Lam said today she would not run again for chief executive

After five years, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has thrown in the towel. Today she announced she would not seek a second term, and will retire.

"I will not run in the sixth chief executive elections," Lam said. "In other words, I will complete my five-year chief executive term on June 30, and will officially end my 42-year career in government."

Twitter went nuts as soon as she made this statement, ending years of speculation if she would or wouldn't try to extend her term. In the end she cited family reasons for stepping down.

Lam victorious on election day in 2017

"They all thought it was time for me to come home," she said.

What is Lam going to do? She is a self-professed workaholic who is known for micromanaging. Maybe she'll spend the next few months counting all the cash she had stashed around Government House but after that, then what? Knitting? Gardening? Hard to imagine her being a homebody.

But it is a relief to know she will not be continuing as Chief Executive, but at the same time, the next leader will be just as hamstrung by Beijing.

Her time as chief executive has definitely left Hong Kong worse off than how it was five years ago. Most memorably was her proposal of the extradition bill in 2019 which led to millions of people protesting in the streets.

She did not heed her own election promise to step down if she did not have the support of the people. Instead the police were unleashed in a bid to quell the protests which resulted in many residents' hatred of the authorities which led to some violent clashes and the horrific attacks at the Yuen Long MTR station on July 21, 2019, and also in Prince Edward MTR station on August 31 that year.

Extradition bill sparked millions into the streets

None of these incidents were ever fully investigated or the police held accountable for their actions.

A year later Lam brought in the national security law, and that sparked another upheaval. Over 10,000 people were arrested, including lawmakers, activists, and students. Then Apple Daily was shut down, with owner Jimmy Lai Chee-ying arrested, and other pro-democracy media or outlets critical of the government closed down out of fear.

Civil society groups and unions also shuttered, either because of threats from the national security bureau or not wanting to have trouble.

Events like the candlelight vigil on June 4 that were commemorated for 30 years were suddenly considered illegal, and even the statue that memorialised it was taken down in pieces and taken away. Any slogans related to it were literally whitewashed.

And then the coronavirus pandemic erupted in Wuhan in January 2020 and soon made its way to Hong Kong.

Police seemed to collude with men in white shirts

At first Lam's administration was praised for managing to keep the virus out of the city, but two years in, fatigue started to set in, people tired of the social-distancing restrictions that seemed more political than scientific. How come playgrounds, sports grounds and beaches are shut when people should really be exercising outdoors and improving their mental health?

Even though Lam said she told Beijing she would not seek re-election, this fifth wave has done her in, being several steps behind Omicron and not being more insistent on vaccinating the elderly, which led to some 200 deaths a day, and over 50,000 cases for a few days.

Today there are 3,138 cases and less than 100 deaths, but not without the government continuing to insist mass testing will be held at some point, anti-epidemic kits being distributed, and such strict social-distancing measures that many sectors like restaurants, gyms, salons, and entertainment venues are in the verge of closing or have already shut, unable to financially sustain themselves.

And not to mention eliminating all opposition from the Legislative Council so that Hong Kong is governed by patriots.

Lam was caught flatfooted in fifth wave

Lam has completely and irrevocably changed the city for the worse -- even the pro-Beijing camp would agree. The next leader, while having an easy ride in Legco, will have a formidable task of reigniting Hong Kong's economy, though it will never be what it was like before 2019.

The sixth CE will have to drag the city closer to the mainland through the Greater Bay Area, but are Hongkongers ready for this? Is there even a game plan?

In the meantime Hongkongers cannot wait to see Lam finish her term in a few months. Where she will reside during her retirement is now up for speculation. Can she even stay in Hong Kong afterwards? Maybe she should pick up knitting and gardening after all...

Prison-Rights Group Disbands

Shiu's group had been advocating for prisoners' rights

Another day, another civil society group is disbanding for fears of crossing with the national security law.

Today Wall-fare, a prison-rights group founded by former opposition lawmaker Shiu Ka-chun announced it will disband after Hong Kong's security chief warned that inmates arrested on national security charges were being encouraged by people outside prison walls to fight on for their causes.

Wall-fare made the announcement on social media, saying the non-profit group will be dissolved with immediate effect.

Today Wall-fare announced it was disbanding

"Even if we are crushed in the end, the time in between was worth it," the group wrote in a farewell announcement on Facebook. "Wind and rain always pass, and for those inside and outside the wall, the most important thing is that the people are fine."

