by Lo Fung

The waves of threatening blows from Beijing have been pounding our shores, one more ruthless than the other. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress announced that a meeting would convene later this week but the Hong Kong version of National Security Law (“National Security Law”) was not found on the agenda made public. Experts on Chinese politics said there was still chance that the law be tabled ad hoc to pave way for completing the legislation by the end of June. From such arrangement, one could tell that not only the details of the law, such as who would enforce the law and where the cases would be tried, are a mystery, but also there is neither any transparency in how the legislation will be reviewed. This could be Beijing’s tactic to instill fear of the “unpredictable omnipotence of the Almighty”.

Check and balance by the professionals

However, the way Beijing acts has clearly revealed the black box operation for the National Security Law. They are not prepared to consult Hongkongers who would be impacted by the law, and neither would they welcome open discussion by local citizens and the international society, nor make amendments in response to the concerns raised internationally and locally. Putting content of the law aside, the vibe of condescension is disgusting and unacceptable. One should not entertain any bit of fantasy that the law would not significantly hurt the freedom and rights of Hong Kong people.

In anticipation of the “white terror” and “red terror” brought by the National Security Law, we should get prepared mentally and tactically to avoid being caught off guard. Here I would like to recommend the book “On Tyranny” for reference for actions and protests in future. Written by historian Timothy Snyder, “On Tyranny” was based on the terrible history of the tyrannies of Fascism, Nazism, and Communism in Eastern Europe in the 20th century, and summarized 20 lessons against oppressive regimes. Some of these lessons appear to be particularly relevant to Hong Kong today. For example, one should work hard to defend institutions that are independent from the government and protect these mechanisms, organizations and civilian bodies, in order to prevent power abuse by the government and law enforcement authorities.

These institutions include the court, newspapers, human right laws, labor unions, non-government organizations, churches, etc. Snyder said that these institutions served to check the government, but they are too weak to protect themselves. They rely on the mass and the concerned professionals to defend them, or they could be the first target of attack by the abusive government. In fact, vocal newspapers and media can easily be silenced under political pressure, fearless judges may give in to threats of violence, professional teachers can comply to lie to and brainwash students in face of censorship and suppression. The Nazis did that to suppress and consolidate local institutions and build their tyranny, until no people or institutions could stand up to challenge its evil.

Recently Beijing and the Hong Kong government has fiercely attacked the media, suppressed labor unions, penalized the Radio and Television Hong Kong (RTHK), and twisted the politically neutral civil servants into biased state cadres… Did that remind us of the tyrannies in the 1930s? If education practitioners, the press, labor union members and civil servants do not stand up and defend the values and independence of their institutions, sooner or later these forces that help check the government will disintegrate and the citizens will be left alone to confront the oppression of the government.

Beware one-party dominance, Protect the rights of the people

Another lesson mentioned by Snyder is to beware the dominance of a particular political force which would stifle diverse political views and easily evolve into one-party dominance, and then a one-party state. In 1946, many of those who voted for the Czechoslovak Communist Party in the first democratic election after World War II probably did not realize that their ballot was casted for the demise of democracy. The next time they voted freely again for their representative was more than 40 years later. In those 40 years, many in Czechoslovakia had lost their lives under the communist tyranny and they could never have the chance to cast their ballot again.

Snyder therefore warned people that they should treat each democratic election like their last chance to vote, that they should cautiously make their choice and not to let power fall into the hands of a particular party or politician. Otherwise, those who got power would soon turn against the people who granted them their power. In the case of Hong Kong, Beijing and the Hong Kong government have already grabbed almost all hard power within the system. If the pro-government camp are to get the majority in the Legislative Council(LegCo) election in September, they would be able to consolidate all power in their hands that allow them to change election bylaws at will, including those on candidates eligibility and constituency arrangement. Citizens would soon lose the right and the opportunity to freely choose their legislators.

Beijing is eager to hoard power, and they have the full support from the Hong Kong government and the pro-government camp. Before the National Security Law is in effect, they are already attacking the unique system of Hong Kong from all fronts, to fast track Hong Kong into a tyrant regime. We must, in our different positions, use our own means to defend the freedom of the press, the labor unions, the neutrality of the civil service and the independence of the court. Say no to the legitimization and normalization of power abuse and brutality. Say no to oppression. Only by doing so do we find ourselves resilient and resourceful enough to fight tyranny.

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