Dharamshala: Two banners one in Chinese and one in English hang in the exhibition hall of the Guchusum Movement by the Tibet People’s Uprising Movement (TPUM) the banners declare “Tibet and Tiananmen are Beijing’s shame.” 4th June marks the 20th anniversary of Tiananmen Square massacre, an event that along with the ongoing human rights offenses in Tibet represent China’s brutal militaristic oppression. At a press conference today in Dharamshala, TPUM said “exile Tibetans stand in solidarity with the Chinese democracy movement and express support for their demand for freedom, human rights and democracy in China.” Tibet’s exile community gathers at the main temple in Dharamshala for prayer vigils in response to violence, important anniversaries, or injustices that happen inside of Tibet. On 3 June TPUM; the Tibetan Women's Association, Guchusum Movement, Tibet National Democrary Party and Students For Free Tibet will organize a campaign during the day and a candlelight vigil in the evening followed by the screening of the documentary about the Tiananmen Square protests, “The Gate of Heavenly Peace.” On 4th June a series of other events have been organized and individuals have been asked to wear white clothes, white is the Chinese color for mourning.
The Chinese army’s quelling of the 1989 protests is similar to the Chinese government’s brutal crackdown on the thousands of Tibetans who took part in the peaceful uprising against the repressive Chinese rule in 2008. President of the Gu-Chu-Sum movement, Ven. Ngawang Woebhar said “there is no direct relationship between the pro-democracy Chinese activist and the Tibetan freedom movement in Dharamshala, but we all are fighting for democracy and human rights. It is our moral obligation to show solidarity to those who died in the Tiananmen massacre.
He continued “in the past 20 years, we have not shown great support for those who gave their lives and freedom on 4th June 1989, but in the future, we intend to strengthen our relationship”