Giving Up Is Our Heaviest Price to Pay
By Owan Li, Council Member (April 2018-April 2020) of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University [Social Policy and Administration, Year 3]
in front of Hong Kong Cultural Centre on 4 June 2019
各位在場朋友大家好。
「以銅為鏡，可以正衣冠；以古為鏡，可以知興替；以人為鏡，可以明得失。」今日我們一同來到尖沙咀一同紀念三十年前在不遠的他方，我們可以清晰地看到極權政府的暴行。所以今日的六四悼念集會，除了紀錄當日猝然而逝的往生者以外，亦令我們一眾港人明白到歷史教會我們的事情。學習歷史，除了可以增廣見聞，也可以教曉我們不要重蹈覆轍，今日在網路上回顧這些年來的紀錄片和照片，可見極權政府對付平民百姓的手段殘暴不仁、令人扼腕。因此，回望這段歷史，我們必需要時刻警惕，極權政府正在我們的鄰近之處蠢蠢欲動、張牙舞爪。
「香港人這個身份，在這幾年特別艱難，但我相信我們每一位，都有為這個地方感到自豪，因為我們真的很喜歡這個地方，我作為香港人的一份子，對於香港日漸沉淪，慢慢不再是我們熟悉的地方，除了嘆息，亦只有難過。我選擇了在不同的身份上，都要捍衛香港人這個身份，作為今日這一代的學生領袖，彷如與三十年前蒙難的往生者身影重疊。慶幸今天我仍活在香港，雖然不致於生命受到威脅，但一九九七年主權移交以來，香港人的正常生活早已面目全非。雖然在理大民主牆事年當中，我需要履行120小時社會服務令，但事實上在香港不同的角落，早已有不同的香港人身陷囹圇成為年輕世代的政治犯，相比之下120小時的社會服務令簡直微不足道，更遑論當日死傷無數的犧牲者，魂魄早就刻在我們在場每一個人的腦海之中。歷史的教晦，就是要我們面對極權的統治，除了要保留實力、小心應對之外，亦要時刻防範不要鬆懈。
歷史，是勝利者編寫時代輝煌見證的書目。今年《環球時報》指出六四「事件」是已褪色的歷史事件，放下它有助國家走出陰影避免分歧，幫助所有中國人面對未來、對動亂可以免疫。此等評論只為抹黑歷史、愚弄群眾。
但我希望在場各位，不要忘記歷史給過我們沉痛與淚水帶來血的教訓，因為只有銘記歷史，我們才能發創未來。今日的香港，有人說要忘記過去，我對此不敢苟同，因為學習歷史的意義，除了要令我們知道以前的事件之外，亦可以從過去的大小事上找到了世界行走的軌跡，在座每一位都明白到只有認識到極權政府的過去、面對殺人政權的暴行，更有效可以為我們疏理好未來鬥智鬥力的籌碼，必需要步步為營，他日終究都會是我們在場各位自主未來。
有人認為，明知不可為而為之，是一種極致的無知，但是歷史沒有如果、只有教訓，若然我們能夠保留實力，他日定能勇者無懼。只要我們永不放棄，勝利定當站在我們一方。
今日六月四日，三十年過去了，中共政權在本質從來沒有絲毫的改變。今日的香港更是變本加厲，如今逃犯條例修訂案猶如每個港人頸邊的利刃，吾等眾人活在人心惶惶的恐懼當中。
放棄，才是我們的最大代價。
雖然未來的日子，早就可以預見我們的生活將會遇上更大的艱難。但希望在這裡希望鼓勵各位，只要有我們、這裡才是我們的香港。
各位，無論如何都要堅持。
因為我們都是香港人。
[Li's speech in English; edited for grammatical reasons; explanations in italic]
Good evening everybody.
Learning from history is about learning the lesson of our life in our modern society. Today, we are coming to Tsim Sha Tsui, commemorating 30 years ago - it's not quite far away - in Beijing, Tian'anmen Square. We can clearly find that the government of the Communist Party in China already showed the dictatorship to the citizens. It's actually - today's event - not only have to recall the dead victims in China, we also learn the history, learn the lesson of today's Hong Kong. We should have the self-determination of our destiny, and also we should learn the lesson from history.
Today, in Hong Kong, the government already showed us the dominance, the hegemony - not only because of the sovereignty problem but also they do not treasure Hong Kong people. Today, in Hong Kong, the identity of Hong Kong people is extremely difficult. To uphold the identity of Hong Kong people, we should be proud of it. Because this identity is unique. No one can replace [us].
However, we can see that every day in Hong Kong, we have sad news. Teenagers, or our next generation, have no hope - they even committed suicide. They think that they cannot find their future. However, when we learn from history, we can find that the Communist Party in China already showed us - when we escape, they will do more. We are now living in danger. As a student leader in Hong Kong, and I am still the student council member of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, although the punishment [received by Li regarding his protest against the Polytechnic's decision to forbid the students using the democracy wall at campus] is 120 hours of community service order, compared to that, 30 years ago, they sacrificed their lives, their destiny, their future. Compared to that, it [Li's punishment] seems to be nothing.
History is written by winners instead of losers. So, we have to uphold the identity of Hong Kong people. We have to be our own winner. We never forget, we never forgive.
