THE
GORRXSPOTTDENT June 1998
¡..
\
THE
Tlte Legislatiue Council poll may b6tue sutprised fficiøls, pleased tbe intem.øtional communi1/ and deligbted Democrats, but it ca.ugbt the med.ia by sutþñse
,
ã
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS'
CLIIB 2 Loq,er Alben Road, Hong Kong
Telephone: 2527 l5I7 Fax:2868 4092 E-nail: fcc@fcchk.org Diane Storntont Presldent Mike Gonzalez Firet Vlce Presldent Richardson Second Vlce Presldent -
M6ti"til't lee - fresb from a bittersueet election uictoty - addressed a. packed Mctin Dining Room and oÍÍercd Lt preuieu of tbe c o tting legis I atiu e s e s sion
-Jerry
l.
Christopher Slaughter, Hubert van Es
Jounallst Member Governors Liu Kin Ming, Francis Moriarty
Assoclate Menber Governors 'william H. A¡esonJr Kevin Egan, ,
Carl Rosenquist, NIasahzru Ushiyama
Professlonal Co
-
Comittee
n ots : lvlíke Gonzalez, Liu Kin-N'fing
c o n ue
The boss is bacþ - Cbief Executiue Tung Cbee-hwa malees bis first post-bandouer appe2rrance in tbe Club to attend tbe Lwnu a.l D íþ lo m tt ti c Nig b t
Multl-medla commlttee renor: Brian Jefferies Flûarce & Plamlng commlttee Con
Con
úe
t1
o
r: Jerry Richardson
Membersblp Commlttee Conuenor: HtÏ¡err van Es Trca s u te r: Stev e U shíy
F& B
tma
Comittee
Conuetrcr Kevin Egan
Entertalnment Coffnlttee Cottrcttor: Carl Rosenquist
Wall
Coffnlttee
Cottuetrcr: }lubert van Es Freedom ofthe Press Comnlttee Co, t ue t n r: F Íancis Moriarty
Iatin America is edging ca.utiousb) touards democracy bttt continues to suffer setbacks sucb a.s tbe slq)ing of a promiixent journalist in Argenfina. His leillers remøin ctt lúffge
FCC General Manager Robert Sanders
The Correspondent EDITORIAL OFFICE George Russell, Editor Teleplìoner2547 8661 Fax: 2868 4092 E-nìail: grusl@netYigalor.com
Publlcations Comrnlttee Contenor: Paul Bayfield Paul Bayfield, Terry Duckhanr, Robin Lynam, Kees Metselaar, Hubert van Es, Stephen Vines
Tbe ô
se
of
Tlre Corresþondentis published monthly by The Foreign Corespondenrs'Chrb of Hong Kong.
PRODUCTION Asiapix Print Sedices Tel: 257 2 9544 Fax: 2575 8600 E-mail: asiapix@hk linkage net
2-
I-ettefs
4.
Fr:orrr the Pr:esident
14.
Cover
stor5r
Voters hand out sulprising lessons
10-
Cover
.
ADVERITSING ENQUIRIES Terry Duckharn/Asiîpix Telephone: 25729544 Fax: 2575 8600
/f.'..
TTIE CORRESPOI\IDENT
WEB SITE
httpr//w.fcchlcorg
r.1
@ 1998 The Foreign Correspondenfs' Clrrb of Hong Kong
L2L6-
L9-
Professlofral
22-
Obitrrar5r
Dlplorrratlc
24-
Obttuar¡r David Leonard
frlgtrt
a.fÍairs
Tung makes his entrance
25.
Social
N/fedia firattersi
2a-
FCC faces
A deaclly profession
contacts
Donald Sfise
stofJ/
A vision of democracy PRINTER Impress Offset Printing Factorl, Lirrited
The first depression of the 21st Century
Moving with the electronic times
6-
-A.sia ln crisis
Joseph
Cover photoglaph by Robyn Beck
A /
Reaves
III
AFP
ì
))
June 1998 If,D
CORRXSP0ilIIEIIT
I
canoil
To the editor FromAl Neuharth A year ago, the world worried
Hong Kong badly financially. It's not Beijing's fault, but here are examples:
about this capitalist goose that had laid
The Hong Kong stock market dipped 40 per cent since June.
golden eggs for investors for more than 100 years underBritishrule. Twin concefns:
Could the free enterprise system
inTiananmen Square inbeijingin 1989.
Chinese authorities did nothing to discourage the display. Dozens of
has
up from 2.4 per cent last year to 3.9 per cent now. Ploperly prices are down about 33 per cent.
Unemployment
is
journalists from throughout Asia gathered here for a Freedom Fotumsponsored Free Press/Fair Press conference.
But while Hong Kong's free
thrive, or even survive, after the
Brilliant and brash JimmY Lai, le Daiþ -Hong Kong's
handover to communist China?
enterprise system has faken a surprise
publisher of-App
\Øould longstanding personal freedoms of speech and press be
hit, other freedoms are flourishing
biggest-selling newspapet - and an outspoken critic of Beijing, put in this
banished or bullied about by Beijing?
