0003230
G.F. 323
CONFIDENTIAL
Extract from the Wen Wei Pao
dated 1st November 1968.
APPENDIX C (3)
HONG KONG-KOWLOON HAWKERS CONDEMN THE HONG KONG
BRITISH AUTHORITIES FOR DRIVING HO YU CHIU TO
SUICIDE AND OFFER SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO HO'S
WIFE.
THEY INDICATE THAT THEY WILL STRENGTHEN
THEIR UNITY IN STRIVING FOR LEGITIMATE INTERESTS.
MONEY RAISED AT MEETING AND PRESENTED TO HO'S
WIFE AS CONSOLATION MONEY.
The Hong Kong British authorities have never relaxed their persecution of the hawkers but have always subjected them to arrests, fines and ruthless beatings. Recently, they have stepped up their persecution of hawkers using the so-called "Cleanliness Campaign" as a pretext. On 19th inst., a hawker named HỌ Yu Chiu, of Russell Street, was forced to jump to his death just because of the "Cleanliness Campaign". The broad mass of hawkers is highly indignant at the persecution of the Hong Kong British authorities. have bound themselves into a strong unity to defend the legitimate rights in operating their stalls. Yesterday and the day before yesterday, hawkers held comfort meetings separately in Hong Kong and Kowloon to console HO's survivors and other hawkers whom the Hong Kong British authorities had persecuted. At the meetings, victimised hawkers indignantly condemned and disclosed the atrocities committed by the Hong Kong British authorities.
They
These meetings had large attendances. Participants, young and old, went along as soon as they had packed up their stalls, before taking their supper. Almost 2,000 hawkers from various districts, including New Territories and Aberdeen, turned up for the meetings. They unanimously indicated that armed with MAO Tse Tung's thinking, they and their counterparts might not be bullied by other people any more and that, in the face of continued persecution by the Hong Kong British authorities, they had to stand still more united and struggle hard to ensure a minimum living and defend their legitimate rights of plying their business. At the meetings, they shouted aloud, "Let hawkers in Hong Kong and Kowloon be united! Struggle for legitimate rights of plying our business! Oppose unreasonable persecution by the Hong Kong British authorities! Stand firmly united and persist in struggling! Long live the invincible MAO Tse Tung's thinking! Long live Chairman MAO!" They chanted such slogans to demonstrate their determination to fight the Hong Kong British.
/The......
CONFIDENTIAL