[Statement] Hong Kong, Mourning the death of Chow Tsz-lok
Mourning the death of Chow Tsz-lok, a student protester who fell from a car park near a police clearance operation.
Hong Kong and the Chinese government should stop the indiscriminate violence and establish an independent committee to investigate arbitrary police violence.
We call on the Korean government to declare a position on the situation of human rights violations in Hong Kong.
The current situation in Hong Kong is dire. The protests, which began in late March, have been on-going for eight months. Beyond the amendment to the extradition bill, people are angry with the socio-economic deprivation that resulted upon returning to mainland China and Hong Kong’s democracy is not assured. Yet, they continue fighting for democracy, human rights and the future of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong police have quelled the protesters indiscriminately and violence is breeding violence. In addition, the ‘white terror’ against the citizens who participate in the protests is also becoming serious. Chow Tsz-lok, a Hong Kong student fell to his death in a parking garage trying to avoid tear gas shot by police during the protest of November 4. We mourn the unfortunate death of a young man and grieve for the death of a protester led by the violent crackdown of Hong Kong police.
Hong Kong has continued to suppress freedom of expression and assembly. Hong Kong police have been indiscriminately suppressing the protests by wielding riot rods, shooting tear gas at protesters, and even using water cannons, special forces, and firing live ammunition. To date, the number of arrested protesters has exceeded at least 3,000 with fully 500 indicted. The number of youth under the age of 15 arrested during the protests also exceeded 100.
The ban on assembly and such excessive response of police are intensifying the rallies. Hong Kong and the Chinese government should no longer respond to the anger of Hong Kong citizens with violence. They should the people’s demands for democracy and human rights and attentively listen to the voice of the people.
Korean Civil Society groups, which support the Hong Kong protests, are in solidarity with the Hong Kong people for their persistent resistance and demand the Hong Kong and Chinese government to:
First, launch an independent investigation committee to investigate arbitrary police violence. There is evidence that the death of Chow was led by the hard-line suppression of police. As there is an eyewitness testimony that the police interfered with the first aid of rescue personnel and blocked the entry of the ambulance into the scene, it is necessary to thoroughly clarify the cause of the death. The Hong Kong government should establish an independent investigation committee to look into any incidents where people were injured or cracked down by the hard-line suppression of police as well as the student’s death.
Second, the district council election scheduled for November 24 should proceed as scheduled. The Hong Kong government is trying to put off the election, where the pro-Chinese ruling party’s victory is opaque, on the excuse of the ongoing protests. It claims that the election can have a setback if the violent protest continues. However, Hong Kong citizens should not be deprived of any opportunities to express their opinions and wrath.
In the meantime, many citizens of Hong Kong hope that Korean citizens who have walked the long path of democratization through the 5.18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, the June Democracy Movement in 1987, and the 2016-2017 candlelight revolution will stand by Hong Kong citizens. Just as the international community expresses interest and support for the country’s pro-democracy movement during the Korean military dictatorship, they are pleading for more interest and support of Koreans for their democratic aspiration. However, the South Korean government has yet to mention the serious situation in Hong Kong. It is embarrassing to think that Korea, a member of the UN Human Rights Council, has yet to condemn the rights abuses. The South Korean government should no longer be silent about Hong Kong citizens’ cry for democracy. We hope that Korea can be remembered as a country that sympathizes with the pain over the border and is not silent on human rights issues.
We are here today and pledge to stand by Hong Kong citizens and demand:
Hong Kong and the Chinese government should immediately stop violent crackdown of protesters
Hong Kong and the Chinese government should set up an independent investigation committee on the violent crackdown by police.
Hong Kong and the Chinese government should hold the district council election on November 24 as scheduled
The Korean government should express its position on human rights violations in Hong Kong.
