In Full: Hong Kong Federation of Students and Scholarism petition letterAugust 17, 2017 13 ordinary civilians and students have been sentenced to 8-13 months’ imprisonment for their protest against the Government’s first funding instalment for the North East New Territories New Development Plan in June, 2014. Another 3 are yet to receive similar sentence for reclaiming the Civic Square at the Government Headquarters by the end of September, 2014. Imprisonment, as an outcome, has been imagined over and over again by them ever since the first day these democracy fighters planned their civil disobediences. Today, the imagination finally becomes real. We, a group of fellows in previous student movements, hereby salute to our fellow democracy fighters with our utmost gratitude and respect.The life and fate of over 7 million Hong Kong people depends, unfortunately, on the collusive regime of the Beijing Government, Hong Kong Government and the business tycoons. The Hong Kong Government sell our lands to the developers and, together, they damage the sustainable environment of Hong Kong. Additionally, the Beijing Government manipulates the understanding of the Basic Law through law interpretation in order to infringe the human rights, rule of law and democracy of Hong Kong people. Hong Kong people are living under such unjust ruling. In order to resist the authoritative control and power over us and to reclaim our rights to democracy, we must make use of our will and bodies to struggle against injustice.And in particular, the North East New Territories New Development Plan and Universal Suffrage relate to the life of all people in Hong Kong. We must not let our fellow democracy fighters bear the burden of civil disobedience alone!These suppressed youths are a group of protesters who resisted in response to the authoritative system of the Government. Throughout the years, they have contributed themselves to making social transformation. The group comprises journalists, assistants of LegCo. members, artists, farmers, etc. They are a group of energetic youth who are full of bright prospects. Now, they use their freedom in exchange for the welfare of their friends, parents and the public. They presented the ridicule of current political and social conditions through their bodily actions, attempted to prevent the authority from causing damages to the society and demonstrated their aspiration for democracy and justice. Their ambitions are the foundation for Hong Kong to become a democratic society which can respect individual rights. Isn’t a truly lawful and just society built on the values likewise?Amid the handover, the Provisional Legislative Council, which was formed without the public’s authorization, amended the Public Order Ordinance. The amendment amplified the authority and power of the police. It also expanded the boundary of the authority’s power indefinitely in order to maximize the legal liability of protesters. The Hong Kong Federation of Students, therefore, have always refrained from applying for the “Letter of No Objection” from the Hong Kong Police Force as a demonstration of civil disobedience and presentation of the institution’s violence at the same time.Over the past twenty years, many students have faced political prosecution. The cracking down of student movement exactly tells a vivid reality of how the Government suppresses local democratic movements. Ever since the Umbrella Movement, local student and social movements have faced unprecedentedly intensifying degree of suppression by the Government. Apparently, it has felt itself in a position losing its public credibility and has become unable to attenuate discontents in the public. Through deploying the Public Order Ordinance to incarcerate protestors, the government attempts to create terror, deter people from fighting for their rights and entitlements and prevent them from resisting the authoritarian government.In the framework of the Public Order Ordinance and its related law provisions, the cost of civil disobedient, unavoidably, is imprisonment. The Department of Justice may see it as a “victory” in stripping away the democracy fighters’ freedom by sentencing them through appeal. Quite the opposite, the Government has not gained a “victory”. The fighters have illustrated the value of civil disobedience even though they are convicted. The imprisonment only exposes the injustice of the Government. We believe, that in the eyes of the public, the convicts are not sinners. Even though these political prisoners are convicted but they have upheld the value of justice. Obviously, the Court ruled on the basis of their violation of the laws. But at the same time, it has chosen to turn a blind eye on the injustice embedded in the legal and governmental system. Just as all the other prominent dissents who fought the previous battles against the authoritarian regime, these political prisoners sacrifice their freedom and youth in the hope to raise the awareness of other Hong Kong people about the injustice we all face. They are righteous people. They are now put behind the bars for democracy and freedom.We must overcome the shadow and terror created by the political regime of Hong Kong and Beijing Governments. We must transform our sorrows into more assertive power. We must keep every single political prisoner in our minds and hearts so that we always remind ourselves what we are fighting for, for these are our democracy and rights that they were fighting for! Our common mission and goal have always been building a democratic and just society. Our fellows lose their freedom temporarily. We must continue fighting their fights so that we can welcome their return with a stronger and greater civil society.Co-authorsFan Cheung Fung. Chairman, Stand Committee, Hong Kong Federation of Student; Vice-President (External), 39th Student Union, CUHKWong Kai Hing, Chairman, 54th Hong Kong Federation of Student, Representative Council; Vice-President(External),Student Union, PolyULeo Tang. Vice-chairman, 54th Representative Council, Hong Kong Federation of Student; Vice-President (External), 43th Student Union, Lingnan UDaisy Chan Secretary General, 56th Hong Kong Federation of Student; Vice-President(External), 40th Student Union, CUHKLam Siu Pan, Ben. Deputy Secretary General, 55th Hong Kong Federation of Student; President, 41th Student Union, CUHKBenson Siu. Secretary, 55th Hong Kong Federation of Student Tsang Lok Him. Secretary, 55th & 56th Hong Kong Federation of StudentLaw Kwun Kit. Vice-chairman, 56th Representative Council, Hong Kong Federation of Student; Social movement officer, 45th Student Union, Lingnan UChan Shu Fai, Eddie. Secretary General, Hong Kong Federation of Student; President, 45thStudent Union, Lingnan UJohnson, Ching-Yin Yeung. Deputy Secretary General, 56th Hong Kong Federation of Student; President, 42th Student Union, CUHKLiu Sze Ming. Secretary, 56th Hong Kong Federation of Student; President, Student Union, EDUHKSIT KA MING. Secretary, 56th Hong Kong Federation of Student; President, 2th Student Union, HSMCWong Chi Siu. Secretary, 56th Hong Kong Federation of StudentLaw Cheuk Yiu Vice-chairman, Representative Council, 57th Hong Kong Federation of Student; Vice-President(External), 20th Student Union, PolyULai Choi Yin Central Representative, Representative Council, 57th Hong Kong Federation of Student Secretary(External), 20th Student Union, PolyUCheng sze lut. President, 43th Student Union, Lingnan UDebby Chan Ka Lam. Secretary (External), 43th Student Union, Lingnan UMax Lau. Former Spokesman, ScholarismPrince Wong. Former Spokesman, ScholarismJohnny Chung. former Chairman, Scholarism Secretariat
[GELORA45] In Full: Hong Kong Federation of Students and Scholarism petition letter
Jonathan Goeij [email protected] [GELORA45] Thu, 17 Aug 2017 10:09:55 -0700
