡在了前进中的坦克车队前。这振奋人心的一幕被西方记者扑捉到。随即，这张照片出现在各国的报纸头条之上，流向世界。随着阻挡坦克的照片传至东欧地区，东欧人民视照片中的男子为争取自由民主权利的无畏英雄。这给予了在同 一时刻争取民主自由的东欧人民极大鼓舞，并且促使许多当地民众发起游行活动。有人说：他想改变中国，结果却改变了东欧世界。

网络图片： 1989年4月5日, 天安门广场，坦克人

波兰是六四事件后，成功获得选举权的国家。北京时间6月4日，六四事件后，5日早晨“坦克人”的画面因时差关系，在6月4日传到波兰。连日来对北京事态的电视报道，在关键时刻影响了波兰的投票结果。在1989年2至4月，在波兰举行的圆桌会议上，决定实行三权分立、总统制和议会两院制，总统由两院联席会议选举产生。6月4日的投票结果却是，团结工会获得参议院99%的议席，在开放自由选举的众议院161个议席中，团结工会囊括全数。此次选举产生了首 位非共产党总理。1990年12月，团结工会领袖瓦文萨在全国大选中当选为波兰总统，团结工会踏上执政道路。波兰团结工会的胜利动摇了东欧共产主义阵营， 几个月之内，东欧共产党政权相继垮台。

匈牙利是六四事件后，成功获得选举权的国家。1989年匈牙利政治局面发生剧烈变化，极不稳定，就在当年的2月，匈牙利社会主义工人党公开讲：放弃 执政位置，开始多党政治。10月6日，匈牙利社会主义工人党在提前召开的第十四次代表大会上，决定将社会主义工人党易名匈牙利社会党，并且把党的意识形态 转变为“民主社会主义”的社会体制意向。10月23日，国会通过的宪法修正案中，决定取消为集体国家元首的共和国主席团，开始实行民主选举。

捷克斯洛伐克是六四事件后，成功获得选举权的国家。1989年11月17日，捷克斯洛伐克首都布拉格爆发超过十万人的游行抗议，要求结束共产党统 治。11月24日雅克什辞去共产党第一书记一职，捷克政府并且举行了第一次的多党选举。在随后的大选中，反对派“公民论坛”获得胜利，刚刚刑满出狱的着名 剧作家哈维尔担任总统，完成该国政权的和平转移。

东德在六四事件后与西德合并，也成功获得了选举权。1989年东德政局严重变化。自当年5月开始，利用匈牙利开放奥匈边境之机，数千东德人逃往西 德。10月份，多个城市爆发了规模不一的游行，要求放宽出国旅行和新闻自由的限制。东德共产党总书记昂纳克表示要“学习中国同志的处理方式”。11月将近 十万左右的民众走向柏林墙，他们反对共产党的极权统治。当时东德的安全部队提枪对着民众与其对峙，他们告诉前面领着民运队伍的领袖说：“现在我们已经有了 指示，准备按照北京天安门的方式处理。”民众坚定告诉他们：“中国人都站出来了，我们也不怕。”后来，东德共产党内部发生决裂，将昂纳克的决策给否定了。 11月9日，分割东西欧的柏林墙在人民的欢呼声中怦然倒塌，自此分裂四十多年的德国统一。

同一张照片改变了东欧世界，为何改变不了中国？东欧民众认为：那名站在长安街上阻挡坦克，甚至无法确认其姓名的男子给了他们极大的勇气。是他的良知与勇气唤醒了沉睡已久的东欧民，众对民主自由的渴望。而今天的中国人，已将这一幕遗忘。阿信很难理解，为什么同一件事对东欧人的影响那么深远，对中国人而 言却是麻木？同学告诉他，这是品种问题。在西方，人们很容易受到一种向上的能量的影响而爆发出更大的能量。在中国，则全然相反，好的东西感染不了他们，他 们无法团结在一起爆发出更大的能量。正如涵石所言：中国人内斗内行，外战外行，一盘散沙。

一张照片改变了波兰、匈牙利、捷克斯洛伐克、东德以及更多东欧国家的命运，却改变不了中国现状。阿信无法接受这样的事实，在他的心目中，中国的领袖 永远都是伟大的。在过去几十年中，阿信所接受的全是这样的教育，他已被洗脑，当看见与自己过去所学的知识完全不一样时，他的内心有两股力量在斗争。他问： 究竟什么是我们的权利？八年之后，当他手持绿卡成为一名西方永久居民，当他一次又一次目睹了人民参与选举时的那种热烈高呼声，他才恍然惊醒。选举权是一个人与生俱来的权利，没有人可以剥夺它，它是我们的财富。中国教育令我们放弃了一个人最基本的权利，它给我们灌输了一党专政合法的思维，人们失去了选举权等于失去了一次以选举为基础的一切权利。阿信如今想来，当年东欧人民的选择是正确的，他们选择了手握选举权，因为这就是我们的权利，中国人也应该拥有属于我们的权利！

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Our Right

Qianmo Ruo, 04-21-2015

(Translation from original Chines, By Yi Yan)

Like many Chinese, who study abroad, Xin was an international student majored in contemporary world history. Once he was doing his homework, the drastic change of Eastern European attracted Xin’s attention. He found that after the 64 Tiananmen massacre incident, the Eastern European countries respectively abandoned the concept of communism, which had existed for dozens of years. The Eastern European people thought: Overthrowing the dictatorship of the Communist government, and propelling the human society into an age of democracy is our right.

