In this situation of mounting public opinion and strength, the government has to review its attitude of connivance towards social movement. In fact, it had already tightened its control on the grassroot sectors.
The arrest of the Boat People this time indicates the government is making use of the existing, yet unjustified, law to threaten the public so as to shatter the bondage between organisations and the public. This is an evident blow to the involved organisations and boat people of the issue which is so intended by the government as to contain and channel this movement within its tolerance limit.
A beautiful myth ? An illusive veil ?
The workers' riot during 1966 and 1967 gave a good lesson to the government who since then, started systematic'channels of communication' between her and the public so that'negotiative rule' be possible.
She builds up an extensive network of enquiry which blossoms and matures to fill its social control purpose within the span of a decade. This includes the system of Home Affairs officers, expanding the office of unofficial members in the Execu- tive and Legislative Council, doubling the number of Enquiry committees and also that of the Mutual Aid Committees (more grassroot control as government has the full power to dissolve the already nominated executive committee members of those MACS ).
Nonetheless, the introduction of consultative democracy does not mean that the colonial era is overed. This is in fact a more subtle form of colonial rule!
Any political organisation will understand well the end to communication strengthening' between the public and authority is a facilitated rule. This is all the more for a government like the Hong Kong one which is devoid of any democratic political involvement. Emphasizing the significance of enquiry enables the government to creat among the public the illusion of liberty and that of 'policy made for the benefit of the citizens'. This illusion will then be com- prehended as an 'enlightened' government and rationalize its colonial rule.
The Masque of democracy is asundered
Perhaps the government will make use of those 'communication channels' to refute the above points and prove the feasibility of enquiry, the" consultative democracy." In fact, the government has long been very fond of showing off the increasing number of citizens who make use of this channel to stand for its accomplishment of this fore-mentioned policy.
Nevertheless, it is undeniable that the so-called enquiry democracy is contra- dictory to the genuine democracy and the two are irreconcilable. Since it is only a more 'rational' and 'shrewd' manuveour of the colonial rule here. This so-called 'democracy' is in the hand of the government, whereas its 'public opinion' is filtered by the government also.
True transformation can only base on the public and thus through unofficial channels in exerting the authority. So that more people can learn and aware of their rights and social responsibility.
Petition is the only reliable means the public can resort to in order to improve their living condition. Under this circumstance, the basic citizen rights, like discussion and assembly is of a great symbolic and practical significance.
Petition of the YMT boat people and the nakedincident of their arrest shattered the already myth of 'consultative democracy'. The government cannot stand the trial of the public and finally reveals its ugly true self in order to eradicate the ever-increasing upsurge expansion and social movement that is confined within its rule in the past. She then 'hence unscurpously smothers the democratic rights of the citizens and arrests the boat people for their way of peaceful petition.
These outright oppression could only help to awaken the people more from their past illusions, the unreasonable system they are living. Every citizen should have the right of discussion and assembly. This is the foundation of any liberal demo- cratic ideology. Without these basic rights guaranteed, the genuine well-being of citizens will never be possible. And the prosperity of the society will thus be monopolized by the minority who have a say for 'their' destiny.
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