Thousands of people attended Amnesty International UK’s demonstration outside the Chinese embassy in London to mark the anniversary of the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square.

Amnesty recreated the iconic ‘tank man’ image from Tiananmen Square, with survivor Shao Jiang standing in front of a real, full-sized tank outside Amnesty’s headquarters. Over 10,000 people across the UK signed a petition which was sent to the Chinese authorities on behalf of those whose children were killed by Chinese troops who opened fire on the peaceful protesters in Beijing on 4 June 1989.

The Tiananmen Square incident killed hundreds of people, with dozens of protesters still languishing in prisons after unfair trials. Many more activists have been arrested for questioning since the Chinese government’s actions in 1989.

Demonstrators laid thousands of red roses outside the Chinese embassy in a sign of solidarity for the mothers of those killed who are not allowed to mourn their child’s death publicly for fear of reprisals from the Chinese authorities. Along with the roses, a minute’s silence was held as demonstrators held aloft red roses in mourning for not just the fallen victims of Tiananmen Square, but also for those killed in the recent Sichuan earthquake.

Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said:

“We appealed to the Chinese government to support the Tiananmen victims’ families’ simple demand – the freedom to publicly mourn the deaths of their children without harassment and a full investigation into the events of June 1989. The Chinese authorities still deny their people the right to peacefully protest 19 years on from the Tiananmen Square crackdown. It’s never been more important for people here in the UK to stand up for human rights in China.”

Tiananmen Square survivor Shao Jiang said:

“Back in 1989 in Beijing I helped organise the pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square. I was arrested and held in prison for 18 months, followed by years of harassment and further detention. But I was still one of the lucky ones. Many of the participants were killed. I am here to commemorate the victims of the Tiananmen crackdown and to support the demands of the Tiananmen families”’

Amnesty International Australia are also getting involved with a campaign to make China’s broken promise to improve human rights become a reality for its people.

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As part of Oxfam Australia charity Mid Year Appeal, they are highlighting the plight of the stone quarry workers in West India, who are one of the most disadvantaged groups in the world today.

The workers are made up of mostly women who have to work for 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, in unbearable heat. Without portable water to drink, food to eat or a proper house to live in, migrant labourers working at the stone quarries have been severely let down. Not only are they paid as little as $1 a day, they are also exposed to serious amounts of dust concentration. This causes large amounts of respiratory problems and lung impairments for the workers who smash rocks all day in these appalling conditions. Radiological testing has shown that a massive 32.5 percent of all quarry workers are suffering from some form of possibly fatal respiratory problem

Lakshimbai Arjun Jadhav was only 12 years old when she started working in the quarry. She became married at 14 and now has 4 children of her own. Her husband can no longer provide for his family after being blinded by flying stone chips in the quarry. Lakshimbai now has to be a mother, a carer, AND a worker all in one day, just to help her family survive -

“I have worked in the mines every day, even when I was pregnant and on the day I went into labour. If I don’t go to work then I cannot feed my children, so I keep on breaking stones.”

Thanks to the sterling work of Oxfam Australia, the downtrodden quarry workers now have access to clean electricity, insurance, and most importantly clean drinking water This type of change does not happen overnight, but with your help it is possible to improve the lives of even the most disadvantaged people. These quarry workers want their children to have a better life, and with your support we can help make that dream become reality.

Help Oxfam Australia with a Charity Gift

You can help raise funds with Oxfam Unwrapped, where you can purchase virtual charity presents which make ideal and unusual gift for a loved one.

From as little as £6 you could provide 100 school dinners for children in Brazil, or for £95 you can purchase a camel for a village in the Sudan!

These fantastic gifts are a great way put something back into the world whilst also giving your friends and family a real conversation starter.

> > click here purchase an ‘Oxfam Unwrapped’ present from Oxfam Australia

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