ON THE MARASSTIENT
DISSENTERS,
HUNGKUNG-STYLE
William Meacham
The hypocrisy of the Foreign Office regarding Hong Kong and China never ceases to amaze. The latest example is Whitehall's statement of "concern" last week over the "hostile reception" given the human rights delegation from Hong Kong by the Peking authorities. One might be led to believe that such behaviour is restricted to the repressive communist regime on the mainland.
Does Hong Kong under a supposedly benevolent British administration fare any better? Or does the Hong Kong government give equally hostile reception to the efforts of dissidents here?
Many commentators seem to believe that criticism and protest in Hong Kong is not punished or treated in the hostile manner exemplified in the treatment of the Hong Kong delegation in the PRC. They worry about possible government retaliation against its critics after 1997.
They would do well to focus their attention on the retaliatory acts of the present administration, not to mention its frequent prevarication and blatant manipulation of the consultation process and various advisory boards which are supposed to provide input from the community. The Hon. Hui Yin-fat described this system as one great "puppet show", have learned from experience that anyone so bold as to strike at the strings of manipulation will be targeted by the administration for extremely hostile treatment. Every effort will be made to silence the critic, or to intimidate him.
and I
and
During 1986 and 1987 I was a member of the Antiquities Advisory Board (AAB), and had a close view of precisely how and to what extent the administration manipulates. The deceit and trickery indulged in by certain officials was extraordinary, in one case completely documented. I and several colleagues on the AAB made a complaint to OMELCO, thinking that the Honourable Members could not fail to find fault in civil servants acting in this manner. In spite of massive documentation of our allegations, the response we received from OMELCO was a shameless whitewash of the sort that a people's congress might produce.
A colleague on the AAB reported the affair to the ICAC, believing that when civil servants lie and deceive so flagrantly, there must be corruption somewhere. The ICAC could find no evidence of actual bribery, therefore it could take no action. It was "only" moral corruption. Happens all the time.
At
I attempted to exercise the normal right of every citizen to seek redress before the courts, but found the expense impossible to bear and was forced to withdraw the action. this point, did I receive a "hostile reaction from the authorities"? Instead of letting the matter quietly subside, the government sought and obtained an order for costs. A wildly inflated bill ($150,000) was claimed by government, with the stipulation that this would be cut to $65,000 if I would
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.