WE ARE a group of Hong Kongers living in Halifax. We’d like to express our concerns, hopelessness and disappointment over developments in the place we once called home.
We are demanding that the Canadian government assist its citizens in Hong Kong who are in need — there are more than 300,000 Canadians living there.
In our mind, Hong Kong is a place of phenomenal success stories forged by immigrants, mainly from mainland China, but also from every nook and cranny of the world. It was the people who came before us who helped build the core values which we share today with Canada: human rights, freedom, the rule of law, democracy, and last but not least, a clean government. These values were protected by our mini-constitution, The Basic Law, and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights. These are similar to the Canadian Bill of Rights and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Over the past two months, Hong Kong has seen its largest protests in decades, with the people crying out for their five demands to be met. (We shall list them below.) The people of Hong Kong, regardless of race, profession, class, ethnicity and religion, stand united in this.
Millions of dollars have been raised to try to raise awareness of the Hong Kong crisis via media platforms across the globe, and millions of Hong Kongers have also peacefully taken to the streets every weekend to press their demands since early June.
This is their 11th weekend of protest, and quite a few incidents had happened. On July 21, a mob of people wearing white shirts indiscriminately attacked hundreds of Hong Kong civilians, including lawmakers, elderly people and a pregnant woman, at Yuen Long railway station. The Hong Kong police had been notified hours before the attack. Yet no police officers arrived on the scene until 39 minutes after the outbreak of violence.
During the attack, the 999 emergency line refused to take calls from Yuen Long, and the local police station shut its doors to the people. Only a few arrests were made after that night and the suspects were released within 24 hours. Many wonder whether there was collusion with the police — there is footage of the mob passing by the police and even meeting with them face to face.
On Aug. 5, tens of thousands of Hong Kongers once again put pressure on the government by orchestrating major strikes in seven districts in Hong Kong — among the strikers were civil servants, pilots and workers from other walks of life. Many businesses also closed their doors as a sign of support.
As well, residents participated in major “non-co-operation movements,” expressing their anger over the government’s failure to address their demands, the total lack of negotiations, and the use of police brutality to repress the people of Hong Kong.
Hong Kongers in Canada did their part in joining a nationwide protest in seven cities across Canada, including Halifax, on Aug. 3 and 4.
Most protests in Hong Kong throughout the decades have been peaceful and orderly. Yet the recent ones have indeed turned violent in some cases. We do not agree with violence of any sort, but it is understandable how anguished people have become, when facing constant oppression, police brutality and being ignored by the government — after numerous protests, joint statements, letters, appeals to the United Nations and to different countries.
During the most recent turmoil, up until Aug. 11, there’s been copious footage and news articles of police brutality inflicted on the people of Hong Kong and other foreign nationals visiting the territory.
Moreover, multiple sources have also alleged that police officers have disguised themselves as protesters and stirred up the violence on that date, prior to making any arrests. There have also been cases of police officers deploying pepper-spray guns at point-blank range, using tear gas in congested and enclosed areas, including residential areas and mass transit railway stations.
There have been many other reports in the press of passersby, innocent people — including seniors, infants, children, and teenagers — being injured due to the use of force, tear gas and rubber bullets.
Worse, two people — one teacher and one nurse — were shot in the eye by the police’s rubber bullets and beanbag guns and suffered permanent damage to their eyesight.
All of this suggests a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in the territory.
Throughout this period, beginning in June, we have written letters to our local MP, Andy Fillmore. We are still awaiting his response. We understand that there are only a few of us here in Halifax, and that we are a long way from home. It is still our duty to stand up in Halifax and raise awareness of Hong Kong’s plight.
We ask the people of Halifax and Canada to stand with us in solidarity to safeguard the core values which we all share.
Here are our demands:
- That the Canadian government urge both Britain and China to adhere to the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984.
- That the Canadian government condemn the persecution of dissidents in Hong Kong and Hong Kong Police Force’s brutality.
- To enact measures to deny entry to, or revoke the Canadian citizenships of, Hong Kong government officials.
- To continue to urge the Hong Kong government to meet the five demands of the people of Hong Kong, namely:
- The repeal of the extradition bill in its entirety.
- The official retraction of the government’s mischaracterization of the June 12 protests as “riots.”
- The unconditional release and exoneration of all protesters in police custody and those who have been wrongfully convicted.
- The appointment of an independent inquiry to look into ongoing police brutality and the context in which incidents took place.
- An immediate implementation of dual universal suffrage as per Article 45 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong.
We will also be holding a peaceful assembly in Halifax by the statue at the Seaport Farmers’ Market today (Aug. 17) between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to raise awareness. This will dovetail with joint protests across the country. Other nationwide protests will be held simultaneously in the U.K., the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and other international communities.
In closing, we leave you with two quotes:
“In a little while, it will be over. We may fail. But the rights for which we contend will not die.” — Louis Riel
“To love our neighbour as ourselves is such a truth for regulating human society, that by that alone one might determine all the cases in social morality.” — John Locke
Joshua Wong is a Haligonian, Newfoundlander and the former president of the Hong Kong Students’ Association of Memorial University of Newfoundland. He writes on behalf of a group of Hong Kongers who live in Halifax and who also contributed to this piece.
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