Tiananmen Square: The wound that remains unhealed

Press Release issued by Chinese Uyghur & Tibetan Solidarity UK

[3 June 2014] On the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, Chinese Uyghur & Tibetan Solidarity UK calls on the Chinese government to end its censorship of the 1989 protests and massacre, stop the persecution of survivors and instigate measures to bring about justice for those who lost their lives.

In the words of Shao Jiang, one of the Chinese student organisers of the 1989 protests who now lives in the UK, "The wound of Tiananmen Square 1989 remains unhealed. We must seek the truth, expose the perpetrators of the massacre and bring justice for all those who lost their lives on 4 June 1989."

As part of ‘Reclaiming Tiananmen 2014’, on Wednesday 4 June, a flower-laying ceremony will be held at 11am outside the Chinese Embassy in London to remember the victims of the massacre. Flowers will be laid by survivors and relatives of Tiananmen Square protestors plus representatives of NGOs involved in human rights and democracy in China, Tibet and East Turkestan.

Tenzin Samphel, chairman of the Tibetan Community in Britain, said, "Twenty-five years on, the Chinese government continues to brutally suppress peaceful protests, with violence, arbitrary arrests and harsh prison sentences. The international community must demand an end to the oppressive autocratic rule of the Chinese Community Party."

Rahime Mahmut, a member of Ughur Community UK said, "All peoples in China, including Han, Tibetans and Uyghurs, live in fear under a dictatorship that ruthlessly suppresses any form of dissent. Freedom of expression is a basic human right that the international community must insist the Chinese government uphold."

‘Reclaiming Tiananmen 2014’ is a series of events organised by Chinese Uyghur & Tibetan Solidarity UK [1], in conjunction with Amnesty International UK to mark the 25th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and to remember the victims of the massacre which took place on 4 June 1989.

On 31 May in Trafalgar Square, London, members of Chinese Uyghur & Tibetan Solidarity UK re-enacted the famous scene from Tiananmen Square of an anonymous Chinese man stopping a line of tanks [2].

Exhibition: "64+25=89"
Daily until 5 June, 9am - 9pm. Free
The Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA
Photographs from the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.

Panel Discussion: "Reclaiming Tiananmen"
3 June, 7pm - 9pm. Free
Reserve tickets via eventbrite http://goo.gl/25n0Cb
The Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA
A discussion on the impact and legacy of the Tiananmen protests. Speakers include: Wu Renhua and Shao Jiang, 1989 protest organisers; Wang Ti-Anna, an activist born in 1989; Dr Jonathan Mirsky, a journalist who covered the 1989 protests; and representatives of Tibetan and Uyghur communities.

Flower-laying Ceremony [Media photo opportunity]
4 June, 11am
outside the Chinese Embassy, 49-59 Portland Place, London W1B 1JL
A ceremony to remember the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Flowers will be laid by survivors and relatives of Tiananmen Square protestors plus representatives of NGOs involved in human rights and democracy for China.

Candlelit Vigil [Media photo opportunity]
4 June, 7pm - 10pm. All welcome.
outside the Chinese Embassy, 49-59 Portland Place, London W1B 1JL
A candlelit vigil to remember all those who died, were injured or imprisoned when Chinese armed forces stormed Tiananmen Square on 4 June 1989.

The events are hosted and organised by Amnesty International UK and Chinese Uyghur Tibetan Solidarity UK. Event details: http://bit.ly/ReclaimTSq

Contacts:
Available for interview:
Shao Jiang (Chinese activist & survivor of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre)
07961 948 852, t.shaojiang@gmail.com

Rahime Mahmut (member of Uyghur Community UK)
07830 039 693, reyiman@yahoo.co.uk

Tenzin Samphel (chairman of Tibetan Community in Britain)
07989 792 006, tenzin_samphel@yahoo.com

For flower-laying ceremony, panel discussion & exhibition:
Kristyan Benedict (Campaigns Manager, Amnesty International)
07979 695 275, kristyan.benedict@amnesty.org.uk

For vigil and general queries:
Paul Golding (Campaigns Coordinator, Tibet Society)
020 7272 1414, paul@tibetsociety.com

Notes:
1. Chinese Uyghur & Tibetan Solidarity UK is a coalition of organisations and activists that opposes the tyrannical rule of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and works to promote human rights, freedom and democracy for all oppressed people and nations under the CCP. The coalition includes the following organisations: Chinese Solidarity Campaign, Federation for Democratic China, Friends of Tiananmen Mothers, Students for a Free Tibet UK, Tibetan Community in Britain, Tibet Society, Uyghur Association and Uyghur Community UK. 
Email: cuts.uk@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/cuts.uk

2. On 31 May in Trafalgar Square, members of Chinese Uyghur & Tibetan Solidarity UK re-enacted the famous Tiananmen Square scene of a Chinese man stopping a line of tanks.
Further details: www.tibetsociety.com/content/view/481
Video (1m 15s): www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5m0jeePjkk
Photos: www.flickr.com/photos/29582880@N05/sets/72157644533518999/

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