10th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre

The Presidium of the National Commission of NSZZ "Solidarnosc" held its session on 5 May. One of the topics was the conference devoted to 10th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre and the question of human rights in China. The conference organised by Amnesty International Poland, Polish Pen Club and NSZZ "Solidarnosc" took place on 19 May in Information Centre of the Warsaw University. NSZZ "Solidarnosc" participated in the action of gathering signatures under the world's petition calling the Chinese Government to respect the human rights.

The letter of NSZZ "Solidarnosc" to the Conference devoted to the Xth Anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre and present situation of the human rights in China:

On the Xth Anniversary of the bloody suppression of the movement for democracy that emerged in 1989 in several provinces of the People's Republic of China, NSZZ "Solidarnosc" confirms its unbreakable support for the struggle of the Chinese society for the human rights and trade union freedoms.

Poland broke free from the totalitarian system not many years ago and has the right to demand the respecting of the human rights by authorities of all the states in the world.

The members of NSZZ "Solidarnosc" who actively participated in the fall of the totalitarian system in their own country, carrying all the consequences connected to this, not only have the right, but are also morally obliged to intervene everywhere the human rights are violated.

NSZZ "Solidarnosc" is of the opinion that every pressure from the public opinion is a hope for the persecuted and imprisoned people. We have to keep in mind that in the period of the martial law in Poland many members of our union were imprisoned and detained, and the pressure was a source of hope, and the result was opening of the prison gates and detention camps.

The Union many times participated in the international actions for introduction of democracy in the People's Republic of China, which was expressed by the statement of the Presidium and the National Commission, intervention letters to the Government of China and to the Government of the Republic of Poland, as well as statements on the international fora.

With a big satisfaction we noticed the initiative of a group of Polish Members of Parliament that presented a bill on the imprisonment of the democratic opposition activists by the Chinese authorities and statement of the Polish delegation on the session of the High Commission of Human Rights of the United Nations demanding the condemnation of the Government of the People's Republic of China.

We are pleased by the fact that we can co-operate with such organisations as Amnesty International, Pen Club or International Confederation of Free Trade Unions co-ordinating and conducting joint actions for respect the human rights.

NSZZ "Solidarnosc" appeals to the Polish and international society for solidarity with the people imprisoned for their beliefs and acting for democracy, for solidarity with the people who are persecuted, tortured, exterminated and sentenced to capital punishment.

NSZZ "Solidarnosc" will constantly demand release of all the political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, will appeal to the Government of the People's Republic of China for respecting the international conventions ratified by this country and will grant every possible assistance for the free democratic and trade union movement in China.

Warsaw, 19 May 1999