The group was founded in December 2020 to promote the well-being of prisoners, particularly anti-government protesters with emotional or physical challenges while in jail. Wall-fare offered them free packages as allowed by the Correctional Services Department items such as wet wipes, tissues and stationary.

In addition, the group coordinated a letter-writing campaign on social media, helping those sympathetic to inmates pass along words of encouragement and maintain "a bridge of communication" between those inside and outside prison walls.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung warned last Tuesday that people in custody on national security-related charges were establishing links with outside organizations as a way of building up new forms of resistance to the government.

Although Tang did not name Wall-fare by name, he slammed organizations for sending letters or documents to inmates and detainees, saying it encouraged the recipients to continue fighting for their cause, thereby spreading "the seeds of endangering national security".

Tang accused groups of supporting prisoners

Later Hong Kong's prisons chief Woo Ying-ming echoed Tang, alleging that such inmates were exercising "unprecedented influence" inside and "recruiting followers".

Shiu told RTHK that political pressure had threatened the existence of civil society at large, but declined to elaborate on why Wall-fare was disbanding. He said the group had not been directly contacted by the government, and declined to comment on possibly facing legal action.

He said Wall-fare had always been careful to focus on "humanitarian work" to help those in custody, many of whom came from the margins of society.

"What support will prisoners get without Wall-fare? We can't tell you today," he said. "We only wanted to do the humble work -- to give a cup of cool water to the prisoners and their family in the heat of the summer. Unfortunately, this cup of water may have become too hot now."

Indeed. Everything has become too hot to touch.

Education Chief Insists No Significant Drop in Pupils

School may have started but class numbers have plunged

 

The Hong Kong government continues to spin, spi,n spin, hoping the more they repeat things, the more they become fact.

A few days ago Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor insisted there wasn't a crackdown on civil society groups, only that the national security police are investigating them to ensure they aren't violating the law.

Yeung insists there is no big drop in pupils

But the reality is that many of the groups are attacked by pro-Beijing media, causing the organizations to disband as quickly as possible in a bid to avoid further trouble. But security chief Chris Tang Ping-keung says the authorities are already investigating the groups even if they are dissolving.

So is that a crackdown or not?

Today it's a quibble about the number of students in the city.

Schools have reported cutting the number of classes, but the Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung claims this does not mean there is a huge drop in pupils.

Official figures show 66 classes have been cut citywide, and with each class having about 25 students, that's about 1,600 spots that were cut.

Many have gone overseas in past year

The Education Bureau expects some 60,000 students starting in Primary One this year. 

"I think there is some misunderstanding on the figures... Does it mean we are seeing a significant drop in students? That is not really the case," Yeung told reporters.

"It does not actually reflect the forecast of the [number] of possible Primary One students. What we will be doing by the middle of the month is a headcount of the new Primary One students, then we will know better [if there is] any major change in the population or the number of students admitted to Primary One."

But primary school heads believed the number of classes were cut due to many families emigrating this year, particularly over the summer, prompted by the national security law.

Another reason is mainland students who used to cross the border everyday to go to school in Hong Kong, have dropped out after months of online classes.

Cross-border students have quit HK schools

In July, official data showed more than 15,000 students had quit school in 12 months, with nearly 691,000 students enrolled in primary and secondary schools as of October last year, down from more than the 706,000 registered in 2019.

Meanwhile, figures from the Census and Statistics Department last month showed a net outflow of about 89,200 residents over the year from mid-2020.

Yeung however did concede there has been an increase in people leaving Hong Kong recently and children of various ages are moving to other places.

So how can he say there hasn't been a drop in student numbers? Of those 89,200 people who left Hong Kong, many of them must be children...

 

Protest-Related Humanitarian Fund to Shut

The fund was set up on June 15, 2019

Another civil society group has announced it will disband for fear of crossing the red line with the national security law.

612 Humanitarian Relief Fund was set up after the anti-extradition protests began in June 2019, helping to provide humanitarian aid and financial support to those who were injured, attacked, arrested or threatened with violence during the protests. 

The fund provided legal, medical, psychological and emergency financial assistance, and depended on donations from the public.

Cardinal Zen and Barrister Ng set up the chairs

But today 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund announced it would not take on new cases from Wednesday (today), and will shut down by the end of October.

