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【逆權運動】何韻詩籲美國與香港同行 促通過《人權民主法》(附發言全文)

蘋果日報 2019/09/17 23:44

何韻詩自由國會基本法普世價值CECC香港人權及民主法案逃犯條例反送中逆權運動願榮光歸香港

美國國會及行政當局中國委員會(CECC)香港時間周二(17日)晚上10時就香港問題舉行聽證會,獨立歌手何韻詩在CECC發言時指,希望美國CECC的成員聽過他們的發言後,能夠向自由和高度自治被侵蝕的香港人,伸出援手。何韻詩指,逾百日的反送中修例運動,香港的年輕人身在前線:「這是一場沒有領袖的運動,是來自各階層人士的廣泛參與,爭取民主、人權、普世價值。」
何韻詩批評特首林鄭月娥誤判形勢,高高在上,令局勢惡化,結果令北京取締香港的角色,直接介入香港事務:「林鄭連月以來躲在警方背後,拒絕以誠意解決政治問題。她讓警方全力兼不惜一切鎮壓示威。」
她提到至今有逾1,400人被拘捕,最年輕只有12歲,市民被催淚彈、橡膠子彈、水炮車、警棍襲擊,年輕人被警方制服在地上然後被打頭已變成日常畫面,另一方面,防暴警察和便衣警員隱藏其委任證和警員號碼,令市民根本不能知道他們的身份,更不能令他們得以問責。
何韻詩又指,在8.31當日,太子港鐵站出現警員隨意毆打乘客,警方關閉太子站數小時,拒絕救護人員搶救傷者,令人質疑在港鐵站中或有人死亡。
何韻詩提到,有力證據已證明警方偏幫襲擊示威者的暴徒和親北京示威者,對他們的行為視而不見,甚至在他們襲擊示威者後,幫助他們離開。她指,警方現時已轉向學校、商場、巴士(車廂),只要年輕人穿上黑色衫,便作出無理拘捕:「換句話說,僅僅是因為年輕,在香港這個警察社會,已是罪行。」
何韻詩認為,今次的示威由反送中條例而起,但核心問題香港與中國根本是兩個截然不同的制度,中國無視人權和法治,與香港珍視自由和普世價值不同。何韻詩認為,在中國國家主席習近平的鐵腕統治下,一國兩制正走向死亡。
何韻詩指,自己作為香港的一位歌手,親身經歷過打擊,自己在內地和香港的演唱事業面對與日俱增的困難,自從2014年雨傘運動後,自己已被共產黨列入黑名單,贊助商封殺,連國際品牌也對自己敬而遠之:「中國嘗試抹黑我,要以宣傳機器要我噤聲,散播謊言,現在,我面對來自親北京支持者和暴徒的威嚇,也隨時面對拘捕和迫害。」她又指,被視為香港「國歌」《願榮光歸香港》的創作者,也選擇隱姓埋名,因為擔心被報復。
何韻詩形容香港人現大部份活於惶恐之中,失去了很多自由,年輕人擔任起保衞家園的責任,「他們覺醒了香港人,我們的持續抗爭,亦令世界驚訝。」何韻詩指,美國是自由和民主的象徵,呼籲美國國會與香港同行,通過《香港人權和民主法案》,這非要求外國干預、也非要求香港獨立:「這是一個對民主的懇求,這是對自由選擇的懇求。」(This is a plea for democracy. This is a plea for the freedom to choose.)
何韻詩最後以前美國第一夫人伊蓮娜.羅斯福(Eleanor Roosevelt)的名句作結:
每一次你真正停下來直面恐懼,你都能從這次經歷中獲得力量、勇氣和信心。你能對自己說:我克服了這次恐怖的經歷。我能承受接下來發生的事情。你必須去做那些你覺得自己做不到的事。(You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.')
發言全文
Thank you Chairman McGovern, Co-Chairman Rubio and members of this Commission for holding this hearing, and for having us here at this very critical time of Hong Kong. We hope that our personal accounts will be helpful in your deliberations on what the United States Congress and American people can do to help the Hong Kong people in face of the erosion of our liberties and autonomy.