Most locál and global pundits predicted that the economy would keep rolling along but that personal freedoms would be rolled back. Just the opposite has happened. The Asian economic flu has hurt
beyond anyone's hopes. Examples: More than 53 per cent of those eligible to vote lwo weeks ago to elect 20 per cent of the legislators,
laryelyliltenl, in the first free balloting since Beijing took over. About 40,000 people turned out on a rainy night last week for a vigil to honour those killed
THE
T999 FCC
perspective: "Beijingpromised "one country, two systems'. It has kept its promise. A few years from now it y/ill be "one country, one system'. Freedom will win." All e n E. Ne uh artb is founder of tb e Freedom Forum. @@
DIARIES
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Avoid disappointment and order early as stocks are limited. Orders will be available for collection in December. Allow three weeks for personalizing with your name or initials. A. The Desk Diary.58 weeks in popular week-to-view format; international public holidays; world atlas.
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I
A plea on paymerrt Moving with the electronic times
Thre Ch-rb coffers need tegr;la"r refills' President Diane gentle rerninder to all rrrelTll>erspredecessol J'a rir." to reinforce nty request to I xeith Richbu rg's
everyone please to payyour accounts
on time. The Club Provides
a
generolÌs 45 days for members to settle their accounts but recently, some members have been stretching
A ," you happy with rhe photo on -( \your membership card? If not,
now's thetime to change it. The Club
is busy installing its new computer whichwe hopewill make every one's life easier from the bar staff to the back office. Once installed and the inevitable
teething problems are overcome, it
should make all our lives easier. Members will no longer have to open new chits at different outlets.'ùØe'11 be able to update membership details instantaneously.'!Øe'11 be able to give
an up-to-date accounting of outstanding bills -pfesent system, which is on its last legs, is unable to do. \Øe're keePing
something our
our fingers crossed it doesn't collapse before the new system is uP.
One aspect
will be new swiPe-
type membership cards.
Club member, Peter \Øong, an awatd-
winning graphic artist, is
busY
designing the new cards. For those attached to your old
pictures wrinkles
mine shows far fewer
- we can scan it onto the new cards, otherwise, drop off a new picture (with your name and membership number written on the back) at reception. 'We're also taking the opportunitY to overhaul our membersh ip database and will soon have a printout that everyone can check for accuracy. Let us know ifyou have acquired an
e-mail address. Several members have compiained
often, speakers are avallable only at very short notice and e-mail is the fastest communication method. 'llhich brings me on to the Internet. Visitors to the downstairs work room will have noticed quite a bit of activity in recent weeks. I'm delighted to repofi that IBM have generouslY agreed to upgrade the PCs and have donated an entire nelwork of the latest generation machines. \Øe'11 be rolling them out soon, I'd
like to thank tBM for once again tepping forward to provide the Ciub withthe latesttechnology. Also, thanks go to Club members Nigel Armstrong
and Mike Dunn of NMC for
coordinatingthe project. IBM, through its ibm.net network, will also be providing internet services to the Club. It will also host the club's home page (b ttp : //www.fc ch k. org) for us. Our indefatigable multime dia and
magazine committees, headed bY Brian Jeffries and Paul BaYfield
respectively, are hard at work
absent members and journalist-related organisations overseas. I've even seen back copies on sale in streetbazaarcin
I guess that's not most adveftisers market the exactly were contemplating. With the web, that audience will be multiplied by a thousandfold, perhaPs ten thousandfold. The month ahead is going to be a busy one for journalists. Aside from the anniversary of the handover, we're journalists accompanying Bill Clinton and to cover the opening of the new airport. \Øe've invited the visitors to the club, so expect to see some unfamiliar faces around the bar.
We are seeking ways of
which has a circulation of more than 2,000, I don't see the Internet spelling the end for
concluded an enjoyable and modestly priced trip to Guam. The quiz nights
newspapefs ,magazkrc and books for the foreseeable future.
increasingly popular (and lucrative).
Putting the magazine on the \ùØodd \X¡ide \üeb will also provide an additional advertising opportunity. The board is keen to increase
(jpw@asiaonline.net), has just
consider advertising in the Club Classifieds start as
ilagazine. It's not low
I've heard mutterings about a wine society.
