Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com). Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it exclusively produces is in the public domain. Activists: China Pays Compensation to Mother of Tiananmen Victim ---------------------------------------------------------------- http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=120278C:3919ACA Payment is the first known time China has paid compensation to a relative of someone killed during the crackdown on the democracy movement Chinese activists say the government has paid compensation to the mother of a 15-year-old boy who died in police custody days after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. They say the Chinese government paid the mother of Zhou Guocong more than $8,700 (70,000 yuan) in so-called hardship assistance. Activists say the payment is the first known time China has paid compensation to a relative of someone killed during the crackdown on the democracy movement. Activists say Zhou was detained by police in the southern city of Chengdu as part of a nationwide crackdown on democracy protests. The 1989 student-led pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square were crushed by the Chinese military. Other protests were held across China. Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP. .