Musings on Easter Monday about friends who have left Hong Kong in recent years

Photo taken while hiking with 

a friend who's now left Hong Kong

 

Today is the final day of a long Easter holiday weekend which I'm loath to see end.  My main reason is that, with the courts resuming their business tomorrow, I can imagine more bad news coming out of them in terms of such as guilty verdicts for and impositions of jail sentences on political protestors.  Such, alas, has become the sad norm on regular days in National Security Law-era Hong Kong.  

 

On a positive note: the weather really has been lovely these past few days.  Shiny and high visibility on Good Friday; and a spell of cool spring temperatures in recent days that have made it unnecessary to switch on the fan or airconditioning -- but also the heater too! -- in my apartment, and been very conducive to napping as well as other sedentary activities like watching movies on home video and reading in bed!  

 

Pre-pandemic, I'd have taken advantage of the good weather to venture out more this long weekend.  But I've actually spent the bulk of the past two days at home; with my sole venture outside in the past 48 hours being spending time with a friend who left Hong Kong this evening.     

Since the National Security Law was imposed on Hong Kong, I've seen 10 friends depart from the Big Lychee.  Among them are people who were born here, for whom Hong Kong was previously the only home they had ever known.  And even among those who were not, my sense is that many of them would not have left Hong Kong if they didn't feel that Hong Kong's gotten much worse since July 1st, 2020, but, also, is going to get worse still in the coming months and years.  

Among the latest to go has been a friend who announced on social media on July 1st, 2020, that he and his wife couldn't live in a place with no freedom of speech and expression, and thus would have to leave Hong Kong.  It actually took him (and his wife) longer to depart than I had thought would be the case.  But, then, it's not easy practically as well as psychologically to remove one's ties to a place that one loves.  And, in the case of those who have only ever called Hong Kong home, to find and settle on another part of the world to start one's life anew.

For those who are wondering where my friends who have left Hong Kong since July 1st, 2020, have resettled: the majority have gone to England; with the decision made "easy" for them in that they have British National (Overseas) (BNO) passports.  Then there are those friends originally from the USA and Canada who have returned to their countries of origin (even while leaving a substantial piece of their heart in Hong Kong).

 

With regards to age: we're talking 30-something- to 60-something-year-olds.  With regards to professions: they include journalists, academics, filmmakers, someone who worked in a legal practice that specialised in dealing with refugees, a graphic designer, an accountant and, also, a dog groomer.       

With regards to the last two: they're a couple who, when driving along a street in Yuen Long on July 27th, 2019, made a fateful decision.  Upon seeing a young anti-extradition bill/anti-mob/anti-police protestor being pursued by riot police running towards them, they decided to open one of their car's doors and shouted at her to get in; after which they sped away from the scene and took her to a public transportation stop far away enough from the scene to be considered safe.  After which, they looked at each other and decided that they should head back to near where they had picked up that protestor to offer rides to others in need.    

In the weeks and months thereafter, they ended up doing this over and over again.  Put another way: they volunteered to be "parents" who would "ferry" protestors away from the riot police when needed, including during the the Chinese University of Hong Kong siege in November of that year.  On the days that they themselves weren't marching in protest themselves.  

Although they never were arrested nor committed any act of violence, they still felt threatened when the National Security Law for Hong Kong was announced and then was imposed on the territory; and so much so that they decided they needed to leave Hong Kong.  And so, last year, they left the only home they had ever known for a part of the world they had previously never been to, even as tourists.  And while the likes of Leung Chun-ying may assert that "Hongkongers who have left the city haven't emigrated", I know they aren't coming back to this part of the world unless the political situation dramatically, miraculously improves.

As for the friend who left today: she may originally be from Canada but she had lived in Hong Kong for 18 years and had planned to live here for many more years.  Heck, she had even bought an apartment here (in which to live, not just for investment) to boot!  And yes, she took part in the anti-extradition bill protests too -- and, for that matter, the "Occupy" phase of the Umbrella Movement as well along with the annual June 4th vigils at Victoria Park.  (In fact, she was one of the friends I was at Victoria Park with the last time the candlelight vigil was allowed to be staged -- on June 4th, 2019.)

So, yes, a good number of people (mainly expats) have left Hong Kong in recent months because of Hong Kong's "zero Covid" controls.  But do not underestimate the number of people who have left because of the National Security Law that Carrie Lam had said would just target a small number of "troublemakers" but, in fact, has impacted the lives of so many Hong Kongers.  Just look at my friends who have left and trust me when I say that I doubt that the exodus is over; especially since the expectation is that Hong Kong will become even more of a police state than it already is with former police chief John Lee's ascendance to the post of Chief Executive come this July 1st pretty much assured!