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We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
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#PTSD #Exile
2 Years Since
#PolyUSiege: Pro-Democracy Protester who Fled Hong Kong Missed Relative's Funeral, Fears Retribution from #Regime

When "A" (pseudonym) heard that a close relative had passed away earlier this year, she immediately made plans to fly back to Hong Kong for the funeral. She quickly picked an airline and a date for the flight; but when it came to selecting her seat, a sense of dread and anxiety suddenly struck her: "I'm really scared of being arrested."

In the end, she did not take the flight.

"A" was working overseas when the the 2019 #ANTIELAB movement broke out. She was not a frequent participant, and had only taken up back-end support roles when she visited her family in Hong Kong.

In November 2019, she went to Hong Kong Polytechnic University (#PolyU) to support the pro-democracy protesters inside, and was trapped when police laid siege to the campus.

She attempted to escape on two occasions without success; in the end, police took her information, and she was taken away by ambulance.

Afterwards, she returned overseas to work. She had thought that she wasn't affected much by what she experienced.

She never imagined that her fears of retribution would only worsen, rather than fade away over time. "When the time came that I needed to return to Hong Kong, I found out that I was too afraid to do so."

"If a family funeral wasn't enough of a reason to come back, then what else is there in Hong Kong worth coming back for?" "A" had never considered emigration; but now, she knows she could not return to her hometown in the foreseeable future.

She considers herself half an exile, and she could only acquiesce with her predicament: "You can't take back what has happened."

In November 2019, pro-democracy protesters declared a city-wide strike in Hong Kong. Roadblocks were set up across the city, and protesters occupied the PolyU campus in order to blockade the nearby Cross-Harbour Tunnel in Hung Hom.

Police surrounded the camlus from November 17, 2019 on, trapping protesters and citizens alike, and blocking multiple escape attempts by protesters.

Large crowds of civilians answered calls online to "break the siege", advancing towards the university from nearby districts. Police made mass arrests in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hung Hom, and Jordan; over 200 citizens were arrested on rioting charges.

Though many were released without being charged after the maximum 48-hour detention period, some of them are arrested again from their homes by police two years after in 2021.

#PolyU #PoylUSiege #Trauma #HKPoliceState

Source: In-Media HK; #Nov20
Full article: https://bit.ly/3DzVEqO
#Brainwash
University in Hong Kong Cites Ongoing Court Cases as Examples of #NationalSecurity Violation, President Calls it 'Academic Freedom'

Recently, Stand News obtained the #NationalSecurityLaw (#NSL) teaching material used in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (#PolyU). The University cited the cases of pro-democracg activist Tong Ying-kit, the LegCo Primary election and the Student Affairs Committee of the HKU Student Union as examples of "secession, subversion and terrorism".

Tong’s case is still undergoing review, while the LegCo primary election case involving the 47 democrats is pending for trial.

At the University’s 85th Inauguration Ceremony, its president #TengJinGuang was asked to comment on the appropriateness of quoting two ongoing court cases as examples in NSL teaching material.

Reporters asked whether it reflected the University’s stance considering these cases without merits. The University was also asked to confirm whether the National Security Department or any government authorities has been consulted during the development of these materials.

In a dilemma, Teng claimed that development of relevant curriculum has undergone "multiple consultations".

Teng said that he trusted the development team’s experience and expertise, claiming that is “academic freedom”.

Teng refused to comment on citing ongoing court cases in teaching material as he stressed that “we were not involved in such detailed discussion.”

The President also avoided the question on the composition of the curriculum development team.

A reporter challenged whether the University would request amendment for erroneous materials. Teng bluffed the question aside, claiming that the responsible staff have always listened to different opinions.

Source: Stand News; #Nov25
https://bit.ly/3phtivV

#University #Education #Curriculum
#HKProtest #Exile
2 Years After PolyU Siege, 19-year-old HongKongers in Exile: "I Earnestly Want to Return to Hong Kong"

#AntiELAB #PolyUseige #LOTR #HongKongAidUK

Source: RFA; #Nov17

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31792
2 Years After PolyUsiege, 19-year-old HongKongers in Exile: "I Earnestly Want to Return to Hong Kong"

On November 17, 2019, a fierce police-civilian collision broke out at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (#PolyU). The campus were surrounded by armed police. It is the most tragic fight in the #AntiELAB movement in 2019, carving an indelible wound in countless Hongkongers' hearts.

