Tokyo: Chinese and Japanese NGO groups supporting freedom and democracy in China observed the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre at Japan’s lower house Parliament building on 3 June 2024. Ide Keitaro and Oshinchu of the China Dialog moderated the events and narrated the chronology of the 4th June Tiananmen Square incident briefly.
Makino Seishu, a former Member of Parliament and former Vice Minister of Economic Affairs welcomed the participants and spoke on the importance of democracy and his long association in opposing the Chinese Communist Party’s violation of human rights and democracy in China and the occupied regions. He called for the unity of all the Chinese people and the international democratic bodies to fight the repressive regime and bring freedom and democracy to China.
Representative Dr. Tsewang Gyalpo Arya, who was invited as a guest speaker, thanked the organisers for inviting him and giving him the opportunity to share his thoughts on the event. Dr. Arya expressed sorrow and consolation on behalf of all the Tibetans for all those who became victims of the CCP’s brutal clampdown during and after the Tiananmen Square event and conveyed solidarity with Chinese, Hongkongers, and Taiwanese in their fight against the CCP’s brutal and ignominious regime. He said democracy is inevitable and Tibetans are with the Chinese brothers and sisters in their struggle for freedom and democracy. He further explained that contrary to the CCP’s claim, Tibetans are neither separatists nor anti-China, it is the CCP who is afraid of the unity of Tibetan and Chinese people; the destructions of Larungar and Yachengar Monasteries in Eastern Tibet are a clear indication of the CCP’s separatist agenda.
Among the speakers were Kitai Daisuke of Amnesty International Japan, Sawuti Mohemaite of the Japan Uyghur Congress, Journalist Harimoto Shin, and Writer Lee Komaki. They all spoke of the harsh and repressive political and social environment in CCP-ruled China and the importance of democracy in China for peace and stability in China, Asia, and the world. Messages from abroad supporting the event and condemning the CCP’s brutal regime were read and distributed at the event.
The second phase of the event had a video presentation compiled by Prof Ako Tomoko of Tokyo University. It showed Hong Kong’s struggle for democracy and how it was brutally suppressed. The video mainly focused on the democracy activist Chow Hang-Tung, who is still languishing in prison. Sakurai Shu of the Bipartisan Diet Member Caucus for Human Rights Diplomacy, Hirano Yuru of Stand with Hong Kong, and other activists spoke on how the CCP robbed Hong Kong of peace, prosperity, and democratic rights.
The event concluded with a candlelight vigil and prayers for all the victims of the CCP’s regime and hope for the unity of all Chinese people and the supporters for freedom, democracy, and peace in China and the world.
–Report filed by Office of Tibet, Japan