Sydney: Australia’s Chinese Liaison Officer Dawa Sangmo attended commemorative events in Sydney over the weekend marking the 68th founding anniversary of Chushi Gangdruk and the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre.

On 30 May, Dawa Sangmo, Chinese Liaison Officer of the Tibet Information Office, attended the Sydney Chushi Gangdruk anniversary event commemorating the 68th year since its founding. Among those in attendance were Rev. Bill Crews, Professor Chongyi Feng, President of the China–Tibet Friendship Association, Tashi Dhargyal, Vice President of the Tibet Youth Congress, and Tibetan activists from North America.

In her speech, Dawa Sangmo recalled Dzasa Andrug Gonpo Tashi’s unwavering commitment to fostering unity among Tibetans across the three traditional regions of Tibet. She also highlighted the grave situation in Tibet today, where the Chinese government’s policies of Sinicisation continue to intensify, eroding Tibetan identity, culture, and way of life. She urged Tibetan youth to take a more proactive role in Tibet advocacy, both within their local communities and in their individual capacities.

Dawa Sangmo also expressed her appreciation to the outgoing board members of Chushi Gangdruk for their dedicated service over the past three years and extended her best wishes to the newly elected board members as they assume their responsibilities.

Jigme Dorjee, President of Chushi Gangdruk Sydney, spoke about the establishment of the local chapter and emphasised that such commemorative events not only honour the sacrifices of Tibetan resistance fighters but also carry forward their legacy in the struggle for Tibet’s freedom and rights.

On 31 May, Dawa Sangmo participated in the annual commemorative event organised by the New Zealand and Australia Alliance for Victims of the Chinese Communist Regime, marking the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre.

The event was attended by Chinese democrats, Hongkongers, Tibetans, and Chinese students. It began with a flower-laying ceremony in front of the Statue of the Goddess of Democracy, followed by an interactive seminar on the legacy of the Tiananmen Massacre, democracy, freedom, and sovereignty.

In her remarks, Dawa Sangmo expressed solidarity with the Chinese people’s pursuit of democracy and constitutional governance. She also recounted how His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama extended support to Chinese students during the peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Furthermore, in the presence of Chinese students, Dawa Sangmo provided an account of the Central Tibetan Administration’s position on the Sino-Tibetan conflict and overview of the Middle Way Approach, emphasised its significance as a mutually beneficial solution for both Tibetans and the Chinese people.

-Report Filed By Office of Tibet, Canberra