Two years have passed, a large number of pro-democracy #protesters were subjected to reprisal one after another. As a result, some of them were #exiled #overseas without a returning date, including the 19-year-old Ivan

After escaping from the #PolyUSiege, Ivan, like many young protesters, has been facing the "guilt of survivors" and the unknown future.

"I have been thinking for a long time and finally decided to speak out as I would like to overcomd the fear with everyone," Ivan said.

After s year of exile in the #UK, Ivan chooses to "come out of the closet politically", which is different from when he first arrived.

In the past, he participated in the UK rallies anoymously by donning black. Today, he would not cover his face, rather, he would speak in front of a camera in order to let the world hear their voice.

Ivan said, "I would like to tell the world what we are thinking and what we are doing in a new perspective, as well as the reasons behind, including Why I need to taje it to the street, instead of being a "#HongKongPig" [the one who does not care about politics]?"

So "Hong Kong Pig" went on the street.

Before the movement, Ivan was a "Hong Kong pig", who did not care about the happenings in societyn. But then he chose to protest on the street, entering PolyU campus during the siege, even when he was still a secondary school student.

Ten hours later, he tried to escape from the campus but was arrested.

Although he refused to enter into further bail and was released unconditionally, due to the further reprisal by the Hong Kong Police Force, Ivan had been living in fear before leaving HK.

He then left for the UK with his HKSAR Passport and a single flight ticket on November 5, 2020, going on an exile on his own. At the time of leaving, his parents were also kept in the dark.

He avoids mentioning his family and denies recalling the experiences in the protests, but emphasising "not to get the light spot".

Struggling at the edge of the political #asylum after the exile

Not long after Ivan's departure, the police went to his home to arrest him, accusing him of "perverting the course of public justice".

Just a line to the imprisonment, he becomes a #fugitive at the age of19, struggling to survive alone in a new country.

Source: RFA #Nov17
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/htm/hk-polyu-11172021060537.html

Continue Part 2
#Court
Facing 38 to 40 months in jail, Pro-democracy citizen: I am "honored to be born a Hongkonger"

On January 15, 2022, the District Court in Hong Kong sentenced seven pro-democracy citizens to up to three years and four months in jail. In the same case, two citizens who are under 20 years old are sent to an education center.

All of them were arrested on the street of Kowloon on November 18, 2019, and were convicted of "rioting" near the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (#PolyU) in November 2019. During the police siege of the university campus, thousands of pro-democracy Hongkongers tried to help the entrapped protesters, students, and civilians to escape.

During the trial, the defence counsel recited a letter written by one of the defendants, 24-year-old Tang Kam-Lok. In his letter, Tang cited the French-Algerian author and 1958 Nobel Prize laureate Albert Camus:

"Each generation doubtless feels called upon to reform the world. Mine knows that it will not reform it, but its task is perhaps even greater. It consists in preventing the world from destroying itself."

Tam expressed his belonging to Hong Kong and realised how special Hong Kong was during his studies in the UK. Tam said he is "honored to be born a Hongkonger" and hopes to return "like a phoenix".

After the sentence, families and friends shout in the direction of the defendents, "hang on!" "love you!"

Source: InMediaHK.Net #Jan15
https://bit.ly/3qqOrFA

#Conscience #NeverForget #Phoenix #AlbertCamus #Hongkonger #PolyUSiege
#Brainwashing #Education
Universities in Hong Kong to Implement Courses on Modern China and National Security


Under the #NationalSecurityLaw (#NSL), educationsl institutions in Hong Kong were requested to implement national security education.

Universities like the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (#PolyU), the Hong Kong Baptist University (#HKBU), the Hong Kong Education University (#EdUHK) and the Hong Kong Lingnan University (#HKLU) have followed the government order.

Recently, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK) has reportedly amended their core curriculum for the next academic year.

CUHK will open online courses on "Understanding China Today", and "National Security" starting from the next academic year. Each of them takes account to 1 credit.

CUHK confirms InMedia's enquiry and claimed that the new courses aimed to "strengthen students' knowledge [...] to understand national security". The courses were authorised by the University's academic council; however, no curriculum details have been revealed.

According to the documents InMedia received, the course titled "Understanding China Today" touched upon the modernization of China and technological development, in addition to Chinese culture and history. In addition to national security education, other online courses cover positive psychology and modern language. Each of the course takes account to 1 credit.

