[4 June 2019] Joey Siu: Unite regardless of generation and protest on 9 June

Unite regardless of generation and protest on 9 June

By Joey Siu, Acting External Vice President of Provisional Executive Committee of the City University of Hong Kong Students' Union
in front of Hong Kong Cultural Centre on 4 June 2019

大家好，我係香港城市大學學生會臨時行政委員會署理外務副會長邵嵐。

三十年前嘅北京，一眾中國學生主導發起咗要求中共政府正視社會問題，建設民主中國嘅八九民運。然而，數以萬計嘅學生對民主自由嘅渴求不但得唔到政府嘅重視，更加換嚟咗6月4日凌晨嘅屠城慘劇。冰冷嘅坦克車徹底粉碎咗莘莘學子對民主自由，對公義嘅希望。

三十年後嘅香港，中共政權一次又一次肆意妄為咁想摧毀香港嘅核心價值。由否定梁天琦參選資格到褫奪四位民選議員議席，人大釋法、到今日，中共試圖藉修訂逃犯條例徹底摧毀香港嘅法治，將我地嘅家園變成中共政權下嘅一個城市。

關於六四，近年嚟經常聽到老一輩批評年輕人唔出席支聯會舉辦嘅六四燭光晚會。作為一個香港人，我都選擇唔出席支聯會嘅燭光晚會，建設民主中國並非一眾生於斯，長於斯嘅香港人要承擔嘅責任。即使拋開身份認同而言，痴心妄想咁要求一個如此血腥嘅政權去平反三十年前嘅過失，還人民民主自由更加係天方夜譚。

但係，我仍然選擇悼念六四。作為一個學生，我希望藉悼念六四中犧牲嘅學生，時刻警醒自己，香港而家面對緊嘅，係一個幾咁橫蠻嘅政權。作為一個學生領袖，我希望藉悼念六四話比更多人聽，特別係已經唔可以再從課本上完整咁了解六四事件，更年輕嘅一代知，究竟中共有幾殘暴不仁。

五十年大限過去未夠一半，但中共已經迫不及待赤化香港，香港人一直引以為傲嘅法治精神，自由民主可謂經已蕩然無存；而家，就連最基本嘅集會自由，言論自由都岌岌可危。

港共強推送中惡法，我唔知道我哋下年仲可唔可以喺同一地方悼念六四。喺德國流亡嘅黃台仰為紐約時報撰文時話「送中惡法通過，香港將會死亡」。香港危急存亡之際，我哋更加要銘記歷史比我哋嘅教訓，無論老一輩定係年輕一代都應該放低成見，團結反抗惡法。

香港人，6月9號，我哋維園見。

Hello everyone, I am Joey Siu, the Acting External Vice President of Provisional Executive Committee of the City University of Hong Kong Students' Union.

So, first I have to apologize for not having an English version of my speech. But what I want to say is, we all should remember the June 4th movement. We all should remember how cruel can the Chinese government be. No one can save us - only we Hongkongers can save ourselves. As a Hongkonger, as a student, as a student leader, I am willing to voice out for my country, for my homeland. So, 9 June, let's meet at Victoria Park, thank you.

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(The following is the translation of her Cantonese speech.)

Hello everyone, I am Joey Siu, the Acting External Vice President of Provisional Executive Committee of the City University of Hong Kong Students' Union.

Three decades ago, in Beijing, lots of Chinese students had led the movement in 1989, demanding the CCP government to face squarely to the problems in society and to build a democratic China. Yet, the desire for democracy and freedom by tens of thousands of students was neglected by the government and ended up in a tragedic slaughter in the early hours on 4 June 1989. Cold tanks completely crushed students' hope for democracy, freedom and justice.

Three decades later, in Hong Kong, the CCP regime has time and again showed its fervent desire to destroy the core values of Hong Kong. From disqualifying Edward Leung's candidacy to disqualifying the seats of four elected lawmakers, from NPCSC's Basic Law interpretation to what is happening now - utterly tarnishing the rule of law in Hong Kong by trying to amend the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance (FOO). They want our homeland to become a city under the CCP regime.

In recent years, we can often hear criticisms from people of the older generation about youngsters not attending the candlelight vigil in Victoria Park. As a Hongkonger, I choose not to attend the one in Victoria Park by the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China. To build a democratic China is not a responsibility on the shoulders of Hongkongers, who are born and bred here. Putting aside identity issue - fantasizing a brutal regime to vindicate the mistake it made three decades ago and allow democracy and freedom is simply ridiculous.

Still, I choose to commemorate June 4th. As a student, I hope to alert myself the barbarism of the regime Hong Kong is now facing by remembering those sacrificed students in Beijing. As a student leader, I hope to tell more people - especially the younger generation who can no longer learn about the incident completely from textbooks - how brutal the CCP is.

Half of the deadline of "unchanged 50 years" has passed, yet the CCP has an urge to turn Hong Kong red. The rule of law, which Hongkongers are proud of, as well as freedom and democracy, can be described as "it's over". And now, the freedom of assembly - the most fundamental right - is in jeopardy.

The CCP wants to steamroller the draconian FOO amendment. I do not know whether we can commemorate June 4th at the same place next year. Ray Wong, now in exile in Germany, wrote on New York Times that if the FOO amendment is passed, Hong Kong will be dead. At this critical moment of Hong Kong, we should remember the lessons from history. Regardless of older or younger generation, we should put our differences aside and unite to oppose this draconian law.

Hongkongers, let's meet at Victoria Park on 9 June.