For more than 100 days now, the Hong Kong youth has led our city into the historical fight of our times. It is a leaderless movement, with widespread participation from people of all walks of life. It is a fight for democracy, a fight for human rights, and most of all, a fight for universal values and freedoms.
What started out as a million people march against an extradition bill, morphed into a determined fight for a fundamental political reform in Hong Kong. Misjudgments and arrogance on behalf of Carrie Lam, the Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong, resulted in a total clampdown of the Beijing government over Hong Kong affairs, at the same time surfacing the reluctance of both governments in fully implementing the “One country, Two systems” in Hong Kong.
With Carrie Lam hiding behind the police force for months, refusing to resolve political issues with sincerity, she has given police full authority to suppress the protests at all costs.
Since June, the Hong Kong police has shown excessive brutality in their use of force, arresting and beating up peaceful protesters heavily at uncountable occasions. More than 1400 people have been arrested up to date, with even more (including journalists, first aiders and social workers) severely injured by tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannons, and the police’s indiscriminate use of batons. On a personal note, It has been extremely difficult to be away from home and to watch the people safeguard the city from afar, especially in the past weekend where we have seen police behavior getting
out of control.
Sadly, it has become a common daily scene to see youngsters being pinned to the ground, with bleeding head concussions and some even knocked unconscious, but still refused medical care by the police.
Riot police and plainclothes officers have shown no restraint while performing their duties. From the early weeks, they have deliberately hidden their ID numbers, refused to show warrant cards even on request, therefore making it impossible for citizens to verify the legitimacy of plainclothes officers, nor to hold any police officer accountable for their violations.
Last month, a university student in possession of ten laser pointers has been arrested and detained for 48 hours. A first aider was shot in the eye by a bean bag round dispersed from above head level, risking permanent loss of sight. On August 31st, police from the Special Tactical Unit charged into Prince Edward MTR station, beating up passengers randomly. Consequently, they shut down the station for 24 hours, refusing medical care for those who were injured, raising suspicion of possible death in the station. They have recently charged into secondary school yards, shopping malls and on buses, where young people merely dressed in black clothing could be searched or even arrested without justified reasons.
In short, in our Hong Kong today, being young is the crime. We are now officially a police state, where people live in constant fear of political repercussions. In addition, on 21st July, in an infamous mob attack that occurred in the Yuen Long MTR station, where a white shirt clad attacked civilians indiscriminately, the police failed to arrive in a timely manner, making their appearance only 39 minutes after the incident, despite hundreds of emergency calls for help. Similar situations occurred later in the protests, where police would give favorable treatment to mobs and pro-Beijing supporters, helping them leave the sites after having attacked protesters, showing clear and continuous collusion between police and triad members.
On August 11th, police obstructed pro bono lawyers from providing legal assistance to arrested protesters in the Sun Uk Ling Holding Center, violating the legal rights of 54 persons. There were also claims from female protesters of sexual harassment inside of the police station, and of physical abuses on numerous occasions.
Since July, more than thirty “no objection applications” for rallies and marches have been systematically denied, including the 1.7 million ppl rally on 18th August, where protesters gathered and marched peacefully despite the ban. According to Hong Kong Basic Law and international standards, Hong Kong residents have the freedom of assembly and demonstration, where peaceful public assembly is a legitimate use of public space. By banning the assemblies, the Hong Kong government is violating the people’s right to peacefully protest.
With police violations accumulating by the day, Hong Kong people have been demanding for an independent investigative council to be formed. The Chief Executive Carrie Lam has refused to do so, claiming we have “a well-established (IPCC), set up for exactly this purpose”. This existing watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission, is in fact entirely appointed by the CE herself, has no legal power to summon witnesses nor to force the police to provide sufficient documents, therefore is powerless in bringing justice to the situation.
On its front, it all started with an extradition bill. But at the core, it has always been about fundamental conflicts between these two very different set of values : on one side, the China model, which has no respect over human rights and rule of law, and demands for their people’s submission. And the other, a hybrid city that has enjoyed these freedoms for the most of its existence, with a deep attachment to these universal values that the United States and other western societies are also endeared to.
