Vigil for the 29th Anniversary of Tiananmen Massacre of June 4

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Vigil for the 29th Anniversary of Tiananmen Massacre of June 4

Start time 2018-06-04 19:00
Finished Time 2018-06-04 21:00
Address Freedom Square
Content

70 years After UDHR, China’s Oppression Closing Up: Vigil for the 29th Anniversary of Tiananmen Massacre of June 4, 1989

This is the 70th year since United Nations passed Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is the 29th anniversary of Tiananmen Massacre. Yet, justice for the victims are not sought, and the democracy for China is far from achieved. What further infuriates people is that, the communist China still violently oppresses Chinese people’s pursuit of human rights, democracy, and freedom, which is no different from 29 years ago. After Xi came into power, the oppression grew even more extensive and cruel, attempting to maintain the one-party ruling by thorough and cross-border monitoring, and eliminating all the dissenting opinions.

** The June 4 is ongoing **
The June 4 massacre may have ended in 1989, but Chinese government’s oppression on people is still ongoing, and even invading our community. While remembering June 4, we also raise our concern for, and protest against China’s oppression on human rights. During the memorial this year, we will show our support for Liu Xia, Liu Xiao Bo’s wife, human rights lawyer Wang Quan Zhang, civil rights activist Qin Yongmin, activist for Tibetan culture Tashi Wangchuk, among many other suppressed human rights activists.

**The threat is not only within China**
From a Taiwanese point of view, caring about human rights in China is not only for our belief in universal human rights, but also for how we and our next generation live in the future. Whether China may continue dictatorship or proceed to democracy has a significant influence on the development of civilisation in Taiwan, East Asia, and the whole world. We are inviting activists from the region, as well as the Reporters Without Borders, which promotes freedom of press and freedom of speech, to talk about the impact that China’s ‘cloud totalitarianism’ and ‘One Belt One Road Initiative’ have on the neighbouring countries.

**Oppression is not so far away from us**
In March 2017, Li Ming-che, a Taiwanese NGO worker, became a victim of forced disappearance by Chinese authorities, and was convicted of “subversion,” a crime he never committed. Over the past year, Chinese military aircraft and vessels keep on approaching the territory and provoking Taiwan. Recently, the Beijing government even forced hotels and airline companies to stop categorize Taiwan as a country. We are all haunted by Chinese totalitarianism, and Taiwanese people no longer have the luxury to ‘mind our own business’ only. China, with dictatorship and arbitrary use of force, is never ‘other people’s business’.

Please stand up with us, and say no to Chinese dictatorship!

PROGRAM
19:00-19:05｜A Poem Tribute (by Meng Lang)
19:05-19:25｜June 4 Massacre and the UDHR
19:25-20:00｜Solidarity to Political Prisoners in China
20:00-20:15｜Music: C Chord
20:15-20:25｜Regional View: Malaysia, Vietnam and Japan
20:25-20:35｜Surveillance Without Borders
20:35-20:50｜Music: Chang Jui-chuan
20:50-21:00｜Free Li Ming-che

CO-SPONSORS

  • Taiwan Students for a Democratic China
  • New School for Democracy
  • Taiwan Thinktank
  • Youth Synergy Taiwan
  • Taiwan Association for Human Rights
  • Taiwan Forever
  • Covenants Watch
  • Taiwan Alliance to End Death Penalty
  • Taiwan-Tibet Human Rights Network
  • Chen Wen Cheng Memorial Foundation
  • Reporters Sans Frontières
  • Taiwan Support China Human Rights Lawyers Network
  • Taiwan Friends of Uyghur
  • Taiwan Youth Anti-Communist Corps
  • Taiwan Friends of Tibet
  • Taiwan Association for China Human Rights