Fighting for democracy is not being anti-Beijing, says Bishop Zen
Hong Kong (AsiaNews) Speaking at the pro-democracy rally held yesterday in Honk Kong, Mgr Joseph Zen Ze-kiu, Catholic Bishop of Hong Kong, said that in their struggle for universal suffrage the people of the Territory must act as if everything fell on their shoulders and yet they must place their trust in the fact that everything depends on God. In doing so, he urged them not to give up the fight for democracy.
Prior to the rally, the prelate had urged Hong Kong Catholics to take part in it at a prayer vigil in Victoria Park, where he explained that the constitutional reforms proposed by the government are irreconcilable with the principles of universal suffrage and democracy.
Here is the full text of the speech Bishop Zen delivered yesterday in Victoria Park to the pro-universal suffrage rally.
Some people ask: why do we bind the discussion on the "5th Report of the Constitutional Development Task Force: Package of Proposals for the Methods for Selecting the Chief Executive in 2007 and for Forming the Legislative Council in 2008" with the "Demand for Universal Suffrage". In fact it was the Government that bind the two together by insisting that we have to accept the Package before any discussion on the universal suffrage was possible.
Actually we have only one question: "How to achieve the ultimate aim stated in the Basic Law: the universal suffrage". The Basic Law affirms that this is to be achieved in accordance with the principle of gradual and orderly progress. It also demonstrated the way of progress before the year 2007/2008: the number of the directly elected Legislative Council members increased from 20 to 24 and then to 30. Unfortunately the progress was halted by a "decision" in 2004. According to the Basic Law we could consider the possibility of having universal suffrage by the year 2007/2008. That "decision" was contempt of the Basic Law and forced us to remain at the "status quo". Faced with that "decision" we had expressed our anger but by now many Hong Kong people feel that it is useless to insist on the demand. But at least we have to know: When to initiate the progress? What is the speed of the progress? When will we arrive at the ultimate aim? This is what we mean by a Direction, a Road Map or Time-table.
Sadly, the 5th Report does not consider all these. It brought out a package that has no connection with the universal suffrage. We are asked to accept this and are told that the package is a "big step forward". Oh! What kind of a big step is this?
Given the fact that there is no scope for maneuvering the government's attempt to make use of the district councils to find a solution is a successful magical show. But magic does not solve a problem. It is of no use for the advance towards the universal suffrage.
We have used the metaphor of mountain-climbing: the aim is to get to the top of the peak. We have already arrived at mid-level but have been halted in 2004. Now they invite us to make a big step forward. But in which direction? Not to the peak but to a mid-level garden!
The Chief Executive is right to say: We are at a crossroad. The decision for now is whether we should go forward (upward) or go sideway to tour the garden. This is the question. We are not interested in touring the garden. If we accept to tour the garden they will think we have given up the desire to get to the peak.
We can use another metaphor: We want to have a proper meal. The 2004 decision prohibited us to have any meal for 2007/2008. Now we are prohibited even to ask when we can have a proper meal and instead we are forced to just take a candy!
Why does the Central Government treat us good citizens, in this manner? Those who are pro-China, those stake-holders, often describe us as "anti-China and trouble-maker" and thus undermine the trust of the Central Government in our regard.
Well then, let us first of all show our trust. We have to trust ourselves, persevering in our fight, never to give up. We have to show our trust towards our leaders. Why are they so pessimistic in thinking that our request will have adverse results? We trust that our leaders will not just watch our march of demonstration, but will also listen and will also reflect. And will eventually understand that our intention is for the long term stability of Hong Kong. We are asking for a democratic system to ensure the rights of the weaker sector of society, to lessen the gap between the rich and the poor and to allow the poor to share the fruit of our undertaking.
We have to trust the Lord. To work as if all depends on us and to trust that all depends on the Lord. It was the lack of trust that caused the Israelites to wander for forty years in the desert. We do not want to wait for forty years!
The aim that we are pursuing, is it so difficult to obtain? This is the aim indicated to us by the Basic Law! Maybe there are difficulties (every valley must be filled in, every mountain and hill must be leveled. . . . the selfishness of the stake-holders must be overcome). But those who persevere will succeed. Let us act with determination. Let us know as soon as possible on which day we can start the discussion on the direction, the road map, the time-table!
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19/11/2018 09:33
17/01/2018 11:01
