Jason Chow's Speech on Hong Kong National Party - “Defend for Democracy, Hong Kong Independence” Rally
Transcribed by William, translated by William and Sidney, spoken by Jason Chow Ho-fai[ The English translation is released under Creative Commons, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 ]
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| (Source: Undergrad, HKUSU Instant News) |
Hello everyone, I am the spokesperson of the Hong Kong National Party. Well, on the rally last Friday, I mistakenly said that I was the convener - actually, I am the spokesperson, alright. My name is Chow Ho-fai, so today we have such a large and peaceful gathering; many were displeased with peaceful gatherings, or perhaps doubtful, and that is because the Pan-Democratic camp has for the last nineteen years, squandered each and every chance when we had one. Peaceful assemblies were supposed to be a way to gather the crowd, such that we can wait for an opening to put up a fight on the streets or to launch an operation against the government. Yet the Pan-Democrats dismissed the crowd and send everyone home at the boiling point, time after time. Many a great opportunity never have the chance to become something.
Before I say what I am supposed to say today, let me talk about our publicity materials. I trust that everybody here must have received leaflets on the footbridge over there, when you came here from the Admiralty Centre. On one side, it just says “Independence!” followed by an exclamation mark. So what is it all about? If you are holding one, you can take a look right now. Actually, it lists the doubts that many Hong Kong people, many normal citizens have: how would it be possible for Hong Kong to become independent, or specifically, why does Hong Kong have what it takes to become an independent sovereign state. They always say, “if we declare independence, then you won’t have a water supply, and you losers would starve”. That is not true actually, Hong Kong does not rely on China much in terms of food supply. In fact, China is the biggest food importer in the world. As for freshwater, Singapore utilizes desalination and Hong Kong can follow their example.
Many said that they are going to let loose the PLA, but then they did not do that on the 28th of September, they just called the police. Why did they not do that is important - Hong Kong is a place that holds a lot of capital and property for Xi Jinping, his families and many more CCP higher-ups, as they shift their assets out of China. As such, suggesting that the PLA would march out and purge Hong Kong is preposterous and I do not believe that it could happen.
That PLA barracks over there, don’t have the wrong idea that it houses a whole bunch of tough, seasoned warriors. The ones are garrisoned in Hong Kong, are the ones who got here via “guanxi” (special relationships). Because life in the Hong Kong Garrison is wonderful, it is not taxing at all. Shall we Hongkongers be afraid of them? Of course not. Why haven’t Hongkongers make a breakthrough politically all these years? It’s because our greatest fear lives in us ourselves. Hongkongers lack the courage to face their fears. They think that whoever makes the first move will be suppressed, or even have their property raided and confiscated. This fear came from the June 4th incident, when the older generations witnessed, either on television or at the Tiananmen Square, the PLA slaughtering the people with tanks and armies. Then, of course I should be talking about the conditions that make Hong Kong independence possible. I will now start what I really want to talk about today.
Hongkongers have faced many difficulties and hardships in these nineteen years. Ever since the Handover in 1997, Hongkongers went from fighting for high ideals such as political rights, to struggling for basic subsistence like living space. What we are facing today, what many Hongkongers are facing today is not just the loss of political rights or freedom, but an existential threat. You Hongkongers would find it extremely difficult to rent a flat, and even a niche for your ashes would be a hard to come by. It’s hard enough to sort out the funeral rites in Hong Kong after you die, not to mention actually living here.
We have gone from the pursuit of democracy and liberty, to struggling for basic survival rights and space. Then what made Hongkongers live in agony for the last nineteen years? It was that fateful night in 1997, when Hongkongers and Hong Kong did not choose a road to independence and self-sufficiency, but they chose, or rather, those so-called intellectuals and elites chose for all Hongkongers, and also the next generation, to return to China. They think that “democratic return to China” is the right thing to do, they think it is the only proper and just course. And so Hongkongers, including our generation, and the future generations, have to bear the consequences. We have to struggle for our own most basic right to live and basic freedoms.
Actually what I am trying to say is Hongkongers absolutely have the ability to govern ourselves. I believe Hongkongers do possess the ability to create a happy society, and I believe Hongkongers have the ability stand amongst the West or Japan, amongst these countries and not be found wanting. Yet why do Hongkongers today have to worry about whether our nominated candidates would be disqualified, and feel gracious when they aren’t? Why have we sunk so low? Many people claim that there is something wrong with Hong Kong, but no, Hong Kong is fine. All the problems are with the Chinese, China is the crux of the problem. The Chinese government is the problem, not you Hongkongers.
