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| 19. 01. 2020 ISSUE 23 | |||
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Foreword |
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Dear readers, The second term has begun as gazetted after the unplanned suspension of classes starting in mid-November last year. Many physical damages of the University such as broken doors and smashed cameras have been rectified. Derogatory graffiti on prominent spots and roads with misplaced barricades were cleared. Hazardous materials are, of course, no longer exposed outdoors and immoderately. Despite the upset of some school routines, our learning and teaching activities have basically returned to the right track. We may not be, however, accustomed to the tightened security including checks for the University members and visitors, as well as restriction of access by unregistered vehicles. Or we will consider it ludicrous that some sorts of school buses, which had been illegally operated during the five-day occupation of the campus by masked students and protesters, are sitting alone in the cordoned area at the John Fulton Carpark. Still and all, the tangible side of the University appears almost the same as before. It was heard that some of you had found the normality, as stemmed from the rapid restoration, a state of living in a parallel universe. The traces of demonstrations, blockades, struggles and fellowship, etc. were brushed off from our campus whereas many zealots of the current resistance campaign are still among painful encounters and bad happenings. It is beyond doubt that universities are not just ivory towers for theories and research. They play an important role in civil movements around the world. The tranquility we are enjoying in the campus now and our demand for political rights and social justice through reasonable means are, therefore, not mutually exclusive. Likewise, while we strive to dig out the main culprit of the present mayhem, we are free (and indeed obligated) to work on the restoration of the University’s intangible side - to mend the divided community evolved from different political beliefs of us; to combat our emotional disturbance and even psychological disorders spread over the incessant unrest; to remove our distrust of authorities especially the disciplined figures; to enable ourselves to become compassionate and empathic members of Hong Kong…… In the same way, I hope you would not neglect the guarantee of well-being of humans beyond our campus such as those having been hit the hardest during the turmoil. They are the vulnerable groups including impoverished elderly, disabled people, ethnic minority and frontline workers to whom much inconvenience was brought by the disruption of public services as well as the aftermath of vandalism. Please also keep a watchful eye on the catastrophic weather events such as the burning of Amazon rainforest and the deadly Australia’s fires. Not only did they destroy massive lives and homes, but the angry red wound in the sky has also posed critical challenges to the leadership and functioning of the governments concerned. Living in a parallel universe ought not to be blamed unless the act of living is on fanciful basis. We should always develop a clear mind, activating spirit, and strong backbone to leap across our own universe, in spite of its luxury, so as to contribute to the betterment of lives of the people who live in another universe. With my view now complete, let me wish you a fulfilling and peaceful Year of the Rat! Sincerely yours, Irene Ng |
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