Unfortunately, with the rise of the present iron regime of Xi Jin Ping, the “One country, Two systems” is racing towards its death. Hong Kong represents something very unique in the world. As a crossroads that is strongly rooted in its own Asian cultures, and yet has come to be known for its values and of the rule of law, transparent institutions, and freedom of information and expression. We represents the hope that as nations develop, they will evolve towards these universal values which protect individuals everywhere.
These protections are why over 1500 multinational companies have chosen to place their regional headquarters in Hong Kong, the biggest proportion of these by country, from the United States. Hong Kong has become one of the most globally interconnected, financially important trading economies in the world, helping bring countries closer together through finance and today, the flow of data, goods, ideas, culture and people.
However, this system is now under threat like never before. Companies such as Hong Kong’s major airline Cathay Pacific, has succumbed to political pressure, firing dozens of employees due to their political stance, some only over a mere facebook post. Business people are coerced into making political decisions. MTR corporation, our subway system, has deliberately shut down stations during rallies and marches due to pressure from a state newspaper, resulting in more than hundreds of arrests and unnecessary injuries.
As a singer and activist from Hong Kong, I have experienced the suppression first hand. Ever since the Umbrella Movement in 2014, I have been blacklisted by the communist government. My songs and my name are censored on Chinese internet, and I have been called out several times by state newspapers. Pressured by the Chinese government, sponsors have pulled out, even international brands have kept their distances in fear of being associated with me. For the past five years, and even more so recently, China tried to silence me with their propaganda machines and smearing campaigns, making claims that are completely false. Right now, I am facing threats from the communist government, pro-Beijing supporters, and could face arrest and prosecution at anytime.
Not only have I faced increased difficulties in continuing my singing career in China and Hong Kong, but the self-censorship has now spread towards global institutions and cities. Recently, the National Gallery of Victory in Melbourne, Australia, denied a venue to an collaborative event of Chinese artist Badiucao and myself, due to “security concerns”. The 2019 gay pride in Montreal, Canada, banned Hong Kong activists due to similar reasons. Celebrities from Hong Kong, Taiwan and China are all pressured into taking a political stance, voicing their unanimous “support” for the Beijing government
on social media, and could be condemned for keeping their silence. Even the songwriter of the new unofficial “anthem” for Hong Kong, has opted to stay anonymous, in fear of future reprisal.
Hongkongers are now living in constant fear, and have unfortunately lost the most part of our freedoms. For a city that has been infamously known as politically indifferent, the younger generations have took up the role to safeguard our home, standing up courageously to the corrupted system, in spite of increased and ruthless suppression.
They have awakened other Hong Kong people, and together we have taken the world by surprise with our continued fight. To the rest of the world, the United States is often a symbol of freedom and democracy. The freedom Americans enjoy is something the people of Hong Kong have long hoped for. Even though our languages and cultures differ, what we have in common is the pursuit for justice, freedom, and democracy.
Through the challenges of Hong Kong, the West is waking up to China’s insinuating power in a global scale. Hong Kong is connected to the world in multiple ways (institutional, social, economic, personal), but China is trying to isolate it to exert control. If Hong Kong falls, it would easily become the springboard for the totalitarian regime of China to push its rules and priorities overseas, utilizing its economic powers to conform others to their communists values, just as they have done with Hong Kong in the past 22 years. The US and its allies have everything to fear if they wish to maintain a world that is free, open, and civil.
I therefore urge the US Congress to stand by Hong Kong, and most of all, to pass the “Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. This is not a plea for for the so-called “foreign interference”, nor for Hong Kong independence.
This is a plea for universal human rights.
This is a plea for democracy.
This is a plea for the freedom to choose.
And lastly, may I quote Eleanor Roosevelt, your most beloved First Lady:
“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.” This is a global fight for the universal values that we all cherish, and Hong Kong is in the very frontlines of this fight. We were once fearful of what might come with our silence, and for that, we have now become fearless.
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