Hongkongers have wasted too much time. You have done nothing at all in these nineteen years. By nothing, I mean that all you have done is participating in peaceful gatherings - there is nothing wrong inherently with the gatherings, but you gained nothing valuable from them. You did not start to organize the resistance back then when Hong Kong fell to China. That’s what went wrong. We have started late, we need to catch up. Many questioned how could we possibly realize Hong Kong Independence, or they say ordinary citizens would not take heed because they value their job more than their rights. My response is this: every Hongkonger have their own part to play in furthering the goal of Hong Kong Independence. Everyone can do something within their own abilities and positions, like Hitsujiko just said - if you are part of the middle-class, you can make monetary contributions or support the movement; if you are working in IT, you can help Independentist organisations build their websites, can’t you?
I am confident that every citizen have a role to play in promoting Hong Kong Independence. They each have the ability to contribute. Many people (mistakenly) claim: “oh, revolution must be a sudden outburst, it must be done with guns, there must be confrontation with the police, or throwing bricks”, so one and so forth. But revolution not only a sudden outburst of passion, it is also a rational and calculated move. Sun Yat-sen attempted a grand total of eleven revolutions in China. The eleventh time finally worked out, and that, the Revolution of 1911 was just a fluke - the Hupeh garrison was rotated into Szechwan. Still, without Dr Sun, or Huang Hsing and the Revive China Society, without them evangelizing the cause in the South Seas, without them spreading ideas about revolution, the revolution would have never occurred in the first place.
And now what Hongkongers should do in these long and brooding days, besides waiting for the oncoming revolution, is to spread the words. Talk to your colleagues, your parents, your friends - tell them why Hong Kong must become independent now, why Hong Kong Independence is the only way out for each and every citizen. The path to independence may be perilous, but look to those standing with you, look at those familiar faces. In striving towards independence, you will not be alone.
