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HONG KONG: KEEPING THE STREETS SAFE FROM DANISH ARTISTS
People often ask me what it’s like to live in a Communist country. I usually respond: “I have no idea.” True, I’ve lived in Hong Kong since 1996 – a full year and three months before the handover of HK back to China – but HK has retained its laws and legal systems and while we still don’t have full democracy, we generally have far more freedom than mainland China does.
However, sometimes you get little reminders of who owns the pink slip on yr fair city.
Like ...
ITEM: Jens Galschiot, the Danish sculptor whose sculpture commemorating those who died in the 1989 military crackdown, "Pillar of Shame," is displayed at Hong Kong University (below), has been denied entry into Hong Kong. Again.
He had intended to join the annual June 4 vigil to mark the 20th anniversary of the crackdown this Thursday.
Oddly, Xiong Yan – a leading student protester during the 1989 demonstrations in Beijing who now lives in exile in the US –was allowed into Hong Kong without questioning.
So that’s progress. I guess.
FUN FACT: I saw the Pillar Of Shame up close the first time it went on display at Victoria Park at one of the June 4 vigils many years ago. It’s something you have to see for yrself to really appreciate.
I don’t know yet if I’m going to the June 4 vigil Thursday. The bridal unit and I stopped going years ago, partly because of scheduling conflicts, but chiefly because at some point we felt that the local politician who hosted it – Szeto Wah – was using it to promote himself more than the event it was supposed to commemorate.
Still, it’s nice to know 20 years later, people still care, even though our current chief, The Donald, wishes people would just drop it – or at least stop asking him to have an opinion on it. Because he can’t win.
Which should tell you something.
BONUS POLITICS: Hong Kong police have charged two men over a plot to assassinate one of the city's leading pro-democracy campaigners Martin Lee.
The actual plot was uncovered last August, but they’ve only just now charged the two guys, so it’s only just now being made public.
Serious about democracy,
This is dF
========================
EDITED TO ADD [06/01/09]: And while I was typing all that, protesters staged a march from Victoria park to the Central Govt offices commemorating June 4. We went down, but it was over by the time we got there. About 6,000 people showed up (the police say 4,000, the organizers say 8,000, so we'll split the difference), which is pretty good for a march. It'll be interesting to see how the vigil goes Thursday.
However, sometimes you get little reminders of who owns the pink slip on yr fair city.
Like ...
ITEM: Jens Galschiot, the Danish sculptor whose sculpture commemorating those who died in the 1989 military crackdown, "Pillar of Shame," is displayed at Hong Kong University (below), has been denied entry into Hong Kong. Again.
He had intended to join the annual June 4 vigil to mark the 20th anniversary of the crackdown this Thursday.
Oddly, Xiong Yan – a leading student protester during the 1989 demonstrations in Beijing who now lives in exile in the US –was allowed into Hong Kong without questioning.
So that’s progress. I guess.
FUN FACT: I saw the Pillar Of Shame up close the first time it went on display at Victoria Park at one of the June 4 vigils many years ago. It’s something you have to see for yrself to really appreciate.
I don’t know yet if I’m going to the June 4 vigil Thursday. The bridal unit and I stopped going years ago, partly because of scheduling conflicts, but chiefly because at some point we felt that the local politician who hosted it – Szeto Wah – was using it to promote himself more than the event it was supposed to commemorate.
Still, it’s nice to know 20 years later, people still care, even though our current chief, The Donald, wishes people would just drop it – or at least stop asking him to have an opinion on it. Because he can’t win.
Which should tell you something.
BONUS POLITICS: Hong Kong police have charged two men over a plot to assassinate one of the city's leading pro-democracy campaigners Martin Lee.
The actual plot was uncovered last August, but they’ve only just now charged the two guys, so it’s only just now being made public.
Serious about democracy,
This is dF
========================
EDITED TO ADD [06/01/09]: And while I was typing all that, protesters staged a march from Victoria park to the Central Govt offices commemorating June 4. We went down, but it was over by the time we got there. About 6,000 people showed up (the police say 4,000, the organizers say 8,000, so we'll split the difference), which is pretty good for a march. It'll be interesting to see how the vigil goes Thursday.