【抗暴之戰】讚港英兩地人「抗共同志」 保守黨人促英政府更撐港人（附全文）
蘋果日報 2020/03/29 15:40
英國保守黨約翰遜Benedict Rogers羅哲斯Luke de Pulford武漢肺炎
原圖取自Luke de Pulford Twitter
雖然香港回歸後，英方保障香港人權的表現令人失望，但港人仍以德報怨，支持英國人民。日前收到港人寄上防疫物資解困的英國保守黨人權委員會委員Luke de Pulford及英國保守黨人權委員會副主席、香港監察共同主席羅哲斯（Benedict Rogers）向《蘋果》投稿，指武漢肺炎肆虐令他們體會到何謂「患難見真情」，強調香港人與英國人都是「抗共同志」（we are comrades against the inhumane Chinese Communist Party），認為英國社會和政府須思考如何能為與英國擁有共同自由、民主和人權價值觀的香港人提供更多支持。
曾訪港觀察香港11.24區選以及有份促成立法會議員何君堯遭母校英國安格利亞魯斯金大學褫奪名譽博士學位的Luke de Pulford，與羅哲斯向《蘋果》投稿，指收到港人寄上多盒面罩和搓手液，更關心他們家人及其他在英國參與社運和政界人士，希望提供更多援助。二人指，港人上述善舉令人感動，反映港英之間仍有「親密關係（kinship）」；而即使英國在香港回歸23年後，對於守護《中英聯合聲明》、保障香港人的自由、人權及自治的表現令人失望，但香港人仍想幫助英國人民。
兩人指，英國人與香港人分享共同價值觀，就是反對極權政府，形容兩地人民本質上是反對不人道中國共產黨的同志（And we are unified by our opposition to tyranny, flowing from our shared values. In essence we are comrades against the inhumane Chinese Communist Party），相信近日確診武漢肺炎的英國首相約翰遜，亦已清楚中共的謊言可對英國帶來甚麼影響。
曾訪港觀察香港11.24區選以及有份促成立法會議員何君堯遭母校英國安格利亞魯斯金大學褫奪名譽博士學位的Luke de Pulford，與羅哲斯向《蘋果》投稿，指收到港人寄上多盒面罩和搓手液，更關心他們家人及其他在英國參與社運和政界人士，希望提供更多援助。二人指，港人上述善舉令人感動，反映港英之間仍有「親密關係（kinship）」；而即使英國在香港回歸23年後，對於守護《中英聯合聲明》、保障香港人的自由、人權及自治的表現令人失望，但香港人仍想幫助英國人民。
兩人指，英國人與香港人分享共同價值觀，就是反對極權政府，形容兩地人民本質上是反對不人道中國共產黨的同志（And we are unified by our opposition to tyranny, flowing from our shared values. In essence we are comrades against the inhumane Chinese Communist Party），相信近日確診武漢肺炎的英國首相約翰遜，亦已清楚中共的謊言可對英國帶來甚麼影響。
斥中共圖洗白播毒責任 壓制真相
他們指，中共應就武漢肺炎變成全球大流行負上責任，批評中共正試圖通過宣傳機構「洗白」，形容中共壓制真相發表、對國內的「吹哨者」滅聲、拘捕嘗試揭開武漢肺炎真相的公民記者、驅逐美國具代表性傳媒機構的駐中國代表，以及在疫情爆發初期拒絕國際社會協助等，都是危害整個世界。
兩人認為，武漢肺炎的教訓是令西方社會知道中共是問題的一部份，而非解決問題的方法；而在克服今次的全球危機後，英國社會和政府都將會並有需要反省香港人在今次疫情如何對待英國人，明白香港人與英國分享同共價值，包括追求自由、欣賞民主制度，以及尊重人類尊嚴，是英國的朋友，而打壓自由、視民主為敵人以及踐踏人類尊嚴的人則不是，反之更是威脅英國。
記者 林俊謙
兩人認為，武漢肺炎的教訓是令西方社會知道中共是問題的一部份，而非解決問題的方法；而在克服今次的全球危機後，英國社會和政府都將會並有需要反省香港人在今次疫情如何對待英國人，明白香港人與英國分享同共價值，包括追求自由、欣賞民主制度，以及尊重人類尊嚴，是英國的朋友，而打壓自由、視民主為敵人以及踐踏人類尊嚴的人則不是，反之更是威脅英國。
記者 林俊謙
二人投稿全文
It is in times of crisis that you learn who your friends are.
