An open letter to New York ETO Director, Dear Mr. Barclay, Representing a group of former Hongkongers from the Greater New York area, let us first welcome you to your new posting to New York, a city which most of us call home. But there is another home we always care about and pay close attention to, and that is Hong Kong. We wish we could have started our communication with you under a different circumstance. Unfortunately, the recent sequence of events in Hong Kong in the past week and its rapid worsening development have made this impossible. All of us are obviously deeply concerned with the latest development over there and we are sure you would appreciate our passion and fear, given the fact that a localized peaceful student petition had evolved into a premature mass demonstration participated by regular citizens from all walks of life, men and women, young and old, in Hong Kong. All these could have been avoided only had the local police chosen not to deploy its gears unnecessarily and use disproportional force against the students in action. Such incidents have not only captured the worlds media attention but invited overseas protests by many communities of former Hongkongers, including the ones in cities under your jurisdiction. Most of the governments of the free world and the United Nation had already made official statements about the situation in Hong Kong, supporting the rightful demand for a more open system and political reform including genuine universal suffrage. Along with other world leaders, President Obama and Secretary Kerry also made similar statements last week. On 30 September, Senator Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, even wrote a letter to the Chief Executive in Hong Kong addressing the issue, urging the SAR Government to respect its citizens democratic rights. It is obvious that the demonstration organizers and participants, including students groups, Occupy-Central leadership, pan-democratic parties and groups, and commoners have all been advocating and to a large extent maintaining safe and peaceful rallies at every rally hot zone. However, uninvited violence had already been instigated in Mongkok by gang-like group. While any groups or individuals are free to voice their opinions, their actions must be conducted in a peaceful manner without violence. The police, nevertheless, has clearly failed in discharging its responsibility to rendering protection to the participants in Mongkok, let alone attempting to make any formal arrests even when violence instigators were placed in its custody. Most people would admit that this is totally unacceptable law enforcement. Fearing more violence and chaos will follow and in view of rapid development of the situation, we eagerly invite you, sir, as a representative of the SAR Government here in New York, to meet with us at your earliest convenience in the first part of this week. Several members of our group will attend the meeting, along with yourself and your deputy. We hope to be able to convey our opinions on the entire issue to the Hong Kong Administration in person, through your office in the meeting. Thank you for your attention and look forward to hearing from you soonest. Sincerely, Anna Yeung-Cheung, Ph.D.
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 03:22:35 +0000
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