Declaration of the Defense of Freedom of Speech & Academic Freedom in the HK Academia

Declaration of the Defense of Freedom of Speech & Academic Freedom in the HK Academia

Started
6 April 2019
Petition to
Professor Xiang Zhang, President and Vice-Chancellor, the University of Hong Kong (the University of Hong Kong) and 11 others
Signatures: 138,833Next Goal: 150,000
Support now

Why this petition matters

 

Resist infringement of Academic Freedom,

Put our Knowledge into Practice and Protect our Intellectuals:

Declaration of the Defense of Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom in the University Academic Circle

 

It has been four years since the ‘Umbrella Movement’ happened; yet the road to real universal suffrage remains distant and uncertain. Freedom and human rights are constantly deteriorating; using “national security” and “opposition to Hong Kong independence” as excuses, the government of Hong Kong SAR and the Central government of the PRC have limited the freedom of speech that belongs to all Hong Kongers. Voices of the dissent are increasingly repressed. The situation has now turned critical. The same applies to universities and the academic circle. Some of the scholars who had participated in the Umbrella Movement have been requested to terminate, or even immediately laid off from their teaching positions. Just in March, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Poly U) strictly punished students who had participated in the “Democracy Wall” protest. Similar events have shown that universities and colleges now intentionally limit the freedom of speech and academic freedom. Students and staff are not able to express their political views freely, either within universities or in the public. As students and alumni of Department of Sociology, we here express our concern for the current situation. On April 9th 2019 - the judgment day for the case of the “nine Occupy Central activists” - we initiate this petition to draw attention to the current situation in the university academic circle.

 

Civil Disobedience - The “Post-Umbrella” Blooming of Political Awakening

In 2013, Professor Benny Tai Yiu-ting, Professor Chan Kin-man, and Reverend Chu Yiu-ming initiated ‘Occupy Central with Love and Peace’ (OCLP) campaign, advocating for civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance, in order to strive for the implementation of universal suffrage in the 2017 election for the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. In the same year, Mr. Shiu Ka-chun (incumbent legislator) and a few others expressed support for the OCLP campaign. With the ‘31st August Decision’ of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the PRC in 2014, severe limitations were imposed to the nomination of candidates to run for the Chief Executive. The academia began resisting with students boycotting classes and occupying Civic Square. On 28 September, the police fired 87 tear gas bombs to disperse the protestors, which then evolved into the 79-day Umbrella Movement, with up to one million participants. Although the Umbrella Movement was unable to change the regime, many have been politically awakened. Post-Umbrella Movement organizations are established one after the other, causing all kinds of actions to bloom.

 

The Fearless Pioneering of Academics

Social scientists believe that social order is not constant and is subject to changes. Conflicts and tension bring about social improvement, and civil disobedience is just such a warning about our unbalanced social system to uncover the underlying social conflicts. The Umbrella Movement has uncovered that under the apparent harmony of Hong Kong society is in fact social injustice, the over-pursuit of economic effectiveness, and the negligence of civil rights. Professor Tai, Professor Chan, and Mr. Shiu, together with other scholars, had participated in civil disobedience to reflect the efforts and devotion of public intellectuals in promoting for the betterment of the society.

 

The Frequent Suppression of Academic Freedom

Since the Umbrella Movement, however, the university academic circle has been often subjected to political intervention and the suppression of freedom of speech. At various institutions, teaching staff has been attacked for political reasons and for their participation in other activities. For example, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) rejected the appointment of Professor Johannes Chan Man-man as pro-Vice Chancellor; and Dr. Benson Wong Wai-kwok, the former chairperson at the Hong Kong Baptist University Faculty and Staff Union, was denied a contract extension. Likewise, Professor Tai and Mr. Shiu have encounted similar treatments. Mr. Shiu was dismissed in April 2015 from his position as course coordinator for the Associate Degree Program at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), and in June of the same year, though elected as the position Associate Director of the Center of Youth Research and Practice at HKBU, he was eventually denied the position for fear of his “influence” to the political neutrality of the Center. In 2017, pro-establishment Junius Ho ran a signature campaign to remove Professor Tai from his position at HKU.