The public donations were collected through a bank account belonging to the Alliance for True Democracy. The fund decided to stop operations after learning the alliance will shut down, citing the latest social developments.

"Without a bank account, we cannot operate at all. As to whether there's any political pressure behind, I don't think we are in a position to guess and in a way it's not relevant for us to guess," said Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, former Civic Party lawmaker and trustee of the 612 fund.

"We have remained vigilant in the unpredictable political environment, the day has come that the fund is forced to shut down."

In total the fund had a staggering over HK$236 million, though only HK$2 million is left. They helped 43 percent of cases, or 947 of them, of which 231 had the charges dropped or acquitted. Then there were 371 cases that were convicted and sentenced to non-custodial sentence (alternative to prison sentence), and 345 convicted and sentenced to jail.

Cardinal Zen, Ng and singer Denise Ho (far right)

However, there are still 1,274 cases pending, and Ng says not all these cases can be helped. Only about 100 of them can be helped until the fund ceases to exist.

Nevertheless the fund is still accepting donations until September 21 before it closes October 31.

612 Humanitarian Relief Fund was specifically established to help people get the appropriate funding or help they needed, whether it be legal representation, paying for surgeries, or counselling. 

But alas it will soon be no more, though Ng remains optimistic for the future:

"A fair and just society, the rights and freedoms everyone is entitled to under the law will remain the joint hope and endeavour of Hong Kong's civil society."

Is hope enough to keep Hong Kong's civil society going? Hard to say, but it's looking very bleak these days. Yet another light snuffed out in the eerie dark future of the city...

 

 

Teachers' Union Forced To Disband

This afternoon the PTU said it had no choice but to disband

 

Just over a week after Chinese state media declared the Professional Teachers' Union "a malignant tumour" that had to be removed, and the Hong Kong government cut ties, the group, which has 95,000 members, announced it had no choice but to disband.

At a hastily arranged press conference, PTU president Fung Wai-wah said: "In recent years there have been big changes to the social, political and economic environments.  Especially in recent weeks, the situation has become worse. As of now, we do not see a future... We have decided to disband. We shall start the process of disbanding."

Lam at 45th anniversary of PTU, now has cut ties

Founded 48 years ago by the late Szeto Wah, the union decided to call it quits after education minister Kevin Yeung Yun-hung on Saturday urged Hong Kong teachers to "thoroughly rethink" their relationship with the PTU, and said his bureau would no longer recognize it as a professional organization.

In addition the police commissioner said the force would "definitely investigate" the union for any potential national security violations.

"We have gone through, with many residents, Hong Kong's historic moments," Fung said. "We face huge pressure. Although we have tried to find new ways to continue our work, we regret that we have failed to find a workable option to ease the crisis this time.

"We aim to disband in an orderly and reasonable manner. We shall call an extraordinary members'  meeting... We hope to take care of the rights of some 200 staff members... make financial arrangements and dispose or properties and assets properly."

PTU's two supermarkets were busy today

The union is a large group that gives lots of benefits to teachers, from two supermarket for them, to discounts on school supplies, even travel agent services, insurance, even medical and dental clinics -- practically a small ecosystem of its own. What will happen to all the staff running these businesses? The PTU also owns several properties that Fung said would take time to sell off.

And just like that another opposition-leaning group is eliminated. According to AFP, this is the 33rd political or professional group that has disbanded since June 30, 2020. It is also the oldest group to dissolve so far.

The relentless pace at which the government is dismantling civil society and grassroots groups is blindingly fast, shocking and difficult for many to fathom. Where it ends, no one knows, only that it is ongoing.

China's Legal Eagles Silenced

Beijing lawyer Xia Lin was convicted of fraud and jailed for 12 years

The hope to change China from within through a civil society has suffered yet another setback with the jailing of Beijing lawyer Xia Lin, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison for fraud.

At his sentencing, Xia, his wife and supporters vehemently rejected the prosecutors' claim that he had defrauded four people of 4.8 million yuan (US$780,000).

But Xia and his supporters say the funds were legitimate loans, and that the charge was a reprisal for his combative legal work.

One of his most famous clients was Ai Weiwei

The 46-year-old had previously represented artist and activist Ai Weiwei when the authorities ordered Ai's company, Beijing Fake Cultural Development Ltd, to pay US$2.4 million in back taxes and fines for tax fraud.