In these nineteen years the Pan-Democrats have preached the concept of democracy at rallies, but how many truly understand what democracy is? The Pan-Democrats have their interpretation, the Pro-Establishments have another twisted and tortured interpretation, yet I reckon that there are two concepts central to democracy: first, the people, that is the nation of Hong Kong; secondly, the sovereignty of Hong Kong. The Pan-Democrats always say that even under the dominion of China, we can still fight for democracy, but we can’t. The Electoral Affairs Commission deprived so many pro-independence candidates of their right to run in an election, this precisely shows that under the grip of China, you Hongkongers would absolutely not be able to call the shots.
Democracy is just self-governance, self-determination. Yet under the oppression of China, it can never be achieved by Hongkongers. Why we have to declare independence, is because we have to take back our sovereignty, before we can control our destiny. Many people say that “peaceful, rational, non-violent, non-profane” assemblies are useless, but I disagree, because this is the first time the idea of Hong Kong Independence is openly promoted to all Hongkongers in such a public manner and in such a large scale. Today is just a forum, a rally at this Tamar Park, a venue where we can exchange ideas. But I hope that in the future, in the foreseeable future, we can return to this place, not for another rally, but for every citizen to gather around and make our own Hong Kong’s Tennis Court Oath! Thank you everyone.
大家好，我係香港民族黨嘅發言人！咁我上次禮拜五集會講錯咗召集人，咁今次講返啱啦，我係發言人，係嘞。咁我叫周浩輝，咁今日就有一個咁大型嘅和平集會啦，好多人對和平集會都有一個厭惡，或者係一個質疑啦，咁因為泛民主派過去十九年都係玩爛咗呢一個和平集會。其實suppose和平集會係for積聚呢一個人流啦，然後就等一個爆發點，然後就係有一啲街頭抗爭，或者係一個反政府嘅行動，咁但係泛民主派過往就係喺民怨最沸騰或者最激昂嘅時候呢，就同大家講「請沿著呢一個維園啦，譬如維園嘅話嘞，請沿著邊一度嘅出口就離開，跟住返屋企」咁樣樣。咁就令到好多好好嘅機會呢，都無機會爆發咁樣樣。
咁呀今日喺正式我想講啲嘢之前，我就講下我哋民族黨嘅一啲宣傳品嘅，咁我相信大家嚟嘅時候呢，喺天橋呢，姐金鐘嗰邊姐海富天橋啦，都會收到份文宣嘅，咁上面呢寫住獨立！跟住一個感嘆號。咁究竟呢份嘢講咩呢，咁你有揸喺手你可以宜家舉高啦，姐係去睇下啦，其實入面就係寫住好多香港人或者係好多一般嘅市民都質疑嘅一樣嘢，究竟香港可以點樣獨立，或者，點解香港係有能力成為一個獨立嘅主權國家。佢哋好鍾意講嘅，「喂宜家獨立咁香港冇水飲喎，餓死你班廢青啦」，咁其實唔係嘅，咁，香港其實有好多，姐糧食方面係唔係依賴中國嘅，中國其實係第一大嘅糧食進口國嚟，水方面其實新加坡係用緊海水化淡。咁香港亦都可以仿效。
咁軍隊方面好多人就話會出解放軍屠城，咁，咁九二八都無出解放軍啦，淨係出咗啲警察姐，咁點解佢唔出解放軍係好重要，因為香港呢一撻地方係收埋咗習近平及其親屬同埋呢一個中共高層好多資金、資產喺香港，作為一個資產轉移之用啦，咁樣。咁所以，話解放軍係會出動然後係鎮壓香港，呢個係一個匪夷所思啦，我亦都唔相信呢樣嘢會發生。
咁軍隊方面好多人就話會出解放軍屠城，咁，咁九二八都無出解放軍啦，淨係出咗啲警察姐，咁點解佢唔出解放軍係好重要，因為香港呢一撻地方係收埋咗習近平及其親屬同埋呢一個中共高層好多資金、資產喺香港，作為一個資產轉移之用啦，咁樣。咁所以，話解放軍係會出動然後係鎮壓香港，呢個係一個匪夷所思啦，我亦都唔相信呢樣嘢會發生。
