Let it be known. Some students are not leaving to have fun in the sun.

Some are not going home.

Some are never going home.

My story is about dreamers and fighters from our time but from a different place. Their story is difficult to comprehend because of certain inalienable rights our forefathers declared for us hundreds of years ago. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness were secured by our derived government, with the understanding that "whenever any form of Government becomes destructive . . . it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it. . ."

Today, we may be limited in our ability to alter or abolish an action, but we do have the right to try.

The people in my column are not so politically privileged. For them the freedom of speech, the right to assemble, the right to petition the government with grievances, and the right to a speedy and public trial are not realities. The right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is only a dream. Or in this case, it was a nightmare.

Last week I walked up to fourth floor Burrowes Building to interview Yisheng Zhang, a Chinese graduate student involved in China's pro-democracy movement. Our conversation led to an account of June 3, 1989 when soldiers entered Tianamen Square.

Yisheng could not believe what happened that night. "Even at the time of the crackdown when we heard the sounds of rifles, we did not believe the soldiers would open fire" he said. "We thought they were opening fire to the sky, not the people."

He explained the people were not stupid; they just didn't believe that the government could be so brutal. At least 500 were killed, with some reports citing the dead closer to 1000.

His one friend, videotaping the events, was shot in the hip. Yisheng and his friends carried their wounded friend to one, two, three, hospitals before they found one that was not completely filled with casualties. But by then it was too late. His friend had bled to death.

He also told of the wounded who were afraid to get medical attention because troops were patrolling the hospitals. One student, shot in the leg, delayed seeking treatment. It soon became infected and had to be amputated.

As the world's attention focuses on the gulf, China has taken advantage of this time to convict pro-democracy students charged with "counter-revolutionary propaganda and incitement." Many have already been sentenced to labor camps or prisons.

Others escaped or are studying abroad. They do not know when they will be able to go home and fear for their families' well-being.

There are also those who have been left behind, keeping the yearning of personal freedom dormant in their hearts until China's political climate changes for the better. To me, they have the toughest role to play.

The people's unhappiness, which fueled the movement, is long and complex. Yisheng and I talked about the oppression of the Chinese people, especially the poor condition for intellectuals. Gesturing around his cubicle, he told me the average married professor with children lives in housing not much bigger. The average factory worker makes more money than the $30 a month a professor makes. Their schedules are also quite demanding and they are overburdened with work. These conditions contribute to an average life span of 58 for intellectuals compared to the average Chinese life span of 69.

But the desire to learn and gain knowledge cannot be stifled by the government. It may be able to oppress the people but it cannot totally crush the human spirit's desire to live. China's people may have fear, but they also have anger and frustration. This anger and frustration will not go away. It is just waiting for the right moment to explode once again.

The Chinese pro-democracy movement is far from dead. Chinese nationals overseas have formed networks all over the globe to keep the pro-democracy movement active. These vigilant political networks keep links with China in order to keep the people informed on the movement's progress. The students in China may be limited by what they can achieve, but the movement is still very much alive.

In January, Li Shuxian and Fang Lizhi, China's most famous dissidents arrived in the United States. The couple are scientists by trade, human activists by nature. They were forced to take refuge in the U.S. Embassy in Beijing after the violent crackdown. Finally, after a year in the embassy and much fancy political footwork, the Chinese government allowed the couple to leave. They are now residing in Princeton, working on research in their respective fields. The Fang couple are role models encouraging Chinese overseas to excel in their area of study and to be politically active.

When I was in Beijing in 1989, I met the couple. Inspired by their own private sacrifices, I asked what we as American students could do to help our Chinese peers. Li answered my question. She said it was important to stay aware. It was important to let people know what is happening.

In my heart, I carry hope that the Chinese students' dreams of reform will become reality. All those fighters and dreamers may one day attain the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I doubt they will ever take these rights for granted.

Let it be known.