A female deity worshipped by many in Hong Kong --
what a pity there's not as much as mercy being shown
by the authorities in this part of the world though!
A couple of days ago, I visited a Taoist temple dedicated to a goddess (Tin Hau) which also is where the Goddess of Mercy's worshipped. Perhaps it'd have been more appropriate to have made the visit yesterday, International Women's Day. More seriously though, my sense yesterday was that there wasn't much for Hong Kongers, female and male, to celebrate. Indeed, many of the Tweets by Hong Kongers that specifically mentioned it being International Women's Day that I saw yesterday were more intent on serving up reminders that Hong Kong has the world's highest percentage (19.7%) of women in its prison population; with a number of female political prisoners in the mix.
Consider the Twitter thread by the Hong Kong Democracy Council which named and highlighted the following Hong Kong women political prisoners: Chow Hang-tung ("Already convicted in 3 trials, now on remand awaiting sentencing plus a trial for “inciting subversion”); Gwyneth Ho (a fellow Nobel Peace Prize nominee "On trial [with] 46 others for “conspiracy to commit subversion” for participating in pro-democracy primary; remanded for >2 years"); Wong Yuen-lam and Chu Wai-ying, leaders of Student Politicism; Carol Ng (a trade unionist who's another of the 47 together with Gwyneth Ho); Winnie Yu (ditto); Claudia Mo (another of the 47); Tiffany Yuen (ditto); and Prince Wong Ji-yuet (ditto).
Also mentioned in the thread were Melody Yeung and Lai Man-ling, who were among the speech therapists jailed for sedition as a result of their publishing children's books about sheep and wolves but released last October anly after serving 19 months of prison time. And singer-actress-activist Denise Ho, who's been arrested twice: once each for being on the board of Stand News, and being a trustee of 6.12 Humanitarian Fund; and technically still “under investigation” and barred from leaving Hong Kong.
The thread went on to recognise the exploits of other Hong Kong women who fought for freedom and democracy, and who continue to resist. But even as it paid tribute to them and tried to end with a rallying point, the fact of the matter is that it's one that makes for generally grim reading.
And even grimmer still is the news that came today that of the arrest of yet another woman, and on a charge that carries a possible life sentence. Veteran union leader Elizabeth Tang was arrested after she visited her pro-democracy
activist husband, Lee Cheuk-yan, who is jailed at a high security prison, according to a
source close to the couple and domestic media. As per a Reuters report: "Tang is the General Secretary of the International Domestic Workers
Federation and the former chief executive of the now disbanded Hong Kong
Confederation of Trade Unions (CTU)."
Known to her colleagues and friends as "Sister Ngor", Tang "is one of the most veteran and prominent female activist for labour rights and independent union movement in Hong Kong" but had moved to the United Kingdom in 2021. Recently, however, she returned to Hong Kong to, among other things, see her husband.
As noted in a Hong Kong Free Press report, "Tang was the target of reports by Beijing-controlled local media outlet Ta Kung Pao in September 2021, when the newspaper accused
her of receiving funding from foreign organisations as a board member
of labour rights advocacy group Asia Monitor Resource Centre." Meanwhile, lawyer Antony Dapiran was moved to wonder "if the [colluding with foreign forces] charge [levelled on her] is based on any of her activity while in the UK".
In any case, this "development" is extremely concerning; and not just because it shows that the national security law arrests have not stopped. Among other things, it's very much worth noting that the "colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security" charge levelled at Tang had hitherto "only" been used in the Jimmy Lai and Apple Daily cases. Put another way: this appears to mean that she's a prime target of the Chinese regime; even more so than her husband, in fact.
In all honesty, Elizabeth Tang's arrest came as a bombshell to me. More so than, say, the cancellation of a Women's Day rally and march over the weekend "amid threats from [the Hong Kong] police that they would arrest key activists". When news first came that such an event would be staged, I was skeptical that it would be allowed to take place. But while I definitely did not think that the national security arrrests had stopped, it still came as a shock to learn of Tang's arrest today. And yes, I know that there are people who'll say that she should have stayed in the U.K. rather than return to Hong Kong. But to blame her for doing so would seem to add to the cruelty already on display. Surely. :(
2 comments:
It seems like a lot is going.
Coffee is on and stay safe
Hi peppylady --
Indeed, and much of what's going on is not good -- alas!
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