exPensive. as HK$100 a
month. For those members with an
on
posting deadiine which the 15th day of the month. Club rules state that the names of those who default will be posted on the Club board and that Posted members cannot use Club facilities until the account has been settled in full. is 5:JOPm
'!üe also have no choice but to recover the cost of dealing with failed
payments. So from August, an administrative charge of $200 will be
levied on bounced cheques and failed Autopay instructions. If one or the
other leads tó Posting, the Posting penalry will also apply. Ifyou are going otlt of town, Piease make arrangements for your account before you leave. I urge anyone who has not alteady done so, to take ofAutopay - and to set the
^dvantage limit at a realistic amounL. Forms upper árei available from the office. @@
The Foreign Correspondents' Chrb, Hgtg l(ong Board of Goverrtors, t998 - 99 President Diane Stormont
First Vice President Mtke Gonzalez
Second Vice President Jerry Richardson
Correspondent Member Governors Paul Bayfield John Colmey Tim Cribb BrianJefferies
Kees Metselaar Philip Segal Christopher Slaughter Hubert van Es
and bridge sessions are growing
advertising revenue and we'd like to appeal to the entire membershiP to
notification of a Club event too iate to enable them to make a booking. \X/e're
there will be no more reminder phone calls made ahead of the
expecting an influx of visiting
preparing to put this magazine on the net. This will supplement the printed
version
the envelope to the outer limits' \Øorse, we are exPeriencing an increasing number of bounced cheques and rejection of AutoPaY instructions. Late payment violates the rules and the spirit of the Club and is affecting our cash flow. Chasing down
cheques also diverts our busy office staff from more imPortant tasks. As a result, the board has regretflllly resolved that from July,
offers a
Rangoon, though
broadening the facilities and setwices avatlable to members. The FCC Golf '!íalsh society, coordinated by Julian
recently that they've received
trying to tighten up procedures but
advertising budget, the magazine occupies a lucrative niche. Our membership covers just about every profession and sector in Hong Kong. And the magazine is read outside the SAR, too. It goes to reciprocal clubs,
late payers and dealing with bad
Storrrrorrt
DianeSlormont
Journalist member Governors Liu Kin Ming
Francis Moriarty
Associate Member Governors \William H AresonJr Kevin Egan
Carl Rosenquist Steve Ushiyama
--....-
Enthusiasrn during the campaign seemecl nearly nil, and the polls were backing up what repofters throughout the five districts could feel in the streets:
effort to make this first-tine poll
a
plastic rubbish can was filled to
sLrccess. \Øhile I was stumbling about
overflowing with umbr ellas. The floor was wet everyvhere and a worker was busy trying to mop it up without much effect because people like me
the flat, the pagel went off again: red
stolm flag
the black rain I was aheady headed up the hi1l. Rain was driving r-rp. 'ùØhen
Nobody carecl. My assignments for RTHK during tlie electioneering included several functional constituencies, which in terms of public moodwele indicative of nothing, and
warning qras hoisted,
the Hong Kong Island district race. I had covered Island in both the '9I and '95 po1ls, ancl felt I could rnake comparisons. This time I hacl crissclossecl Hong Kong Island with virtually every
Kwong Road looking up toward the
kept stlaggling in.
down so hard it was impossible to see even the wall around the HappyValley race course barcIy a block away. Shan clubhor-rse
of the Jockey Club was
The rr-rnning voter coLtnt posted
on the door showed that scores of others, less lazy than I, had shown up at 7:30 and their numbels were increasing every hour. One neighboul told rne she had shou,'n up
a
river, water 30 centirnetres deep cascading down while overflowing
hopingto be arlong the earliestvotels and was surprisecl to find
she had to stand in
candidate in the race (the
elusive publisher Li Hung excepted) doing the usual repoltel stuff:
folks who live in my néigh-
riding in the back of opentop jeeps as the hopefuls
statistical aberration .caused by voters who
passers-by, few of whom bothered to wave back; climbing to the top of 35-
duty done and slip in yunt cba belore the black lain
comment on the weird bourhood? Or maybe
waved to bewildered
warning went out?
In the end, as we know, more than 53 per cent of registered votels an all dme high - blaved storms and floods to cast
ac
bailots. Of the nearly 500 polling stations throughout Hong Kong, only one New Tellitories location
the brochures straight
was closecl becar,rse of flooding and alternative
how many people
Yoters hand out surprising lessorts Francis l\doriart5r rerzieqzs tLre election thtat took tlre rnedia" - a.nd tkre pr-rndits - b¡z surprise.
back beneath the coverlet. The first Legislative Council elections under Chinese sovereignty had already been
into the bin; and tlying to
loiter inconspicr-rously al
were swiftly made at a nearby polling plâce. af f angements
È q
MTR stops as candidates oI dressed like band leaders .a a
played pop tllnes to Lltterly disintelested shoppers. This
-
plus conver-
As the day unfolded, the election stoly became a weather story became a
sA. q q
dates themselves, organisers - all pointed lo one thing: r'ampant apa-
drop live coverage lasting until the last tallies were in. Given past performance
expectation of voter tr-unout - fi'om 35, to 30, then down to maybe 25 pel cent,
complexities of the newvoting system, we were prepared for a24-hottr open mike marathon. More sleep was easy
to justify, especially in light of what had been an almost impossibly boring run-up to the day. Tf,E G0RRESP0ilDEI|T June 1998
cepted carnpaign literalure ancl hou' many tossed
looking like a bust, now Nature was dropping the finishing touches. Better to doze,have a cuppa then wander up the hill to cast my ballot for the first time as a permanent SAR resident. An1'way, work for me wasn't going to start after the polls closed, when RTHK would begin bop-'til-you
(14 hours non-stop in 1995) and warnings by officials about the
a
decided [o gel theír civic
storey apal'tment blocks and following candidates as theyknocked on every door of every registered r.oter all the way down; wandering through food markets trying to coLlnl n election morning my plan was to be first in line at the Buddhist school's polling station; one look out the window at 6:30, however, and good intentions melted into the dalk skies already shedding lain. I slid
a
qì¿eue. 'ùØas this a fluke? A
with academics, pollsters, the candisations
JtLst
roll
r,tp
thy. This election balely had a pulse. So by the time election eve rollecl around I had progressively lowerecl my
the figule that seemed to me lock bottom, given the nurnbel of hard-core party followers that would come out to vote in anything short of a typhoon.
