Washington DC: Tenzin Dhetan, head of the China Desk of Central Tibetan Administration spoke at commemorations for the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre this Monday.
A candlelight vigil and a ceremony of remembrance were held in front of liberty statue near Capitol Hill.
Tenzin Dhetan offered a speech along with other speakers many of whom were witnesses of the Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989. There are leaders of the Democratic movement for China and many Chinese and other supporters joined the event.
“Today, on behalf of Central Tibetan Administration, I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude. In the past 30 years, members of Democracy Movements continuously support and respect His Holiness the Dalai Lama; pay attention to and support the Tibet issue and the “Middle Way” policy, and also offers advice and suggestions for exiled Tibetans,” Mr Dhetan said.
“As early from the 1980s, His Holiness has shared a special bond with groups of Chinese friends who supported freedom and democracy. They have always been the guest of His Holiness. Of course, the solution to the Tibet issue cannot be realised without reconciliation between Chinese and Tibetan brothers and sisters.”
He remarked that Tibetan freedom struggle and Chinese democracy movement bear the same suffering and same destiny. Therefore, he said the realization of China’s democratization and the resolution of the Tibet issue is a shared and common responsibility.
“Everyone in the world who respects life upholds justice and cherishes freedom will never forget this day. As a Tibetan who has been in exile for a long time, I am touched and deeply aware of the “June 4th, 1989″. I believe that the spirit of June 4th will last forever.”
“Thirty years ago today, the “June 4th, 1989″ massacre that shocked the world occurred in Beijing, the capital of China. It was the most painful bloody event in contemporary Chinese history. The most sacred Tiananmen Square in the minds of the Chinese people has become a murderous massacre that killed innocent students. The Chinese authorities used tanks, machine guns for a peaceful call where students and citizens demanded freedom and democracy in China,”
I hope that the Tibetan and Chinese people will work closely together to promote China’s democratization process with practical actions. Let Tibetan, Chinese, Uygurs, Mongolians, and all ethnic groups join hand in hand to promote China’s human rights, freedom, and democracy.
He thanked the organizer for the invitation and said he was honored to participate in the historic event.