Wang Dan, a student leader of the 1989 pro-democracy movement in China and participant in the protests at Tiananmen Square, fielded questions and criticism during a forum yesterday at the Kennedy School of Government.

Wang, currently a graduate student at Harvard, joined four other human rights activists involved in the pro-democracy movement in recalling the events at Tiananmen Square and commenting on the current movement in China.

The forum marked the start of a month of events leading up to the 10th anniversary of the June 4, 1989 student uprising at Tiananmen Square.

"Talking about 10 years ago--it's just like yesterday," said Xiao Quiang, executive director for Human Rights in China and a speaker at yesterday's event.

Wang described the effect the Communist government's reaction to the student protests has had on his life.

"It was a horrific evil," Wang said. "The 1989 democratic movement has become an emotional burden in my heart."

Wang said the protests by students and other democratic leaders were "unavoidable social confrontations" in China.

But later in the forum, an audience member from China challenged the human rights activists' vision for modern China.

"If you want everything, you get nothing," the audience member said. "You have turned a patriotic action into a rebellion."