Tiananmen victims' group wants China to re-think massacre

The Chinese government may have to re-examine its justification for the Tiananmen massacre, a victims' group has said.

The Tiananmen Mothers say growing evidence undermines the government's claim that the crackdown was necessary to end counterrevolutionary turmoil.

The group makes the claims in an open letter issued to coincide with the anniversary of the crackdown on June 4 1989.

The recently published book, The Tiananmen Papers, along with other collections of photographs, personal testimonials and lists of the dead and wounded, will, "Inevitably put the perpetrators of this tragedy into the position of defendants", says the group's letter, faxed to news agencies by New York-based Human Rights in China.

The letter was signed by 111 relatives of victims.