“The Vienna Declaration guarantees democracy and human rights, yet in Hong Kong today those are under serious attack. Last month, two million people walked in peaceful protest fighting an extradition bill that would remove the firewall protecting Hong Kong from interference of the Chinese government. Police shot rubber bullets and 152 gas bombs against unarmed protesters. …”
Denise Ho, a pop star in Hong Kong who represented Hong Kongers to make a speech before the UN Human Rights Council, made this courageous statement during the general debate of the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN), gathered under the theme “Follow-up to and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action.”
As a Hong Konger, Ho has been on the frontlines of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, criticizing China’s expanding authoritarianism at every turn. Her voice was firm and powerful, although her less-than-two-minute speech was interrupted twice by the Chinese delegate, unreasonably and ridiculously.
The Chinese delegate first accused Ho of using a language that addressed Hong Kong on a par with China, which, they claimed, did not conform with UN rules. This accusation is ludicrous. In 1984, the Chinese government signed a joint declaration with the U.K. announcing the “one country, two systems” model after the return of Hong Kong back to China in 1997. It was the Chinese government that promised Hong Kongers they would keep their freedom and autonomy for 50 years. “Yet, after only 22 years, China is reneging its obligations. The ‘one country, two systems’ is nearing its death.” Ho continued her speech after the malicious disruption.
With a brief and clear description, Ho showed the world why Hong Kongers took to the streets protesting again and again. “Disqualification of six lawmakers, kidnappings of booksellers and jailing activists are proof of China’s tightening grip,” Ho stated. A more important reason for Hong Kongers to demonstrate, as Ho pointed out, was “Real universal suffrage is still non-existent; with a chief Executive Officer appointed and controlled by Beijing, China is preventing our democracy at all costs.”
Bravo!
Ho was interrupted the second time by the Chinese delegate. This time, the Chinese diplomat accused Ho of “baselessly” attacking the “one-country, two systems” arrangement. This accusation is not only preposterous, but also shameful. A government without any accountability committed itself to allow Hong Kongers to rule their city on their own, but the Chinese government has never stopped imposing its will on Hong Kongers.
For centuries, Hong Kongers had enjoyed a democratic system similar to those in the Western countries. As a British colony, Hong Kong established pillars of free speech and human rights. As a city, Hong Kong has always been known as the financial hub of Asia, focusing on wealth and prosperity, seldom on politics and human rights. “We [Hong Kongers] became the poster boy of East meets West.” Ho proudly told the audience at the Oslo Freedom Forum. However, the Chinese government changed the rules of the game.
In 2014, the Chinese Communist Party decided to reform the Hong Kong electoral system and pre-screen the candidates for the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. This erosion of the democratic system drove hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers to protest. The 2014 peaceful sit-in street protests were remembered by the world as the Umbrella Movement.
Ho was proud to join the Movement. She became one of the 140 protesters who were arrested for their civil disobedience. “For the first time in our dictated history, we have finally come to our own definition of who we are – We are neither Chinese nor British; We are Hong Kongers,” said Ho at the Oslo Freedom Forum.
In 2019, when the days of freedom of speech and freedom of press drew to a close, Hong Kongers were no longer politically indifferent. From June to July, almost every weekend, millions of Hong Kongers marched on the streets, demonstrating and protesting against the Communist tyranny.
As a defender of human rights, Ho reminded the president of the UN Human Rights Council that the Sino-British Joint Declaration is a binding treaty registered with the UN. Despite the disruption of the Chinese diplomate, Ho ended her speech powerfully, asking the UN to convene an urgent session to “protect the people of Hong Kong and remove China from the UN Human Rights Council.”
Ho spoke out what the oppressed wanted to tell their dictators – a government that prosecutes religious practitioners, destroys an ethnic group, and imprisons lawyers who defend human rights should have no place in the UN, least of all on the Human Rights Commission.
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” This is a quote from the United Nations, Charter of 1945. When confronting the Communist dictator and fighting for a real universal suffrage, Hong Kongers show the world their courage and dignity. Keep the promised universal suffrage. This is the cry of Hong Kongers.
Hong Kongers know that without a true democratic voting system, human activists will continuously be prosecuted for peaceful assembly, and laws will be continuously, unjustifiably altered in favor of the Beijing government. The famous Cuban hero Jose Marti once remarked, “The vote is a trust more delicate than any other, for it involves not just the interests of the voter, but his life, honor and future as well.”