Chinese Gather to Form Opposition in Exile
Refugees who fled the violent suppression of China’s pro-democracy movement joined fellow Chinese from around the world Friday to establish a new opposition in exile aimed at continuing the battle begun on Tian An Men Square.
The three-day meeting of the Federation for Democracy in China, held at the Sorbonne, opened with a moment of silence to honor those killed June 3-4 when soldiers marched into Beijing to crush the student-led movement. Hundreds, and perhaps thousands, died.
“Bringing democracy to China requires that we battle together, shoulder to shoulder,” said Wuer Kaixi, the 21-year-old Beijing University student who delivered compelling speeches in Beijing’s Tian An Men Square at the height of the spring protests.
Among those in the crowd of about 500 were photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, actor Yves Montand, political leaders and human rights activists from throughout Europe and four members of Poland’s once-banned Solidarity movement.
“We Poles know the cost of freedom, human rights. Fighting for these things takes a long time,” Solidarity member Zbigniew Chlap told the crowd.
Delegates to the meeting were divided into four regional groups--China, Europe, Asia and North America.
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