Tokyo, Japan – Chinese and Japanese supporters of democracy in China, representatives of the Tibetan, Uyghur, South Mongolian, Hong Kong and Falun Gong communities gathered at Bukyoku Kumin Hall in Tokyo, to mark the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre on June 4, 2023, and declared: "Let not forget the Tiananmen Square Massacre."
The event was organised by the Chinese Federation for Democracy (Minshu Chugoku Jinsen) and participants paid tribute to all the victims of the Tiananmen tragedy. The theme of this year's anniversary was “Let’s not forget the Tiananmen Square massacre”. The event aimed to remind the world that the Chinese struggle for democracy is still alive. Arya Tsewang Gyalpo, representative of the Liaison Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, attended the event.
President of the Chinese Federation for Democracy, Wangdai, expressed his gratitude to the participants and the media for their presence and support for the movement.
Zhou Fengsuo, Chinese human rights activist and former student leader of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protest, took part in the event. Currently residing in the United States, Mr Fengsuo gave an hour-long talk on the tragedy, recalling how the young protesters were brutally massacred by China's Communist rulers. He said he was happy to be in Japan, a free nation that allows him to speak freely about freedom and democracy. He thanked the organizers and the Japanese government for offering him a platform to make heard the voice of the young Chinese students who sacrificed their lives for the democratization of China.
Arya Tsewang Gyalpo, representative of the Liaison Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, also attended the event. He thanked the organizers for their invitation and spoke on behalf of the Tibetan community, expressing solidarity with the Chinese people in their quest and struggle for freedom and democracy. He explained that Tibetans are not anti-Chinese, as the Communist leaders claim, and spoke of the Middle Way Approach and how it fits into the Chinese constitution. He added that it was important to remember people like Liu Xiaobo, winner of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize, who sacrificed their lives for democracy in China.
Representatives of the international diaspora, the Uyghur, South Mongolian, Hong Kong and Falun Gong communities took part in the event. They spoke about the brutality of the CCP regime and the importance of protecting human rights, democracy and universal values. They appealed to the international community to support their movement for freedom and democracy and urged China to stop its repressive policy in the land and the occupied regions.
Earlier in the day, members of the Chinese Democracy Movement and its supporters organised a demonstration in front of the Chinese Embassy, as well as a candlelight vigil in Shinjuku Park in the evening, to highlight the importance of the Tiananmen Square tragedy and to perpetuate its memory. The events of the day were well covered by the media, and the mission of establishing democracy and freedom was well highlighted.