\Øhen the ladìo came on and I heard the Observatory expecting to raise the amber lain warning, I figured it was another coffin nail for the SAR's
recorcl-turnout-underabominable conditions
you" trousers wadc lbtotrgh tba u'ater and uote
sewel's sent rooster-tails of watel high
into the air. I was soakecl past the knees by the tirie I leached Village Road, where a cal gunned through the
torrent and sent a wave of rainwater drenching the rest of me. \Øhen I sloshecl my way up the stairs to the polling area, I was prepared to be the only votel fool enough to show up, and steeled myself to be the br-rtt of lokes by the election wolkers. \Øhat the hell, I figured, they had to show up, too. It was then that I got the
first hint of the eventual turnout. Not only were other voters there, but the
story. It became not really the candidates' story, nor the parties' sto1y, nor the government's sto1y, blÌt the voters' stoly. They crossed up everybody, teal bad, showing up in numbers greater than the quantity of
gimmicky collectors' cards printed by the election officiá1s (the government printed two cards, one sent to registered voters, another given to persons who actuallyvoted, and the total number of those to be given at the polling stations equalled 50 per cent of the total registeled votefs, i.e., the maxirnum turnout that officials plivately anticipated). JLrne
1998 TtrE
CORR.ESP0IIDENT
something there had been widespread calls for in 1995. The government had cleaned up the electoral rolls. Every candidate who took part in an election at any level under the ancien regime had endured the frustration of using the electoral lists to organise her or his campaign, then going out only to find vacant lots where buildings used to be, skyscrapers where apartments
were shown, tens of thousands of voters listed but emigrated, thousands more registered but deceased (a constant source of embarrassment for both surviving familymembers and candidates), and
on and on. of the dozens of candidates - municipal council,
district board or Legco - with whom have discussed those polls, none ever put the error rate lower than25 per cent. Some thoughtas many as a third of the names and addresses were wrong.
È
I
È s
ù
a
Still, none of these factors, sin-
story that would otherwise have been
gly or together, is a satisfactory explanation for a jump of 15-or-so per-
By their action, the voters took
in a lot of foreign papers and shoved it high up in the news section, even onto the front pages. In the process, they also embarrassed the so-called experts andkeepers of the commonwisdom. So how did people like me not only get it wrong, but so very, very wrong? I humbly submit there was a combination of factors and chief a few column centimetres
centage points. The real reason for the stunning turnout, I suggest, is that something completely mundane happened and we, players and pundits alike, had forgotten that it was
But this time, the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) used the lion's share of the nearly $500 million spent on the election for a massive door-to door registration drive that had the effect of tidying up the voter rolls. This not only provided a more accurate and meaningful statistical base, it also gave candidates a solid
GOT ANY BRIGHT IÞEAs ABOUT SIA^ÞLIFYINGTHE
HOW AÐOUT THE LAST PAST
THE PO5T WIN5.,
/
among them was a massive collapse of collective memory. Yes, the voters leIt a rcal desire to perform their civic
duty. Yes, there was a feeling of history, of wanting to be a particrpant in not only the first SAR election but also in the first truly free election on
mainland Chinese soil certainly in the past 50 years, and maybe ever. Yes, there were pro-democracy voteÍs wanting revenge for China's ouster of those elected in 1995 under Chris Patten's rules, just as there were so-called patriotic forces wanting to get out and support their team. And,
economy hitting the skids, bird-flu fallout and rising sentiment against
the administration's handling of almost everything. TEE CORRESP0I{DDIIT June 1998
tbeir triumþbamt retut'n to tbe legislatiue Council after tbe.first þost-handouer election
toolwithwhich to organise and carry out their campaigns. The result: efficient targeting of voters, less wasted materials and manpower, more turnout. Had the error rate in the registration roll been factored inro rhe 1995 results, I think it's likely that the actual turnout rate in that election would have been atleast45 per cent, maybe more. The correction brought about by the latest registration drive narrows the gap between L995 and 1997 significantly and, while taking nothing away from the voters' performance under extraordinary weather conditions, places the 1998 turnout jump in a more
comprehensible light. IùØhat is
amazing that the collective memory
failed on this point. I recall during the early morning hours, as the ballots were being counted, raising
this hypothesis with a widely
yes, there were more candidates than
ever, a proportional voting system, some new faces and new parties, an
6tt
¡(
{
ì
respected election analyst, who in fact was among those in 1995 who
had pointed to the electoral-roll problem and suggested that it skewed the turnout figures. But when I mentioned it to him this time, he
nodded slowly, as if something he had always known had been set in a little corner of his mind where it had
theíi into the rain, something unseen by almost everyone (although Martin
Lee says his Democratic Party colleague, Lau Chin-shek, told him
collected a coat of dust. He had looked at a score of other factors to explain the high turnout, but this one had somehow slipped his
on election morning that the turnout would be big), but once they got behind the little cloth curtain they
attention.