The University called it "Service Learning" and requires students to take at least one of thrse 1-credit courses.

CUHK replies to InMedia that the university would launcb national security education in accordance with Article 10 of the NSL. The university also said that they have already rolled out a number of policies and activities to "increase students' national belonging". Orientation activities include theme talks about national security and media literacy; courses contain a talk regarding "international circumstances and China's diplomacy"; graduates career workshops consist of #BasicLaw.

Source: Inmedia #Jan18
https://bit.ly/3nwAVhB

#Propaganda #Regime #University
#Suppression #WhiteTerror
The 7th University in Hong Kong ceases recognition of its Students’ Union

In an internal email sent to students and faculty members on January 20, 2022, the Education University of Hong Kong (#EdUHK) criticized governance of the student union, saying that the Union has been operating under a ‘provisional’ body for the past four consecutive years, without proper mandate and therefore lack of student representation.

The university said it will stop offering support to the union, including the collection of membership fees, providing network accounts and services, and offering IT support. Additionally, the student union will lose access to its office space and the right to book and use campus facilities and venues.

The union’s HK$9 million reserve will also be “kept under the custody” of the university’s Finance Office.

In just one year, seven of eight universities in Hong Kong has cut ties with their students’ union, including the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK), the University of Hong Kong (#HKU), the City University of Hong Kong (#CityU), the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong (#PolyU), the Baptist University of Hong Kong (#BUHK) and the Lingnan University of Hong Kong (#LingnanU).

#StudentsUnion #Authoritarianism #Censorship #Education

Source: inmediahk; #Jan20
https://bit.ly/3FJOnoP

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#Oppression #Authoritarianism
Hong Kong University forces boarding students to leave dormitories and stops them from protesting

Claiming pandemic-control, at least five tertiary institutions in Hong Kong told dormitory residents to return home.

On February 10, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK) told occupants of its student residences to leave in two days’ time by February 12 – 13.

Polytechnic University (#PolyU), Baptist University and City University (#CityU) said they also had plans to “encourage” residents to leave.

The university’s decision has caught many students in surprises, putting them through unnecessary disturbances and therefore, elicited resentment.

In just a few hours after #CUHK’s announcement, over 500 students of the university joined a discussion group on social media, calling to protest the school’s arrangement.

Although these students reiterated that their actions would remain peaceful and they would only attempt to hand in petition letter to the university, the university reacted fervently with tens of uniformed security officers stationed visible at where the students gathered.

The security guards were seen pointing video cameras at protesting students and shouting through loudspeakers for students to leave the site or they might risk violating the COVID-19 gathering restrictions.

Source: inmediahk; #Feb11
https://bit.ly/3BcsRbI
#Oppression
Polytechnic University cuts ties with student union

The student union of Polytechnic University (#PolyU) said on April 15, 2022 that the university had cut ties with it by demanding that it stop using the university's name or claiming affiliation with the institution.

The union's Ad-hoc Executive Committee said the university had also demanded that all of its affiliated organisations must move out of the university campus by July 15, 2022.

The student union said the move came after it had refused to sign an agreement with the university requiring it not to carry out any acts that would damage the institution's reputation.

The union said it decided not to accept the agreement after the majority of its members had voted against signing it in January.

It expressed deep regret over the university’s move, saying the union had been serving PolyU students for half a century and been a bridge between the study body and the university.

It said the university’s decision means it no longer recognises the union's official status and that it amounted to an erosion of students' rights.

#PolyUseige #StudentsUnion

Sources: Ming Pao, RTHK; #Apr15

https://bit.ly/38ZtdbL
PolyU becomes fifth Hong Kong university to fully cut ties with #Students’Union

//The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (#PolyU) has cut ties with its students’ union, becoming the fifth university to order its student body to vacate campus premises since the implementation of the #NationalSecurityLaw.

In an email sent to the union on Friday, the university said that it had repeatedly requested the union to sign an Acknowledgement of Compliance since 2013, according to former PolyU students’ union chief Alan Wu. The acknowledgement required the student body to abide by certain terms and conditions to use the university name.

The university ordered the 28-year-old students’ union to cease using the university name and using university resources, and to vacate campus premises by July 15, 2022.//

Read more:
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/04/19/polyu-becomes-third-hong-kong-university-to-fully-cut-ties-with-students-union/

Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Apr19

#University #Censorship