Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang is coming under heat after he made remarks that “Hong Kong people will make an objective assessment of the nation’s development” when they look back on the June 4th incident. Tsang later apologized for his comments.
From South China Morning Post (pay site):
The row erupted at a question-and-answer session after Mr Tsang sidestepped a request by the Civic Party’s Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee to back the public’s demand for vindication of students killed in the crackdown.
“I understand Hong Kong people’s feelings about June 4, but the incident happened many years ago. The country’s development in many areas has since achieved tremendous results and brought economic prosperity to Hong Kong. I believe Hong Kong people will make an objective assessment of the nation’s development.”
Ms Ng asked: “Are you saying that as long as the economy is developing well we cannot admit people were killed? Should we bury our conscience to share economic benefits?”
Mr Tsang replied: “My view represents the opinion of Hong Kong people in general, and the opinion of citizens has affected my view. What I have just said is how I feel about the views of the people of Hong Kong.”
Some statistics on actual views towards June 4th from HKU POP, via EastSouthWestNorth:
Do you think the Beijing students did the right thing in the June 4th incident?
50.1%: Right
15.0%: Wrong
34.9%: Don’t know/hard to sayDo you think the Chinese government did the right thing in the June 4th incident?
14.9%: Right
58.0%: Wrong
27.1%: Don’t know/hard to sayCompared to 1989, do you think China’s human right condition has become better or worse?
85.4%: Better
9.0%: Same
2.4%: Worse
3.2%: Don’t know/hard to sayDo you think the human right condition in China will be better or even worse in three years’ time?
77.2%: Better
12.1%: Same
1.9%: Worse
8.9%: Don’t know/hard to say
From The Standard:
About 20 pan-democratic lawmakers stormed out of the Legislative Council chamber yesterday after Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen said his views on the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989 represented those of the community.
He later apologized for the wrong choice of words.
[…] “You are raping public opinion. Human blood is not rouge,” the League of Social Democrats’ Leung Kwok-hung shouted.
“How can he represent me? I want the chief executive to withdraw his remark,” unionist Lee Cheuk-yan added. Cheung Man-kwong of the Democratic Party demanded a clarification.
Anger online is being expressed in a number of ways. The Facebook group “曾蔭權 你對六四的看法 唔能夠代表香港人的意見! 請你道歉!/Donald Tsang Your View on 64 is NOT my view” currently has 4,780 members and growing. Another response to Tsang’s words is the song, “Donald Tsang, Please Die,” by Hong Kong indie pop band My Little Airport. Lyrics and music by P (阿p):
Lyrics:
Donald Tsang, please die
我哋實上街
Donald Tsang, please die
When will you be fired?假設donald今日你俾人斬左隻手
二十年後嗰個人發咗達又做埋特首
你會否因為佢嘅成就
然後叫自己不要追究？Donald Tsang, please die
我哋實上街
Donald Tsang, please die
We’re all poor guys董建華雖然做野係渣
但係良心都唔會好似你咁差
你任內最驕人既成就
就係強化市民對民主嘅要求Donald Tsang, please die
When will you die?
Donald Tsang, please die…
When will you be fired?