stayed remarkably true to form. (One
I'm streirgthened in this conclusion by a private conversation
I had recently with a senior government official involved closely
in every election (and who, by coincidence, had been the very first person in line to vote at my precinct station). He revealed that after correcting for individuals who had moved or died, the 1998 registration drive still managed to add more than 200,000 names of existing voters to the rolls. These were real voters with
suggestion for the big showing, put forth by Chief Executive Tung Cheehwa, was their burning desire to demonstrate love for the Basic Law. I think the jury's out on that one.) In the end, maybe it's just turns
out that about half of Hong Kong people really like the idea of voting and half of them don't. Maybe half like the quality of candidates and
half don't. Or maybe it's because about half of the population was
But even if we get the numbers straight, we still need to explain why
born here and half wasn't, or because about half the population ió uncler 25 years old and half is older, 'W'hatever, there's going to be another election in two years and I confidently predict a tlrrnout rate of 50 per cent. I might be wrong again, of course, but if I
the people voted not only in big numbers, but largely in line with
will remember.
real addresses. 'And that figule corresponds to nearly 10 per cent of
the total number of registered voters in 7995.
am, I'm also betting that nobody else
@
past performance. Something drove June 1998 IHD
CORRESPOilIIEilT
-T
A vision of democracy
the matter of more democracy for Hong
Kong with the Beijing leadership.
"Mr Tung likes occasionally to :ravel abroad to shake the hands of prime ministers and presidents. Now,
À4a-rtin Lee ponders tkre future of politics in Hong I{ong. C5zril Dtrnrp reports on tkre Derrrocratic leader's pl-rilosopkr;2. in their great wisdom,
ho won? The watchdogs did but the lapdogs are in the majority. It was with these bitter-sweet,
leaders,
plaintive but combative words that politician Martin Lee greeted the press
cannot himself be removed by Legco, of course, wouldlike us to forget about it. I regretto sayto himthathis problems are not over. They are just beginning, " he predicted. Citing Indon esia as an analogy, Mr Lee said: "No rulerinthe world, except
two days after the
de
mocrats'
spectacular and overwhelmingvictory
in Hong Kong's first post-handover elections held on May 24: they won three-quarters of the 20 geographical constituency seats in the Legislative Council. Speaking to a packed lunch at the Foreign Correspondents'
basrcally afraid of change".
"
ane
Mr Tung,
who can dissolve the legislature but
some in Asia, seriottsly believe that they can always go against the will of
maybe the history books
will
have something nice to say about (former' president ) Suharto. How he allowed
now we are only talking about
I
in Indonesia. I hope they will learn to trust the people because you cannot be a good ruler if you can't even tftist your own people." Askedif he could realistically
to
change their minds
voice ofthe majorityofthe people
conceded that this scenario was
about the pace of democracy in Hong Kong and China, Mr Lee highly unlikely. "It all depends on us. The ordinary voters have akeady cast their votes and spoken out, It is now up to the elected representatives of our people and Hong Kong delegates to the National People's Congress to take up the cause.
Seizing the opportunity to have a gloating but constructive dig at Liberal Party chief Allen Lee, who failed to gain a seat in the polls, he suggested that
So, we are going
to live with him until hopefully the next chief executive will be democratically elected by the people ofHong Kong.
"maybe Allen Lee can now concentrate on bringing this
"It is very difficult for us to do ¡ an)4hing because, as you know, $ the Basic Law is very restrictive. Mafün lee urged, Cbief Executiue Tung Cbee-bwa '!7e effectively can't present any to let China knou Hong Kong uøntecl d'emocracy
bill without the prior consent of the chief executive if it involves public expenditure, if itrelates to government
structure of government policies. Outside of these three issues, I can't think of anything worth discussing or changing," Mr Lee said. Pointing out that there were provisions in the Basic Law to make changes onthe pace of democracy, Mr Lee said he, however, did not harbour any great- expectations that this would
actually come about because "our fEE C0RRf,SPOMIDNI Tune 1998
their people, The recent example in Indonesia shows that even inAsia this does not always work. "There is no doubt in my mind that
as the whole world moves towards democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights, this tide cannot be stopped and it is a wise ruler who can ride with the tide rather than be crushed by it.
"Depending on what (Indonesian President) Habibie does from now on,
Chinese leaders. "My view is that Mr Tung ought to
following these events very closely. hope Mr Tung and our leaders in Beijing will learn from what happened
be
leaders
performthat role.
even explain the situation fully to be explaining to Beijing that there is nothing for them to fear. After all, right
expect Mr Tung and the Chinese
strong will of the people of Hong Kong for democracy. "I don't think he is going to
also have to tell them why he won't
the system to evolve by graciously stepping down. I am sure MrTung will
Club, Mr Lee called on Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa and Chinese leaders to listen to the of Hong Kong and to speed up the "snail's pace" of democracy for Hong Kong as it is set out in the Basic Law. He insisted that what was now needed was for the chief executive to convey to the Chinese leaders the very
will have to explainto themwhy in spite of the overwhelming dernand for democratic changes in Hong Kong, he still won't do anything about it. He will he
message across to the NPC". "I'm
being very serious about this. I believe Allen Lee and other politicians like him can have a real impact on changing atlitudes within the NPC," Mr Lee insisted. "'We must remember," he said,
"Hong Kong led the way for China to turn to an open economic policy. So, why can't Hong Kong also lead the way for China to find the rule of law, the protection of humanrights andfull democratic institutions?
