gathered, spontaneously, at Happy Valley in June 1989 to
express their thoughts about the new democracy movement
nearby China. Their thoughts
brave people
in
turned to the
-
who paid a great
and ours
their true compatriots
price when they stood out for values which the law in Hong
Kong now seeks to enshrine.
Should one be optimistic or pessimistic
about the
future of the judiciary, human rights and the rule of law in
Hong Kong? The evidence points both ways. The jury is out.
Only time will tell.
However, I believe that it is possible to adapt
Gladstone's remarks at the opening of the Imperial adventure
in Hong Kong. They may be applied, with appropriate
modification, to the departure of the British from that
place. I suggest that if there were a Gladstone in England
today as sadly there is not - that leader would say::
a
"A departure more unjust in its origin, departure more calculated to cover Britain with permanent disgrace, I do not know and have not read of. The British flag is hauled down protect an infamous agreement with an autocratic power over the heads of people who are subjects of the Queen, citizens of the Commonwealth and human beings who are entitled to (but denied) the security of basic rights including the precious right to self-determination.
-
What began in ignominy finishes in ignominy.
It is appalling
that the response to this tragedy in
to this tragedy in Australia is one of
almost complete silence and yawning indifference.
ENDNOTES
This paper is adapted from a paper prepared following an international conference on the
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