After Tiananmen let’s welcome the Uigher

Published in The Australian Financial Review

In Tiananmen Square, June 4th, 1989 unarmed Chinese students chanted “Freedom will not be suppressed,” fearless in peaceful protest. Thousands were slaughtered for it, many crushed by tanks along with their 10 meter high statue, Goddess of Democracy. Thousands were imprisoned.

Published version - AFR - 04 Jun 2009

In Australia freedom to support democratic values was not suppressed. The Hawke Labor government reacted by granting permanent residency to 20,000 Chinese students then in Australia. On Iraq in 2003, Labor in opposition had a strong moral message for an ally too, not intimidated by a powerful friend and gained from it.

How secure are our democratic values now?

On the 20-year anniversary of Tiananmen Square, a parliament not compromised by a growing authoritarian power will tell the Chinese government openly to admit it happened; to release up to 200 people still in detention for it and to release many others imprisoned for reporting it.

Treat China like a friend gone astray. Don’t be intimidated. Tell its authoritarian government what it needs to hear. Unfreeze the past and let it go.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi lives without freedom — under house arrest most of the last 20 years, a prisoner of conscience, in failing health, denied her democratic right to lead Burma, the country that elected her in 1990. Her oppressors, the Burmese junta, are the Chinese government’s friends. Our democracy is weak if our elected leaders lack the courage and skill to ask the Chinese government to assist this living Goddess of Democracy.

Tell the United States and Chinese governments that Australia will take the 17 Uighur men persecuted by both powers, held for nearly eight years in Guantanamon Bay charged with nothing.

Moral poverty is not a fair trade for high priced minerals. A robust long term economy has a rock solid moral foundation.

Tags: Aung San Suu Kyi, China, democracy, Uighur