Over the past two weeks the United Kingdom has been plunged into a national emergency caused by the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. We are in lockdown, required by law to stay at home. We are only allowed to leave our homes for one of four reasons – for essential supplies, medical emergencies, one period of exercise per day or, if it is absolutely essential, to go to and from work. Businesses have closed, many people are working from home, and only key workers fighting on the frontlines – doctors, nurses, other carers, essential public service staff, those working in food shops – should be going to work. Britain has not known an emergency of this kind since the Second World War.
Into this crisis have come the people of Hong Kong. Those of us who have stood resolutely with Hong Kong in their own crisis have found reciprocity in ours. Both of us have been inundated with messages of concern and offers of help. Hong Kongers have sent both of us packages of masks and hand sanitizer, offered to send more, enquired about the needs of our families and of other activists and politicians. These personal gestures and acts of generosity are deeply heartwarming – particularly because one of us spent the first five years of his working life, just after the handover, living in Hong Kong, and one of us is married to a National Health Service (NHS) doctor, so we both know how precious freedom and health are.
But Hong Kong’s solidarity with Britain does not begin and end with those who advocate for Hong Kong’s freedoms. The bond and unity between our peoples is much deeper than that. It has been especially amazing the way Hong Kongers are mobilising to raise funds to send help to Britain’s NHS and charities assisting those who are sick or vulnerable in this emergency – and especially helping to meet the urgent need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for frontline medical staff.
Perhaps people from other countries have been responding to Britain’s needs as well, although with so many countries facing the same challenge it would be understandable if they are focusing on their own emergencies. But Hong Kongers’ response is significant because it illustrates two things.
The first is that Hong Kongers still feel a kinship with the United Kingdom. Even though it is almost 23 years since Hong Kong’s handover to China, the message that is being sent right now from Hong Kongers is that they still regard Britain as their friend. Even though Britain has not done right by them in their own struggles, they still want to do right by us. Even though Britain’s response to the dramatic erosion of the freedoms, basic human rights and autonomy which were promised to Hong Kong and which Britain, under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, has a responsibility to safeguard, has been disappointing, Hong Kongers still want to help us.
The second is that Hong Kongers know the dangers of this virus and the steps needed to protect against it. From their own experience with SARS, they are prepared for this crisis in a way we in Britain are not – because we have never experienced anything like this in generations. And even though they are confronted with a second wave of the virus in Hong Kong right now, they are reaching out to us with extraordinary friendship.
In short, the unity between British people and Hong Kongers is based on both positive and negative factors. We are unified through our historical journey together, and our mutual respect for our very different but complementary cultures. And we are unified by our opposition to tyranny, flowing from our shared values. In essence we are comrades against the inhumane Chinese Communist Party (CCP) – and today we are beginning to see that reflected in 10 Downing Street itself , as the Chinese regime’s lies hit home.
Contrast this with China’s brutal CCP regime, which is primarily responsible for this pandemic and is now mobilizing its Orwellian propaganda machine in the battle for hearts and minds around the world.
The CCP, through its repression of the truth, silencing of whistleblowers, arrest or disappearance of citizen journalists who tried to reveal the facts about coronavirus at the very beginning, and its expulsion of American foreign correspondents from some of the world’s most influential media, as well as its rejection of offers of international help in the early stages of the virus, unleashed this disaster upon the world.
The pressure it put on the World Health Organisation (WHO) not to co-operate with Taiwan in this crisis further proves the CCP’s inhumane and irresponsible nature – while Taiwan has proven, despite a lack of international support, the ability of a responsible democracy to tackle the virus effectively. All in all, one of the lessons from this pandemic is that the CCP is part of the problem, not the solution, and until we in the West fundamentally review and recalibrate the way we engage with the CCP regime, we will continue to face danger.
Once we are through this global crisis, and we will be, we need – as a society in Britain and in our government – to reflect on what the behaviour of Hong Kongers towards us tells us.
It tells us that those who share our values – a desire for freedom, an appreciation of democracy, a respect for human dignity – are our friends. Those who repress freedom, regard democracy as an enemy, trample on human dignity are not. Indeed, they are a threat.
And so we must ask ourselves what can we do to stand with those who have proven to be our friends? What can we do to stand with Hong Kong, just as Hong Kongers right now are standing with us?
