| Hundreds of human rights activists demonstrated | | | | MAN'S VOICE: "We are expressing very strong |
| outside the Chinese embassy in London Wednesday | | | | feelings of solidarity for the Chinese people, very |
| to demand that release of people imprisoned since | | | | strong concerns about the lack of human rights and |
| the Tiananmen Square protests 19 years ago. Tendai | | | | the lack of respect with which individual citizens are |
| Maphosa was at the demonstration and filed this | | | | treated in China. |
| report for VOA. | | | | WOMAN'S VOICE: "I practice Falun Gong for nearly |
| On June 3 and 4, 1989, the Chinese army turned its | | | | 10 years and Falun Gong practitioners have been |
| guns on peaceful pro-democracy demonstrators in | | | | terribly persecuted in China but not just Falun Gong |
| Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Hundreds of the | | | | practitioners and many other people from Christians |
| protesters were killed. Nineteen years on, some of | | | | to human rights lawyers to many every day people." |
| those who were incarcerated for taking part are still | | | | Falun Gong is a spiritual group outlawed by the |
| in prison. | | | | Chinese government. Its members have been |
| Amnesty International, which sponsored | | | | subjected by widespread imprisonment, torture and |
| Wednesday's protest, told VOA the aim was to | | | | forced labor. |
| pressure Beijing not only to release the prisoners but | | | | Other participants said the demonstrations should |
| also to respect the rights of Chinese citizens. The | | | | serve as a reminder to the Chinese government that |
| rights organization's director Kate Allen says the | | | | the world is aware of its human rights abuses. |
| Beijing Summer Olympics offer an opportunity to put | | | | MAN'S VOICE: "The more we protest the more |
| China under the spotlight. | | | | people are gonna find out about it and so the greater |
| "It is one of those times when the world's attention | | | | the pressure on the government. |
| will be on China; there is a real opportunity for | | | | WOMAN'S VOICE: The more of us stand up and say |
| pressure for change and it will be absolutely shocking | | | | this is what is happening there let's just not be |
| if the Olympics passes two weeks of a sporting | | | | blinded by the wonderful economic opportunities |
| event and the opportunity to create that international | | | | there and not really pay attention to the human |
| pressure isn't taken." | | | | rights of so many people." |
| Though the demonstration was about those | | | | Amnesty's Kate Allen called on Western |
| imprisoned in 1989, some participants brought their | | | | governments to raise their voice against human rights |
| own human rights concerns. VOA spoke to some of | | | | abuses in China. |
| them. | | | | |