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...

 

 

Germany's Humanitarian Dilemma

A timely reminder of Germany's constitution of opening its doors

I saw these banners posted in front of the Semperoper or opera house in Dresden:
Open our eyes.
Open our hearts.
Open our doors.
Human dignity is inviolable.

-- Article 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany

They immediately made me think of the Syrian, Iranian and Afghani refugees Germany took in since the summer of 2015, when thousands of them were stuck at Hungary's main train station. Today there are about 1.4 million of them in Germany, grateful to be safe from war and persecution.

Merkel visiting refugee children taking classes in school

However, Chancellor Angela Merkel's generous humanitarian action has cost her politically, with native Germans not happy with the massive influx of people who are not one of their own, even though these refugees must integrate and learn how to speak German to be able to thrive.

Our tour guide in Frankfurt blamed Merkel for the current economic situation. He said when he was a child, his father could easily provide for him, his sister and mother, afford a car and take a holiday once a year.

Today the 40-year-old said he and his wife both work -- they don't have children yet -- and they can't afford to buy another car.

Did he not understand that this situation is happening all over the world, not just in Germany? This is not because of the refugee influx. And they wouldn't be competing for his job -- they would be taking the jobs Germans wouldn't want to do.

His dislike of Merkel is misplaced.

I am grateful she has taken in these refugees, and that she has welcomed dissidents like artist Ai Weiwei and Liu Xia, the wife of Liu Xiaobo to Germany.

Liu Xia (centre) and Ai Weiwei (right) meet up in Berlin

It is because Merkel grew up in East Germany since she was an infant and had experienced communism first hand until the age of 35.

Following a series of election setbacks, last October, the Chancellor announced she will step down in 2021 when her term ends. Merkel will also not seek re-election as the head of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany.

Hopefully in the future, Merkel will be vindicated for taking in the refugees not only because of the humanitarian crisis, but also boosting Germany's population to keep the economy going. But for now though, you can feel unease between native Germans and their new neighbours.

Which is why these banners in Dresden are so apt for what is happening today, a reminder to open our eyes, hearts and doors.