By Benedict Rogers and Luke de Pulford
-----------------------------
【武漢肺炎】專頁
全民自救 抗疫資訊盡在《蘋果》
-----------------------------
無懼警暴 學懂自救
《抗暴之戰●法例須知》讀果 上架
Over the past two weeks the United Kingdom has been plunged into a national emergency caused by the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. We are in lockdown, required by law to stay at home. We are only allowed to leave our homes for one of four reasons – for essential supplies, medical emergencies, one period of exercise per day or, if it is absolutely essential, to go to and from work. Businesses have closed, many people are working from home, and only key workers fighting on the frontlines – doctors, nurses, other carers, essential public service staff, those working in food shops – should be going to work. Britain has not known an emergency of this kind since the Second World War.
Into this crisis have come the people of Hong Kong. Those of us who have stood resolutely with Hong Kong in their own crisis have found reciprocity in ours. Both of us have been inundated with messages of concern and offers of help. Hong Kongers have sent both of us packages of masks and hand sanitizer, offered to send more, enquired about the needs of our families and of other activists and politicians. These personal gestures and acts of generosity are deeply heartwarming – particularly because one of us spent the first five years of his working life, just after the handover, living in Hong Kong, and one of us is married to a National Health Service (NHS) doctor, so we both know how precious freedom and health are.
But Hong Kong’s solidarity with Britain does not begin and end with those who advocate for Hong Kong’s freedoms. The bond and unity between our peoples is much deeper than that. It has been especially amazing the way Hong Kongers are mobilising to raise funds to send help to Britain’s NHS and charities assisting those who are sick or vulnerable in this emergency – and especially helping to meet the urgent need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for frontline medical staff.
Perhaps people from other countries have been responding to Britain’s needs as well, although with so many countries facing the same challenge it would be understandable if they are focusing on their own emergencies. But Hong Kongers’ response is significant because it illustrates two things.
The first is that Hong Kongers still feel a kinship with the United Kingdom. Even though it is almost 23 years since Hong Kong’s handover to China, the message that is being sent right now from Hong Kongers is that they still regard Britain as their friend. Even though Britain has not done right by them in their own struggles, they still want to do right by us. Even though Britain’s response to the dramatic erosion of the freedoms, basic human rights and autonomy which were promised to Hong Kong and which Britain, under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, has a responsibility to safeguard, has been disappointing, Hong Kongers still want to help us.
The second is that Hong Kongers know the dangers of this virus and the steps needed to protect against it. From their own experience with SARS, they are prepared for this crisis in a way we in Britain are not – because we have never experienced anything like this in generations. And even though they are confronted with a second wave of the virus in Hong Kong right now, they are reaching out to us with extraordinary friendship.
In short, the unity between British people and Hong Kongers is based on both positive and negative factors. We are unified through our historical journey together, and our mutual respect for our very different but complementary cultures. And we are unified by our opposition to tyranny, flowing from our shared values. In essence we are comrades against the inhumane Chinese Communist Party (CCP) – and today we are beginning to see that reflected in 10 Downing Street itself , as the Chinese regime’s lies hit home.
Contrast this with China’s brutal CCP regime, which is primarily responsible for this pandemic and is now mobilizing its Orwellian propaganda machine in the battle for hearts and minds around the world.
The CCP, through its repression of the truth, silencing of whistleblowers, arrest or disappearance of citizen journalists who tried to reveal the facts about coronavirus at the very beginning, and its expulsion of American foreign correspondents from some of the world’s most influential media, as well as its rejection of offers of international help in the early stages of the virus, unleashed this disaster upon the world.
The pressure it put on the World Health Organisation (WHO) not to co-operate with Taiwan in this crisis further proves the CCP’s inhumane and irresponsible nature – while Taiwan has proven, despite a lack of international support, the ability of a responsible democracy to tackle the virus effectively. All in all, one of the lessons from this pandemic is that the CCP is part of the problem, not the solution, and until we in the West fundamentally review and recalibrate the way we engage with the CCP regime, we will continue to face danger.
Once we are through this global crisis, and we will be, we need – as a society in Britain and in our government – to reflect on what the behaviour of Hong Kongers towards us tells us.
It tells us that those who share our values – a desire for freedom, an appreciation of democracy, a respect for human dignity – are our friends. Those who repress freedom, regard democracy as an enemy, trample on human dignity are not. Indeed, they are a threat.
And so we must ask ourselves what can we do to stand with those who have proven to be our friends? What can we do to stand with Hong Kong, just as Hong Kongers right now are standing with us?
By Benedict Rogers and Luke de Pulford
-----------------------------
【武漢肺炎】專頁
全民自救 抗疫資訊盡在《蘋果》
-----------------------------
無懼警暴 學懂自救
《抗暴之戰●法例須知》讀果 上架