其實姐隔離嘅解放軍軍營呢，大家唔好以為住著嗰啲，姐皮膚黝黑呀，好健碩嘅解放軍，其實嚟得香港做駐軍嘅呢，全部都係靠關係疏通嘅，因為喺香港做駐軍呢，就好正嘅，呀，唔使咁辛苦嘅。咁所以解放軍係咪一個香港人應該恐懼嘅對象，或者係香港人係要突破嘅一個心魔，其實唔係。香港點解咁多年都唔能夠係喺呢個叫政治上做突破，係因為香港人其實面對最大嘅心魔就係自己。因為香港人無勇氣係去面對著心裡面嗰份恐懼，覺得凸個頭出嚟就會俾人鎮壓，或者係會俾人抄家，呢一份恐懼係嚟自一九八九年六四，老一輩親眼喺電視機又好，或者喺北京嘅現場都好，目睹嘅坦克屠城、解放軍屠城，所導致嘅，咁樣樣。咁呀，當然講返啲香港能夠獨立嘅條件啦，正式開始我想講嘅嘢。
其實香港人好多苦難嘅，十九年間，啊。一九九七年主權移交之後香港人，由開初話想爭取呢一個政治權利，去到今日，大家為著你哋自己最基本、最基本嘅生存空間，喺度掙扎奮鬥。我哋今日面對嘅，好多香港人面對嘅唔單單係無咗政治權利，或者無最基本嘅自由，而係連你哋最基本嘅生存都受到威脅。你哋香港人非常之難，搵一個租所去住啦，甚至係你哋死左之後呢，你哋嘅龕位呢，都係一龕難求嘅。姐係香港人係連死呀，都係十分之困難嘅。可想而知你話喺香港生存係更加困難嘅一樣嘢。
咁究竟係啲乜嘢係令到香港人，喺呢十九年間痛不欲生，由初初只不過係追求呢一個民主自由，去到今日要為自己最基本嘅生存權利同埋空間係去奮鬥，就係因為一九九七年，嘅嗰一個夜晚，香港人、香港唔係選擇咗一個獨立自強嘅道路，而係選擇咗，或者，唔係你哋選擇啦，係有一班所謂嘅知識分子啦，所謂嘅精英啦，係去越俎代庖，幫你哋咁多香港人選擇咗，幫你哋香港人嘅下一代選擇咗，要所謂回歸中國，佢哋覺得民主回歸，係一個正確嘅事，係民主回歸先至係正確，係大義所在，結果今日嘅香港人，包括我哋呢一代，同埋呢一代以後啦，都要承受呢一種嘅惡果，都要為著自己最基本嘅生存嘅權利同埋自由，係去掙扎。
其實我想講就係，香港人其實係絕對有能力，係去自己管治自己嘅。我相信香港人係有咁樣嘅能力，係去創造一個幸福嘅社會，我亦都相信香港人，係有咁樣嘅能力喺國際之間，係能夠出埠，係可以同歐美先進國家，可以同日本呢啲咁好嘅國家，係鼎足而立。但點解今日嘅香港人要淪落到一個地步，就係話一場立法會嘅選舉，「啊，好擔心入唔入到閘，入到閘，我就要慶祝一番」，會淪落到咁呢？好多人話香港嘅問題，其實香港嘅問題，香港一路都冇問題，所有嘅問題都係中國人嘅問題，因為中國先至係問題嘅所在，中國政府先係問題嘅所在，唔係香港人你哋。
香港人虛耗嘅時間其實係太多喇。因為呢十九年間，你哋，係無做過嘢嘅。冇做過嘢嘅意思就係，你哋十九年間都係做著一啲和理非非嘅一個嘅集會，而和理非非嘅集會唔係有問題，個本質係冇問題，但你哋從和理非非嘅集會，從泛民組織嘅集會嗰度，係得唔到任何嘢，你哋亦都冇喺香港淪陷嘅嗰一刻，開始組織反抗嘅力量，呢個先係問題嘅所在。香港人你哋起步得太遲喇，你哋要急起直追。好多人話「嘩，你搞呢個香港獨立，搞港獨，你點樣搞啊」或者話呀，香港人，姐我哋講㗎，「港豬點會理你哋呀，佢哋仲要返工」，我想講嘅係，其實每一個香港人，係推動香港獨立，呢個目標上面，都可以有自己角色，都可以有自己能夠做到嘅嘢，好似呀羊子啱啱咁講，如果你係中產嘅，你咪盡你最基本嘅能力，做呢個叫金主或者後援嘅角色囉；如果你係搞IT嘅，呀，咁你咪去幫呢一個叫做獨派嘅組織，係去做website囉，係咪？
我相信香港社會，任何一個人，喺推動香港獨立呢一個議程上面，都有佢嘅角色，都有佢嘅能力，都可以有佢嘅貢獻。好多人話，「啊，革命一定係要嗰當下就要爆發，一定係要揸著槍，然後就係同呢個警察衝突呀，或者係掟磚」咁樣。革命，係一場一瞬間嘅情感爆發，更加係一場理性，同埋計算嘅一個鋪排。孫中山佢搞中國嘅革命，佢搞咗足足十一次，第十一次先成功，而第十一次成功嗰一次，辛亥革命，佢只不過係符碌，湖北嘅駐軍調咗去四川。但係，如果無孫中山，或者黃興一班咁樣嘅興中會，係去不停喺南洋播道呢一個中國革命，或者係做一個思想傳播嘅工作，革命係唔會發生。
而香港人，宜家要做嘅，除咗係要慢慢等待嗰場嘅革命嘅爆發之外，更加要係革命爆發呢一段長久、鬱悶、屈躁難耐嘅一段等待嘅時間去做嘢，做嘅嘢就係思想嘅傳播。係去同你嘅同學講，同你嘅父母講，同你嘅朋友講，點解香港去到呢一刻一定要獨立，點解香港獨立先至係所有香港人嘅出路。香港獨立呢條路可能好艱難，但望下你身邊嘅香港人，望下你身邊熟悉嘅面孔，喺香港獨立呢一個目標或者進程上面，你會有你嘅支持。
十九年間，泛民主派喺和平集會向香港人講好多民主嘅理念，但有幾多人知道民主究竟係啲咩？泛民主派對於民主有一套演繹，建制派對民主又有第二種嘅扭曲，但我認為嘅民主，係有兩個概念，第一：民，係指香港民族；第二：主，係指香港嘅主權。泛民主派經常話喺呢個中國嘅殖民統治之下，我哋可以爭取到民主，但我哋唔可以。因為今次選管會剝奪咁多位主張香港獨立候選人嘅參選權利，就正正證明咗喺香港，喺中國嘅殖民統治之下，你哋香港人係絕對唔能夠自己話事。
民主就係自己管理自己，自己決定自己嘅命運，但喺中國嘅殖民統治之下，呢一點係香港人永遠都無可能做得到。點解要獨立，就係因為香港人，要掌握自己嘅主權，先至可以掌握到自己嘅命運。今日呢度好多人話和理非非無用，但我唔認同，因為香港獨立呢個理念，係第一次咁公開、咁大型，向全香港人傳播。香港人喺未來嘅路上，我好希望，姐今日呢，就只不過係添馬公園呢度，係做一個演講啦，或者係一個集會啦，大家可以交流啦，我好希望就係，喺不久嘅將來，喺可見嘅將來，大家可以一齊重來呢個地方，並唔係再為咗再一次舉行呢個集會，而係到時我哋全香港嘅人可以聚集喺呢度，發表我哋香港自己嘅網球場宣言！多謝各位。
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