World Tour: Not remembering Tiananmen Square

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Coming up next on The World and Everything in It: World Tour with Onize Ohikere.

ONIZE OHIKERE, REPORTER: Senegal protests — We start off today’s World Tour in Senegal where at least sixteen people have died during opposition protests that started last week.

AUDIO: [Protests]

Protests began after a court in the capital, Dakar, acquitted opposition leader Ousmane Sonko of rape charges. But he still received a two-year prison sentence over a lesser charge of morally corrupting a young woman.

Authorities tried Sonko in absentia and still have not arrested him. Opposition supporters view the move as an attempt to stop him from running in Senegal’s presidential election next year.

Sonko is considered a main challenger to President Macky Sall and has asked him not to seek an unconstitutional third term.

IBRAHIMA DIOP: [Speaking French]

Public Security Director Ibrahima Diop says authorities arrested over 500 people, including minors and foreign nationals. He accused the protesters of engaging in subversive activities, such as destroying public transportation and other state infrastructure.

Authorities initially restricted social media, saying people were sharing hateful and subversive messages. On Sunday, authorities then completely cut mobile data internet access on phones at specific times and places.

Hong Kong — Next, to Hong Kong.

AUDIO: [Ongoing arrests]

Authorities detained at least 23 people on Sunday for breaching public peace in a crackdown on events commemorating the Tiananmen Square anniversary.

Authorities also detained eight activists on the eve of the anniversary.

Hong Kong residents previously marked June 4 when Chinese authorities used tanks and troops to crush peaceful protests on the mainland in 1989.

Hong Kong’s national security law has outlawed all memorials since 2020, including an annual candlelight vigil in Victoria Park. Instead, the territory held a pro-Beijing carnival in the park on Sunday.

In Australia’s Sydney, Chinese activists in exile joined a solidarity rally.

Chen Yonglin is a Chinese government defector, who attended the gathering.

MAN: I am a witness and a survivor of the Tiananmen massacre in 1989 and our generation will never forget our painful experience.

More than 500 people also turned out for a candlelight vigil in Taiwan’s capital of Taipei. Similar gatherings took place in London and in New York City.

Poland protests — Next, to Poland.

AUDIO: [Chanting protesters]

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators marched across the capital city of Warsaw on Sunday to protest against the country’s conservative government.

Poles traveled from across the country to attend the protest where they waved Polish and European Union flags. Large crowds also gathered in other cities.

Protesters accused the ruling Law and Justice party of eroding democratic norms.

AUDIO: [Man speaking Polish]

This demonstrator says Poland could end up like Belarus if the conservative party continues to hold power.

Former Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who heads the opposition Civic Platform party had asked Poles to march with him for the sake of the country’s future.

Lech Walesa, a one-time Polish president whose party played a historic role in toppling communism in Poland, also attended the march.

Poland is expected to hold parliamentary elections this fall.

Haiti flooding — We close today with floods in Haiti.

AUDIO: [Sound of evacuees]

Residents are recovering from heavy rainfall over the weekend that killed at least 42 people. About 11 others are still missing.

The rains flooded towns in the North West region and caused mudslides in parts of the capital of Port-au-Prince and other areas. Heavy rainfall also hit the southeastern and central regions.

The downpour also damaged crops amid a spike in starvation.

Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency said the floods forced more than 13,000 people to evacuate their homes.

AUDIO: [Woman speaking Creole]

This woman says she lost everything and has no place to sleep.

Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry reopened the country’s National Emergency Operations Center to better coordinate support. A 4.9-magnitude earthquake struck southern Haiti early on Tuesday, further complicating the aid response.

That’s it for this week’s World Tour.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Onize Ohikere in Abuja, Nigeria.

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