Mr Lee also called on the - "you subversive lot and I love you for it!" - to bring international press
pressure to bear on Mr Tung to take up
democracy for Hong Kong. He ought
to be telling them that if they really study the situation more closeiy they see that more democracy for Hong ,f Kong is not a bad thingfor everybody, s including themselves.
will
"The problem with the Chinese leaders is that they are afraid to lose control. But a transformed Chinese Communist Pany can stay in power just like the transformed Kuomintang did in Taiwan. There are many examples - in eastern Europe, for
- where you've had a communist government being
Worden, Manín lee and Club First Vice-President Milee Gonzales at tbe luncb-eon
said he was always under the impression, from observing voting patterns in other countries, that ifvoters
turn out in large numbers that was clearly indicative of dissatisfaction with
instance
the government.
ovefihrown as soon as elections are held. But in some of these countries, theyhave beenvotedback into power
"But, Mr Tung says no, He says that, on the contrary, this shows the people supporl his government and its policies. The beauty of the Basic
after the parly changed to really start to reflect the aspirations and interests of
the people. That is surely the way for-ward for China. Mr Lee said even the late Chinese leacler, Deng Xiaoping, was not against
democracy for China. "Addressing us members of the Basic Law Drafting Committee in 1987, he saiddemocracy was not a bad thing for China, but indicated that China was not ready for it then, "Mr Deng said China would be ready when its GDP had doubled and redoubled - remember Mr Deng was a keen bridge play er - hopefully by the turn of the century. But my economist friends tell me that even by 7997 China' s GDP had more than doubled and
redoubled. So, by Mr Deng's own yardstick, China is actually ready for democracy even now." On the different interpretations that had been put forward on the record 53 per centvoter turnout in spite of the
heavy downpour on May 24, Mr Lee
Law is that it gives the final interpretation of the polls results and the large voter turnout to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. I am'sure Mr Tung would like to interpret anything in Hong Kong in line with the views of the NPC.
"You must remember that the people of Hong Kong never elected MrTung, although he says that he was certainly elected by 400 people who were very representative. No doubt
one year of these lapdogs. And what did they do once they had the chance to choose their leaders? They voted
ove'r'whelmingly for us, 'the watchdogs'. I perfectly understand that Mr Tung and his cohorts would like to interpret the election results in their own ridiculous way. But I don't think theyhave credibilitywhen they do that. " On the economic downturn and rising unemployment in Hong Kong, Mr Lee admitted that the democrats
had no "rnagic formula" or "easy solutions" for the problems. "Butwhat we will do is to closely and seriously monitor the Government. '$Øe will
make them accountable for their policies and if we don't agree with
some of the measures they are taking to tackle the situation, we willpush for more effective measures. "rJØe cannot guarantee that we will
they are representative but representative of whom is the
be able to change things overnight or
question.
social and economic levels. Allwe can say is that we will soldier on and we will do our best to justify the mandate thatourpeople have given us," Mr Lee
'
Althoughthe chief executive took the butt of Mr. Lee's acid comments, other so-called "lapdogs" did not escape unscathed either. "You must
also realise that the provisional legislature was chosen by these very same 400 people. Andagain,Miss Rita
Fan (President of the Provisional Legislative Council) said they were very fepresentative. "The people of Hong Kong had
even in six months on the political,
promised. If Martin Lee is to be taken at his word - and he has proved time and againthat he can be - the media can
expect renewed fireworks in Legco
and hopefully more newsworthy stories to file come July
1.
@ June 1998 T¡lE
CORRESPOI|IIENT
-T
something we in Hong Kong shotild be very proud of. "Many have commented that the high turnout is a result of people's dissatisfaction with the state of the economy in Hong Kong, Others have
stated that there is
a desire for
a
faster pace of democracy. Some have
even suggested that people voted because of the commemorative cards
they got after voting. I think, to a certain degree, all the above may partly be true. "But in my view, the active participation by Hong Kong people reflected their desire to fulfil their responsibility as citizens and the very strong support they have for the Basic Law and the spirit of "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong" with a high degree of autonomy." MrTung said the election had laid
Mr Tung
is greetecl
by Board. members on a
a solid foundation for political developments of the
SAR and
pledged
that the Government would move for-ward to a more democratic form of govefnment in accordance with the provisions of the Basic Law. "I congratulate all those who have Executiue Tung Cbee-bwa into tbe FCC
Tung trrakes hís enttaÍrce lfl-re CLrief E><ecutirze paid kris first rzisit to thre FCC since tl-re 198Os a-nnr-al diplornatic reception. C¡rril Durup reports.