A picture of Tiananmen Massacre incident changed the entire Eastern Europe. On April 5, 1989, a man in white shirt and black pants with a shopping bag in his hands was standing in front of a tank on Chang’an avenue of Beijing.  People called him “Tankman” His real name are Weilin Wang, and he disappeared after that. The western reporter captured this shocking moment. The photo immediately became the headline of the newspapers all over the world. As easterly European people saw this picture, they showed to respect highly. Someone even called him a hero due to his braveness of fighting for the right to freedom and democracy. It significantly inspired those Eastern European people who hold the same thought at the same time, resulting in the prevailing parades in Eastern European countries. Some people said: Tankman wanted to change China, but he changed the Eastern Europe.

Poland was a country where people successfully won the right for a vote after the Tiananmen Massacre incident.  The scene of Tankman was delivered to Poland on June 4 because of the time difference, which greatly affected the final vote of Poland at this crucial moment. In February 1989, the round table conference held in Poland decided to implement the separation of powers, presidential and parliamentarian. However, on June 4, the Solidamosc obtained the 99% seats in Senate and obtained all 161 seats in Representatives.  This election generated the first non-communist party premier. In December 1990, the Solidamosc leader Walesa won the election of the Polish president, which meant that the Solidamosc would play an important role in the political decision of Poland. The victory of Polish Solidamosc shook the Eastern European communist camp. Within several months following Poland’s election, eastern European Communist Party political power collapsed one after another.

Hungary was a country where people successfully won the right for a vote after the Tiananmen Massacre incident. In 1989, the Hungarian political situation experienced drastic changes. In February, the Hungarian Socialism Worker’s Party announced: Giving up the dictatorial position and starting to multi-party politics. On October 6, at the 14th representative Congress, the Hungarian Socialism Worker’s Party changed its name to Hungarian Socialist Party, and transformed its ideology to democratic socialism. On October 23, the Congress approved the constitutional amendment of canceling the Republic Presidium as the head of the country and established the country under the law of the multi-party political system and parliamentary democracy.

Czech was a country where people successfully won the right for a vote after the Tiananmen Massacre incident. On November 17, 1989, a parade of 100,000 people emerged at the capital of Czech, requesting the government to revoke the Communist Party. On November 24, Jakes resigned from Communist Party first secretary, and the government held the first multi-party election. In the afterward election, Citizen Forum Party won, and a renowned playwright Javier, who just went out of the prison, became to the president. Czech completed the peaceful shift of its political power.

East Germany merged with West Germany after the Tiananmen Square incident and won the voting right successfully. The East Germany political situation changed seriously in 1989. Starting from May, thousands of German fled into West Germany by the opportunity of Hungary’s border opening. In October, parades erupted in many cities. In November, about 100,000 people moved toward Berlin Wall in oppose to the dictatorial rule of Communist Party. The armed security troops stood face to face with the civilians, and told the leader of the democratic movement:” We are instructed to handle this situation by the ways of Tiananmen Square.” The people replied firmly: “Chinese people do not fear, and neither do we.” Afterward, there was a break off inside the East Germany Communist Party so that Honecker’s decision was denied. On November 9, the Berlin Wall collapsed in the cheers of the people, which meant that 40 years of divided Germany was now unified.

The picture changed Eastern Europe, why cannot change China? An Eastern European person thought: That Tank Man gave me so much braveness. His conscience and courage awoke the Eastern European people’s desire for freedom and democracy. However, Chinese people seemed to have forgotten this scene. It was hard to believe for Xin that such far-reaching incident could affect Eastern European people so much but had no influence on Chinese people. Someone told him it was because of the nature of Chinese. Western people are easily influenced by the upward energy while the Chinese are the opposite way. They are not able to be united and to fight together, just like Mr.Hansh saying:”Chinese are the experts of fighting against each other inside, but are the rookies of fighting together against the enemy outside.”

A picture changed the destinies of Poland, Hungary, Czech, Germany and many Eastern European countries, but was useless in changing China’s situation. Xin could not accept such fact. In the past years, he kept asking himself: What are our rights? Eight years later, he was a permanent resident of the United States. When he witnessed time and time again how American people participate in the election with high energy and devotion, he suddenly learned a lesson. The right to vote is inherent in a human being, and nobody can deprive it of us. However, Chinese education made us believe that is none of our business and instilled into our mind the legitimacy of dictatorship. The Eastern European people made the right choice of fighting for their voting right. Chinese people should have our rights of election, freedom and democracy.