Xia was then detained in November 2014 when he agree to defend Guo Yushan, an activist and writer in Beijing who was also detained and later charged with running an illegal business.

Guo was released in September last year.

As for Xia's case, it doesn't seem to have been processed according to rule of law; Chinese legal experts said in a petition in June that there were repeated delays in Xia's case, and he didn't have access to his lawyers.

While it was expected he would not win his case, Xia and his supporters didn't expect such a heavy sentence.

"After he heard the verdict, Xia Lin said the case had been procedurally unfair and he was being persecuted for his rights defense work, for the cases he took on," one of his defense lawyers, Ding Xikui, who was in court for the verdict, said. "He is planning to appeal."

Xia was detained after he agreed to defend Guo Yushan

In a tribute published on Tuesday on an overseas Chinese website, Guo said Xia "never altered his initial intentions. From a commercial lawyer to a human rights lawyer, the road of life he took became rockier and rockier, but more and more soul-stirring".

Xia is one of several hundred lawyers and rights activists jailed for their work on human rights issues in China. His supporters say his case was part of the government's campaign to silence Chinese rights lawyers who have challenged arbitrary state power.

Earlier this week more than 100 lawyers signed a petition calling on the National People's Congress to stop the police and other government authorities from harassing and persecuting criminal defense lawyers trying to represent their clients.

The letter said the abuses had "deviated from the course of legality, destroyed legal order, and thoroughly disappointed people's hopes in the government".

It's a worrying sign that rule of law in China has less meaning in reality and that rule by fear continues to grow.

These lawyers are so brave. They had thought the law would protect them while doing their work. But it appears the Party is beyond the law.

Don't Look Down, Look Up

Praying for good luck at Che Kung Temple may not necessarily come true...

Yesterday over 50,000 people went to Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin to pray for good luck and prosperity in the Year of the Monkey.

However it seems that all that praying isn't going to help much this year.

Today the Hang Seng Index fell to its lowest point since 1994 on the first day of trading after Chinese New Year, dropping 3.9 percent or 742.37 points to end the day at 18,545.80.

Analysts predicted a red start to the year, with declining commodity prices, capital outflows due to currency fluctuations and the impact of China's economic slowdown.

Even the first race day at Sha Tin had a betting turnover of HK$1.47 billion, down from last year's record HK$1.7 billion.

But sentiment was bad probably due to the added downer of the "riots" in Mongkok added to the pessimism.

Over 60 people were arrested, with ages ranging from 15 to 70. Thirty-seven of them appeared in court today, some charged with inciting riots.

It's not a good start and signs of a challenging year ahead economically.

But hopefully instead of radical localists, there should be grassroots movements to actively create a better Hong Kong, whether it be helping groups of underprivileged people, preserving the environment, or lobbying lawmakers to create change.

There are already many groups that do these things, but perhaps now is time to create a groundswell of support for them.

If we can't make gobs of money, can we at least establish the foundations for a better place for the next generation?

Making Hong Kong better doesn't start with government. It starts with us.

And since the government won't listen to us, we should take ownership of the city, creating a civil society that takes the high road. Not the ugly one down to violence.

A Heavy Price for Free Speech

Pu Zhiqiang will be released soon, but cannot practice law again

Human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang was handed a three-year suspended jail sentence for posting online comments that were critical of the Communist Party. While he will be released in days, he will not be allowed to practice law again.

The Beijing Second Intermediate People's Court found Pu, 50, guilty of "inciting ethnic hatred" and "picking quarrels and provoking trouble", according to a report by Xinhua news agency.

According to legal experts, the suspended jail sentence means Pu will be put on probation for three years and if he violates the terms or commits offenses in the next three years, he will have to serve his original sentence.

His lawyer, Shang Baojun says lawyers who have been convicted have their lawyer's license revoked. "To be incriminated over one's speech in seven microblog messages -- this is a very heavy price indeed," Shang said.

Amnesty International said the suspended jail sentence was "a deliberate attempt by the Chinese authorities to shackle a champion of freedom of expression".

However, Xinhua said the court handed down a light sentence because Pu "pro-actively confessed to his crimes and showed remorse". It added Pu would not appeal.

We do not know exactly what happened in the court room, but we do know last week that he was adamant about rejecting the charges against him. So what happened between then and now is unclear.

