United Nations for a Free Tibet
P.O. Box 10044, Oakland, CA 94610
Tel: (202) 3221 7888 USA
E-mail: unfft@gmx.com
http://unitednations4freetibet.com
For Immediate Release
June 4th, 2011
Contact:
United Nations for a Free Tibet: Brigitte von Bulow + 971 55 4973787 (English, UAE)
Joint Statement on the 22nd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre calling on raising awareness of the broader crackdown in ChinaOakland –During this 22nd anniversary of June 4th, Tibetans in exile, Chinese and Vietnamese Community in solidarity call on supporters around the world taking to the streets to highlight the broader crackdown in China, as well as the situation in Ngaba worsened through April till now.
“Tibetans, Vietnamese and supporters stand in solidarity with Chinese students, labor organizers, and pro-democracy advocates as their struggle for a democratic and Transparent China was violently crushed by the tanks in Tiananmen Square (Note 1),” said Brigitte Graefin von Bulow, Chair of United Nations for a Free Tibet, “We urge the Chinese government to review the events of June 4, 1989, and to have the courage and far-sightedness to embrace more truly egalitarian principles and pursue a policy of greater accommodation and tolerance of diverse views.” This is also promoted by His Holiness the Dalai Lama (Note 2).
In recent days, hundreds of Chinese dissidents have been detained and harassed since the Jasmine Revolution spreaded in China, which obviously led to the worries and fears in the hearts of Chinese leaders. Meanwhile, the Military Siege of Tibetan Monastery in Ngaba continues with armed police and troops on high alert while international observers and media are still banned from the region (Note 3).
"June 4th marks the military crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989, because Deng Xiaoping dared to use defense forces against unarmed students and citizens, which led to another 22 years' success in maintaining Communist Red China. ", said Chin Jin of the Federation for a Democratic China, "The true meaning of June 4th should not be just limited to the annual commemoration, but a wake-up call on awareness raising of the democracy and freedom in China day and night...We need to leave no stone unturned on our mission of seeing the realisation of a truly democratic China."
Here together we demand International society to:- Press their government to issue a public statement of concern about the recent crackdown in Tibet and China, and to put an End to China's Terrorist Attacks and Expansionism in the Southeast Asia Sea (Note 4) and to stop the China's terrorist attacks against Vietnamese fishermen (Note 5).
- Convey to China's leaders the message that the release of all Prisoners of conscience and its security forces must withdraw from Ngaba.
- Insist governments send embassy representatives to express concern to relevant Chinese Ministries.
- Push for international observers and media to be given unfettered access.
Solidarity protest and vigils will be held in British, Germany, and the United States, on the Tiananmen anniversary, June 4th.
Signed by:United Nations for a Free Tibet
Federation For A Democratic China
The Joint Working Committee for the Chinese Democratic Movement
Youth Vietnamese group fighting for Freedom, Democracy, and Human Rights for Vietnam
The youth Vietnamese group Pho Duc Chinh (Southern California, USA)
The Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag Movement
The Freedom Fighters PalTalk Group of South California, USA
Notes:1. The Tiananmen Square massacre occurred on 4 June 1989. Hundreds of people lost their lives when Chinese troops crushed the pro-democracy protests that began in April that year. The exact number of deaths remains unknown as the Chinese government has refused to acknowledge the incident or the deaths. Thousands of people were jailed at the time for participating, promoting or connections with the pro-democracy protests.
2. http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/349-his-holinesss-statement-on-the-20th-anniversary-of-the-tiananmen-square
3. http://www.tibetnetwork.org/campaigns-ngabastatement
On 21 April the crisis intensified when over 300 monks were forcibly taken away from Kirti Monastery by paramilitary police. Elderly Tibetans keeping vigil at the monastery and who tried to prevent the monks being removed were beaten, and two - Dongko (male) and Sherkyi (female), both in their sixties - died. The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy has reported the death of a further young Tibetan named Chukpel on 7 April from injuries sustained during a protest, and in early May two Kirti monks - Lobsang Dhargye and Kunchok Tsultrim - received prison sentences of 3 years each. A further 25 detainees are still missing and disappearances are continuing, while sympathetic students at local schools have been subject to investigations and lockdowns. Video footage released on 20 April by Voice of America's Tibetan Service clearly refutes China's claims that the situation in Ngaba is "normal." See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwmstGsFlJc .
4. Put an End to China's Terrorist Attacks and Expansionism in the Southeast Asia Sea:
http://www.change.org/petitions/put-an-end-to-chinas-terrorist-attacks-and-expansionism-in-the-southeast-asia-sea-2#signatures
5. China's terrorist attacks against Vietnamese fishermen
http://www.nguyenthaihocfoundation.org/petitions/SEAS/fishmen_attacked_by_China_petition_6_1_2011.htm
United Nations for a Free Tibet (UNFFT) is a nonprofit organization based in California, with board members worldwide. We work in solidarity with the Tibetan people in their struggle for freedom and independence. Our role is to unite Tibet support groups and individual Tibet supporters to speak for Tibet with one strong voice.---