a-t tl-re
CC President Diane Stormont triecl a little diplomacyof herown
ashamedly" admitted that he was
the ABC of politics. I have also been
forced to let his club membership lapse
when she extolled the virtues of cltib membership to the diplomatic corps at the club's annual Diplomatic Party on
when his family's shipping empire faced financial crises in the 1980s, Stormont got another chance to
May 26.
practice the art of diplomacy.
told that I don't spend enough time with the pl-ess, particularly the foreign pless. I apologise for that but as you can imagine, I have been very busy. I hope to be able to talk to you more often in the coming months,"
Deciding that the occasion was
She rose to the occasion by
the perfectforumto do some marketing
gathered consuls, attaches, charges
presenting an honorary membership to Mr Tung with the friendly caveat: "I have yet to come across a shiPPing
d'affaires, chefs de mission and other foreign government representatives that for a "reasonable" entrance fee they could gain access to the inner sanctum from where a large part of locally generated international news was gathered and channelled.
tycoon who readily admits that his business is booming," Makíng his first visit to the FCC since he becatne chief executive, Mr Tung apologised for his "oversight", excusing himself for being "faidy new at the complex business of running
After guest of honour', Chief
Hong Kong". "Some people say I don't know
for the club, Diane informed
the
Executive Tung Chee-hwa, had "unTRE CORRf,SPONIIXNT June 1998
he said.
Obviously aware that newly elected democratic politician Martin Lee had addressed the club eadier in the day, the chief executive said he was pleased to see there had been
such a huge public srÌpport for the elections
.
"\øith the joint efforts of all sectors,
we have made history with a record number of legistered voters, voter turnout and voter turnout rate. Thí.s is
been elected as the first Legislative Council members. The Government will work with all of them closely and look forward to building up a good relationship because it is important that we do so." MrTung saidthe economywas his prime concern. "Years of high ploperty
prices, high inflation and negative interest rates had created a bubble
economy which needed to be corrected if we are to remain competitive. The Asian financial turmoil accelerated the pace of correction. "Indeed, we are now in the dePth
of a major economic adjustment, the result of which may be prolonged and
painful to everyone. The growth of our economy will fall substantially and indeed may even be negative."
As Mr Tung is now a bona fide member of the FCC and he has promised more frequency - and hopefully more transparency too - in
his talks with the international press, working journalist members can look forward to getting regular updates on
the political, social and economic
lssì-res.
EE
ng exa.mNnes a na.me ca. Fred Fredeticks and Guy Seails
June 1998 rHE
C0RRXSP0NDDNT
.e
t
4 1
Diploilxdtic large ttuttout for the FCC's attt'ttLal ic conlnxLnlitJ) Night Alutalts o po11uto,: nrnt'tt witb Hong Kottg's cliplomat settior ÓtttJ tbe euettittg þrou¡cles on ipp,orr,ru,ity.¡or ctutt 711¿phet's 'oJJ'lbe recor'l rtJ'sottte cliplontats to g.tther socictlllt ancl ettlolt the'1"u"'n
It
4r
Luas 6tl7otller
cbieJ' by Hortg Kottg's is h'acl,iol'tcLlly sn'ortgly sLtpported Club tct'r'tiue ctt't'r'|. former ExecLltiLe ancl this yeat" the sAR's fitst Chief Ex nttd lotttea spotliPhr the tttentber, Ttntg Cltee-hturt, steppecl it'tto atrtl itt'fornral sborritrtclress a cliplontcttic gu.ests rmcl ,lrrø,rràn',øn't.frtr
"""ttttlfJ'nrnlxt
conL'erscú¡oix
Photos bY Hu van Es
.t
r .fune
1
forget Cabezas"). A year after his death, a self portrait bY Cabezas, which shows him frowning gentlY, is
Herald, when he was asked about Yabran. No one is willing to go on the
Argentina.
recold about his rags-to-riches success story. There is no hard evidence of
still seen widely throughout
"It took us some time...all the media got very close, journalists started to be interviewed.,.we became
the principal characters of this nasty new novel," says Saguier. There is
some collective security in this, in thal an attack on one is after all an aftack on all, but there was a much
deeper current that went beyond the rights of journalists. At first the case
to have a more ordinary explanation: a Mafia hit (with or without police compliance) on someone who was getting too close to the growing drugs trade at the elite seemed
Cabezaswasthe bridge too far. There
English-langvage Buenos Aires
is stiil a difference between murder and back-handers and the public knew it even if the politicians were beginning to forget.
any blatantly illegal activities,
But more important is the role the media plays in Argentinian society. Since the end of military rule in the eady 1980s it is the only institution which has really changed and which
although the backbone of his fortune securitised delivery services - is
-
seen as a front for drugs running and
money laundering. Some, agairr off
enjoys broad public support. The other institutions are basically
the record, say that Yabran did menace
and thleaten his business rivals. A blunter accusation was made by a former finance minister Domingo Cavallo. CavalIo, who has addressed
unreformed and seen as unreconstructed by the democratic era. For example the law courts are seen as totally .untrustworthY and have approval ratings in single figures, whereas the media's collective.ratings are as high as the fifties and sixties.
an FCC lunch, labelled Yabran a Mafioso, Cavallo was sacked by President Menem for being too open
with his criticisms about corruption
This was underlined bY the
in the Menem administration.
mechanics of the investigation into
resort.