 

In addition to the careers of individual academics, the freedom of speech is increasingly endangered within university campuses. Four years after the Umbrella Movement, students’ posts on the “Democracy Wall” in PolyU, which took the form the “Lennon Wall” during the Umbrella Movement, was covered with red paper by the administration. It was not until students have protested and begun a hunger strike that the university administration formally recognized the students’ union’s right to manage their own “Democracy Wall.” However, in March of this year, the public was shocked to see that several students involved in the said protests were severely punished and disciplined. They were given community service order, suspended, expelled, even banned from enrollment forever.

 

Now is the Time to Protect our Intellectuals

We stand by the nine activists of “Occupy Central” in their cause for resistance against social injustice through civil disobedience. Meanwhile, we call on all universities in Hong Kong to safeguard academic freedom and freedom of speech with all their might.  We here urge the following actions:


1. Each university should expressly promise that it will not discipline (during or after the fact) those who participate in social resistance and civil disobedience.
2. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University should retract its disciplinary actions towards the four students involved in the “Democracy Wall” incident.

 

Initiators/Initiating organizations (listed in no particular order)

A group of alumni and students of Department of Sociology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong

Soclasta, the 2019 Society of Sociology, CUSU

Poliversal, The Society of the Department of Government and Public Administration, The Student Union of the Chinese University of Hong Kong

The 38th Hong Kong Federation of Social Work Students

Sonectus, The Social Work Society of Hong Kong Baptist University

Affiunity, ExCo 2019-2020, The Social Work Society, CUSU

Ignite, Society of Social Work Department of Hong Kong Shue Yan University

Claire, the Applied Social Sciences Departmental Society of the Students' Union of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Amanecer, the 31st Applied Social Studies Society, City University of Hong Kong Student's Union

Stanovate, the 15th Caritas Institute of Higher Education and Caritas Bianchi College of Careers Joint School of Social Sciences Society

Ignite, the 5th Social Work Club of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

14th Society of Social Work of Hong Kong College Of Technology - CHANGE「S」

HKEd4All

Reclaiming Social Work Movement

Progressive Teachers’ Alliance

Hong Kong Christian Institute

HK Psychologists Concern

Artists Action

Scholars’ Alliance for Academic Freedom

Nu Tong Xue She

The Association for the Advancement of Feminism

Citizens in Mission

Les Corner Empowerment Association

Democratic Action Accountants

CM Doctors Cure

Progressive Lawyers Group

Nurse Politik

Alliance for Children Development Rights

Youth Policy Advocators Concerning CSSA and Low Income Alliance

New Arrival Women League

Occufocus

Radiation Therapist & Radiographer’s Conscience

Fianicer Concisnce

Medecins Inspires

Shiu Ka Chun Legistative Councilor’s Office

Umbrella Blossom

Ekklesia Hong Kong

Friends of Conscience

ArchiVision

Hong Kong Christian Fellowship of City Concern

Scholars Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity 

 

6 April, 2019

 

Chinese version (中文版)

 

Photo credit: 蕭雲

 

 

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Signatures: 138,833Next Goal: 150,000
Support now
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Decision-Makers

  • Professor Xiang Zhang, President and Vice-Chancellor, the University of Hong Kongthe University of Hong Kong
  • Professor Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor/President, the Chinese University of Hong Kongthe Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • Professor Wei Shyy, President, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technologythe Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
  • Professor Philip C. H. Chan, Interim President, the Hong Kong Polytechnic Universitythe Hong Kong Polytechnic University
  • Professor Roland T. Chin, President and Vice-Chancellor, Hong Kong Baptist UniversityHong Kong Baptist University