He was convicted on the basis of the content of seven microblog messages that were critical of the government's handling of an ethnic conflict in Kunming, Yunnan province last year, and sarcastic comments about two officials.

Xinhua reported the court said between January 2012 and May 2014, Pu posted messages eight times on various Weibo accounts "to stir ethnic relations and incite ethnic hatred". It said his messages were retweeted 2,500 times and had 1,300 comments, and thus had "provoked internet users' strong ethnic hatred and confrontation feelings", and his behaviour had "posed social danger that has reached a serious level".

As a result, this had caused "psychological damage", and had "lowered [people's] opinions of society", and created "chaos in cyberspace" and a "bad influence in society", and his behaviour had "gravely disrupted social order".

The court makes it sound like Pu was someone disseminating hate literature. While reposting his message 2,500 times is a lot, when compared relative to the number of people in China, it's not a big exposure.

Nevertheless, Xinhua said Pu apologized and showed his willingness to accept punishment during the trial. It added that Pu told the court that through his ordeal, "he has experienced the progress of rule of law, the improvement of the law, and progress of society"...

Was his trial a sign of progress of rule of law in China? The lawyer who suffers from diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, was detained for 19 months without trial and no access to his family.

Beijing has effectively silenced yet another of its critics in a harsh way. He will be made into an example for others to conform even more to the Party line.

But China needs people like him to point out the country's flaws that must be addressed and dealt with. He and others like him want to hold the government accountable so that it will be a more effective one.

How will China's civil society ever be able to flourish when it is so badly needed now?

Human Rights Lawyer on Trial in Beijing

Pu Zhiqiang was on trial yesterday for what he wrote on Weibo

Yesterday one of China's most outspoken human rights lawyers, Pu Zhiqiang defended himself in court on charges of inciting ethnic hatred or "provoked trouble" by writing microblog commentaries critical of the Communist Party.

Pu's lawyer Shang Baojun said the three-hour trial at Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court ended with no verdict, though he expected one "very soon".

The trial took place 19 months after Pu was detained by police after he attended a private seminar to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

Many believe his detainment and subsequent trial are a way to silence him and warn other rights advocates not to speak out.

Plainclothes police in black masks shoved supporters around

Pu is charged with "inciting ethnic hatred" and "provoking quarrels and provoking trouble" for the content of seven Weibo messages he posted online between July 2011 and May 2014.

He could face up to eight years in jail.

The online messages are mostly critical of the government's handling of an ethnic conflict in Kunming, Yunnan province last year, and sarcastic comments about two officials.

Shang, Pu's lawyer, said while Pu admitted his microblog writing style was "sharp, caustic and sometimes vulgar", "he said he didn't think he had incited ethnic hatred or provoked trouble. He had no such intention," Shang said.

Pu was not asked whether he admitted to his guilt during the trial.

Security was tight outside the courthouse and while there were many supporters, some of whom were pushed around forcefully by plainclothes police wearing black face masks while talking to foreign media.

Even foreign diplomats were roughly handled, including American diplomat Dan Biers who tried to read out a statement. It took a while before the situation calmed down before he could read it out in its entirety.

A supporter was forcefully pushed to the ground while filmed

He said the United States embassy called for Pu's release and urged "China to uphold fundamental civil rights and fair trial guarantees".

"Lawyers and civil society leaders such as Mr Pu should not be subject to continued repression but should be allowed to contribute to the building of a prosperous and stable society," Biers read out in his statement.

Some of Pu's supporters outside the courthouse chanted, "Pu Zhiqiang, not guilty!"

"He is a good lawyer who helped the underprivileged. He should never be convicted," said Zhang Jie, a petitioner from Jilin province.

Another from Henan province said: "How can he be charged just because of a few words he said?"

China law expert Eva Pils at King's College, London, said Pu's trial was "part of a crackdown on civil society [and] was clearly related to his free speech advocacy and role as a government critic".

"The authorities have made it clear that they see rights lawyers in particular as enemies of the state [and] that it treats the human rights movement as a subversive force it aims to annihilate," she said.

There are health concerns for Pu as he suffers from diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Requests for bail have been rejected by the court.

China needs people like Pu to hold the government accountable, but the authorities clearly see him as a threat. We shall see what the verdict is, but it probably won't be what we are hoping for...