  We predict a mechanism to generate a pure spin current in a two-dimensional
topological insulator. As the magnetic impurities exist on one of edges of the
two-dimensional topological insulator, a gap is opened in the corresponding
gapless edge states but another pair of gapless edge states with opposite spin
are still protected by the time-reversal symmetry. So the conductance plateaus
with the half-integer values $e^2/h$ can be obtained in the gap induced by
magnetic impurities, which means that the pure spin current can be induced in
the sample. We also find that the pure spin current is insensitive to weak
disorder. The mechanism to generate pure spin currents is generalized for
two-dimensional topological insulators.