Last but not least, in the future, it will be predicted that our lives, society, the community will encounter more difficulties. I would like to express that we never give up, because, in the world, we are Hong Kong people. Only we are Hong Kong people to uphold Hong Kong's rights. Thank you.
「以銅為鏡，可以正衣冠；以古為鏡，可以知興替；以人為鏡，可以明得失。」今日我們一同來到尖沙咀一同紀念三十年前在不遠的他方，我們可以清晰地看到極權政府的暴行。所以今日的六四悼念集會，除了紀錄當日猝然而逝的往生者以外，亦令我們一眾港人明白到歷史教會我們的事情。學習歷史，除了可以增廣見聞，也可以教曉我們不要重蹈覆轍，今日在網路上回顧這些年來的紀錄片和照片，可見極權政府對付平民百姓的手段殘暴不仁、令人扼腕。因此，回望這段歷史，我們必需要時刻警惕，極權政府正在我們的鄰近之處蠢蠢欲動、張牙舞爪。
「香港人這個身份，在這幾年特別艱難，但我相信我們每一位，都有為這個地方感到自豪，因為我們真的很喜歡這個地方，我作為香港人的一份子，對於香港日漸沉淪，慢慢不再是我們熟悉的地方，除了嘆息，亦只有難過。我選擇了在不同的身份上，都要捍衛香港人這個身份，作為今日這一代的學生領袖，彷如與三十年前蒙難的往生者身影重疊。慶幸今天我仍活在香港，雖然不致於生命受到威脅，但一九九七年主權移交以來，香港人的正常生活早已面目全非。雖然在理大民主牆事年當中，我需要履行120小時社會服務令，但事實上在香港不同的角落，早已有不同的香港人身陷囹圇成為年輕世代的政治犯，相比之下120小時的社會服務令簡直微不足道，更遑論當日死傷無數的犧牲者，魂魄早就刻在我們在場每一個人的腦海之中。歷史的教晦，就是要我們面對極權的統治，除了要保留實力、小心應對之外，亦要時刻防範不要鬆懈。
歷史，是勝利者編寫時代輝煌見證的書目。今年《環球時報》指出六四「事件」是已褪色的歷史事件，放下它有助國家走出陰影避免分歧，幫助所有中國人面對未來、對動亂可以免疫。此等評論只為抹黑歷史、愚弄群眾。
但我希望在場各位，不要忘記歷史給過我們沉痛與淚水帶來血的教訓，因為只有銘記歷史，我們才能發創未來。今日的香港，有人說要忘記過去，我對此不敢苟同，因為學習歷史的意義，除了要令我們知道以前的事件之外，亦可以從過去的大小事上找到了世界行走的軌跡，在座每一位都明白到只有認識到極權政府的過去、面對殺人政權的暴行，更有效可以為我們疏理好未來鬥智鬥力的籌碼，必需要步步為營，他日終究都會是我們在場各位自主未來。
有人認為，明知不可為而為之，是一種極致的無知，但是歷史沒有如果、只有教訓，若然我們能夠保留實力，他日定能勇者無懼。只要我們永不放棄，勝利定當站在我們一方。
今日六月四日，三十年過去了，中共政權在本質從來沒有絲毫的改變。今日的香港更是變本加厲，如今逃犯條例修訂案猶如每個港人頸邊的利刃，吾等眾人活在人心惶惶的恐懼當中。
放棄，才是我們的最大代價。
雖然未來的日子，早就可以預見我們的生活將會遇上更大的艱難。但希望在這裡希望鼓勵各位，只要有我們、這裡才是我們的香港。
各位，無論如何都要堅持。
因為我們都是香港人。
[Li's speech in English; edited for grammatical reasons; explanations in italic]
Good evening everybody.
Learning from history is about learning the lesson of our life in our modern society. Today, we are coming to Tsim Sha Tsui, commemorating 30 years ago - it's not quite far away - in Beijing, Tian'anmen Square. We can clearly find that the government of the Communist Party in China already showed the dictatorship to the citizens. It's actually - today's event - not only have to recall the dead victims in China, we also learn the history, learn the lesson of today's Hong Kong. We should have the self-determination of our destiny, and also we should learn the lesson from history.
Today, in Hong Kong, the government already showed us the dominance, the hegemony - not only because of the sovereignty problem but also they do not treasure Hong Kong people. Today, in Hong Kong, the identity of Hong Kong people is extremely difficult. To uphold the identity of Hong Kong people, we should be proud of it. Because this identity is unique. No one can replace [us].
However, we can see that every day in Hong Kong, we have sad news. Teenagers, or our next generation, have no hope - they even committed suicide. They think that they cannot find their future. However, when we learn from history, we can find that the Communist Party in China already showed us - when we escape, they will do more. We are now living in danger. As a student leader in Hong Kong, and I am still the student council member of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, although the punishment [received by Li regarding his protest against the Polytechnic's decision to forbid the students using the democracy wall at campus] is 120 hours of community service order, compared to that, 30 years ago, they sacrificed their lives, their destiny, their future. Compared to that, it [Li's punishment] seems to be nothing.
History is written by winners instead of losers. So, we have to uphold the identity of Hong Kong people. We have to be our own winner. We never forget, we never forgive.
Last but not least, in the future, it will be predicted that our lives, society, the community will encounter more difficulties. I would like to express that we never give up, because, in the world, we are Hong Kong people. Only we are Hong Kong people to uphold Hong Kong's rights. Thank you.
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