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Just preserve strength and avoid useless sacrifice (Ngan Shun Kau)

蘋果日報 2020/06/22 13:20



With communist China forcing through the national security law, the people of Hong Kong can foresee a period of hardship to follow. What matters most now is how we survive it.

It is down to every individual to decide how to deal with it. Some may prefer to leave, whereas others stay put but tend to be restrained or adjust their approaches. Most importantly, we have to keep faith and fine-tune our respective protest strategies. Just preserve our strength and avoid sacrifice of no avail.

Once the details of the national security law are revealed, we shall take a close look at them. It is up to everyone to find out possible strategies, no matter you buy into the “peaceful, rational and non-violent” way or the radical and forceful approach. Just bear in mind that the struggle against communist China is always an unequal contest, and it is pointless to court death.

By and large, it will be constructive to explore as more options as we can and create more space for maneuvering. Legally, we should stay alert and avoid throwing ourselves into a trap. And on a daily basis, we can always keep the momentum by consuming within the “yellow economic circle”, spreading Lennon walls, singing our songs in flash assemblies and of course, taking to the streets.

It will also be crucial for us to make sensible choice according to circumstances: do it in the right place, at the right moment and in the right size of group.

Similarly, in terms of our freedom of expression, we should be very cautious about whether it is wise to say or write something, as well as whether that is being done on the appropriate occasion. Simply don’t cross the red line and don’t give the government any excuse to go against you.

The key is: keep the passion concealed and wait for the right timing to pounce. We have to stay alive before we can make any change.

And as far as the media are concerned, there is one and only one Apple Daily here in Hong Kong. Without it, we will not have the check and balance over those in power. Even though things like the recent exposure of unauthorized building works by senior police officers will not turn things around overnight, they help to contain the outrageous few and make their lives uneasy.

Lu Xun, a famous Chinese writer, once said that he took pills to stay alive because he wanted to make his enemies’ lives imperfect. Likewise, even under the threat of the evil law, we should all take good care of ourselves and that is our way to make the life of communist China imperfect.

As the situation is getting harsh and dangerous, our courage, smartness and resilience will define the course of development. The last thing we should do is to fight recklessly with no regard for the consequences, for this will let us walk right into the lion’s den.

(Ngan Shun Kau is a veteran publisher and writer. His publications and works are award-winning.)

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