November 9, 2019
The statement is endorsed by 67 South Korean NGOs:
APIL(Advocates for Public Interest Law)
Asia Democracy Network
Asian Companions Against Brutality
Asian Dignity Initiative
BOOTTLL
Catholic Human Rights Committee
Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice
Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea
Civilian association supporting democracy of Hong kong
Civilian Military Watch
Commons and Interdependent Library and Archive
Cretem
Cultural Action
Dialogue China (對話中國)
Ecogreensangsang
Ecumenical Youth Council in Korea
GongGam Human Rights Law Foundation
Group LEE&LAM
Gwangju Human Rights Peace Foundation
Heidi Law
HUFS OUTERPLANET
Human Rights Education Center – DEUL
Human Rights Festa
Human Rights Movement Space ‘Hwal’
Incorporated Organization Silcheon Bulgyo
Jeju Dark Tours
Jesuit Research Center for Advocacy and Solidarity
Just’ Feminist
Justice, Peace and Ecology Committee of Catholic Men Religious in Korea
KCAO(Korea Christian Action Organisation)
Korea Association for Restorative Justice
Korea Association of Christian Women for Women Minjung
Korea Christian Environmental Movement Solidarity for Integrity of Creation
Korea Federation for Environmental Movements
Korea Student Christian Federation
Korea Women’s Associations United (KWAU)
Korea Women’s Hot Line
Korea Women’s Political Solidarity
Korea YMCA
Korean House for International Solidarity
Korean Solidarity for Overseas Community Organization
Kwang Hwa Moon TV
Mamsangmo, Merchant Tenants’ Organization Against force eviction and unfair lease problem
Migrant workers movement supporters group
MINBYUN – Lawyers for a Democratic Society International Solidarity Committee
NANCEN_Refugee Rights Center
NanumMunhwa
New Bodhisattva Network
Nodeul
OFM(Order of Friars Minor) JPIC
OUR FUTURE
Peace MOMO
People & Commune
People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy
PIDA (People’s Initiative for Development Alternatives)
Rainbow Action Against Sexual-Minority Discrimination
Scene1980
Solidarity for Another World
Solidarity for LGBT Humanrights of Korea
The Green Party of Korea
The Human Rights Center of National Council of Churches in Korea
The May 18 Memorial Foundation
Tomorrow girls troop
Transgender Liberation Front(TLF)
Women Making Peace
YeoungDeungPo Urban Industrial Mission (YDPUIM)
Youth Anarchists
哀悼日前在警察清場行動中從停車場高處墮樓而死的科大學生周梓樂
香港和中國政府必須立即停止無差別暴力與成立獨立調查委員會調查警察濫用暴力
我們應呼籲韓國政府就香港違反人權狀況作出明確的立場
最近香港的情況非常嚴峻,由三月尾開始的示威到目前已經進行到第八個月。香港人的憤怒已經超越逃犯條例的修訂,在回歸中國後,香港人在社會及經濟上被剝奪,中國政府在中英聯合聲明中保證的民主自由都一一被蠶食,香港人感到無比憤怒。香港人持續不斷走在街頭爭取民主、人權和香港的未來。香港警察以無差別的暴力去鎮壓示威者,以圖以暴制暴。另外,針對示威者的「白色恐怖」也日益嚴重。香港一名學生周梓樂在懷疑在11月4日時,為躲避警察的催淚彈時從停車場高處墜下重傷延至五日後不治。我們對周梓樂被警察暴力鎮壓至死感到心痛,亦表達我們的深切哀悼。
香港政府繼續打壓言論和集會自由。香港警察向示威者無差別地揮動警棍、發射催淚彈,甚至出動水炮車、特種部隊以及發射實彈。到目前為止已經有超過三千人被捕和五百多人被起訴,而被捕人士當中,15歲以下的青少年更超過一百名。
香港警方禁止集會以及對示威過度反應是激化示威的原因。香港和中國政府不應再以暴力去鎮壓市民的憤怒,必須回應香港市民對民主人權的訴求,以名聆聽市民的聲音。
韓國民間團體支持香港的示威,與香港市民同行在持續的抗爭中。我們亦要求香港與中國政府﹕
第一,成立獨立調查委員會調查警察濫用暴力。已經有明顯證據證明周梓樂的死是因為警察的強力鎮壓所致。有目擊證明香港警察在事發當日阻擋救援隊伍前去為周梓樂進行急救,亦有警察阻擋救護車進入事發現場,因此必須為周梓樂的死因進行徹底的調查。香港政府必須成立獨立調查委員會調查所有因警察強力鎮壓引致受傷以及周梓樂的死因。
第二,11月24日的區議會選舉必須如期進行。香港政府因預算是次選舉結果將會不利政府親中派,有意借持續的示威作為藉口推遲是次區議會選舉。香港政府稱若暴力示威持續,是次區議會選將有需要延期。可是,香港市民不應被剝奪利用選票來表達意見的機會。
與此同時,香港市民期望曾經歷518光州民主化運動、1987年6月民主抗爭和2016-17年燭光革命的韓國人同行。正如當時在韓國軍政府的極權統治下,國際社會亦表達對韓國的民主化運動的支持與關心。香港人也同樣懇求韓國社會表達對香港民主化運動的支持與關心。可是, 韓國政府仍未言及香港嚴峻的情況。韓國作為聯合國人權委員會的成員之一仍未就香港的人權侵害作出任何的譴責實在是令人尷尬。韓國政府就香港市民對民主的吶喊不應再沉默不語。我們希望韓國會被認作是一個會對國際上苦難作出憐憫的國家,並不會因人權問題而沉默。
我們今日在此懇求與香港市民同行,亦要求:
1. 香港和中國政府必須立即停止武力鎮壓示威者
2. 香港和中國政府必須成立獨立調查委員會調查警方暴力鎮壓
3. 香港和中國政府必須確保11月24日的區議會選舉如期舉行
4. 韓國政府必須就香港人權侵犯表達立場
2019年11月9日
一群支持香港民主的人
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