However, Gabriel Michi,
working partner, has strongiy denied the two were Cabezas's
investigating anything in Pinamar. But
the theory of organised crime and corrupt police officers gained credence when four policemen were jailed, The four were handed over to the investigating magistrates not by police work but by Eduardo Duhalde, the governor of the Buenos Aires province where the killing took place.
A deadly profession
Duhalde, who is a Presidential
candidate, was tipped off about the four by a political crony. Politics and sleaze were woven into the case from the word go. Assumptions began to change after May when, courtesy of teiephone
Latlr^ Arrrerica is su1>1>osedl¡z ckranging to dernc>cracY. Tkre slaying <>f a prorrrinent j ournalist srlggests otkrerqzise, reports l\trictrael l\,1facl-e)orn. of the facts of the Jose Luis \)Cabezas case which ignited Argentinian politics during 1997 are known, although interpreting them is a much more difficult task. The starting point is simple. In the early hours ofJanuary 25,1997, Cab ezas left a party in theArgentinian coastal resort of Pinamar and walked into a group of men, some of whom had mobile phones, who were to kill him later. This did not occur in some provincial backwater. Pinamar is a solidly middle-class resort where the Buenos Aires political and business elite go for the summer. Cabezas, a photographer - not a reporter - with Noticias, a respected Argentinian news magaztne specialising in investigative and
Q
June 1998
analytical news reporting, was shot on a country road and his handcuffed
body left to burn in his hire car at 'SØhile
a
there are major cross-roads. now 10 people in jail for their various roles in the killing there is stiil no clear motive or indeed a clear culprit. At best, there are ominous hints from the motleybag of individuals currently
doing time for their involvement. These include former police officers,
an informer turned suspect, four contract killers and the chief bodyguard of Argentina's most reclusive tycoon. But it is this assortment that gave such a solitarybrutal murder its profile and its implications. Quite simply as
the case unravelled Argentinians seemed to realise that their fledgling
democracy was at least flawed, although how badly is yet to be discovered. SØhat can be clearly ruled out is that this is a return to the days of the
Dirty 'War. Then the military
dictatorship just "disappeared" those
who it disagreed with, including up to 100 ournalists. Cabeza's killing is much more l¡tazenthan that and it is this which has sent a huge shiver down Argentina's collective spine. Fernan Saguier, editor of La Nacion,one of Argentina's top quality dailies, said that the signal was clear: "The author [of the killingJ is not scared but he wants you to be scared". After
the initial shock the media began
a
vigorous campaign along the lines of
"No se olviden de Cabezas" ("Don't
company software, the records of mobile phones used by Cabezas's assailants began to be made public. Rather than lead back to one individual the records showed an incredibly complex pattern of calls between those immediately involved in the events of that night and a collection of what is best described as the rich and powerlul. Two names figure ProminentlYin
this telephonic spaghetti. One is business tycoon Yabran and the second is Gregorio Rios, the head of Yabran's security.
Yabran's business emPire, variously valued at between US$400 million and US$2.5 billion, is, publicly,
a mystery. "Its all too murkY," saYs Andrew Graham Yooll, editor of the
can l>e clearLy ruled out is tLrat thris is a return to thre'daYs of the -Dirty \ü7ar. lfLren thre rnilita"ry dictatorsLrip just "disappeared" tkrose xzl-ro it disagreed rüúthrat
yzithr. There was, though, a personal tension betw een Cal:,ezas andY abran, Cabezashad, in an eaÃier scoop, taken
one of the few pictures of Yabran. "But that's not an investigation, it's a photo," says Sagiuer, who notes it is "absurd to kill a man for making you a public figure". Returning to the phone records,
,
Cabezaä's death, Twice Yabran appêared before investigating
magistrates and despite the mass of
circumstantial evidence was not arrested. However his head of security Gregorio Rios was.
'
To date the major public casualtY
has beenJustice Minister EliasJassan
who had to resign when his rePeated denials of regular talks with Yabrart were disploved. Yabran himself is still free and reportedly enioying his prosperity in Miami."Don't forget Cabezas was the message that the
media sent to society. This is different. If they try to silence the media they are trying to silence the people," sãid Sagiuer. In that sense it was a successful camPaign. The Argentinian media is still free, still vibrant andCabezas is not forgotten.
But there is also little room for complacency.
Andrew Graham-Yooil
saYs that
what is interesting is that the number of calls Rios took is matched only by the variety of calis his boss made: to
7997 could go down in history as the Argentinian media's golden Year because of the way the press acted in unison. "Never before had you seen the press behave in such a waY," he
politicians, union leaders, even
said.
President Menem's office. Yabran was
His view is that the'media is still burdened by "an element of fear." He points out that they have not written enough on corruption or the too cosy relationship between business and politics or the drugs trade. "\Øe say we caîsay an)'thing but the evidence is against us," he said.
getting the kind of access most journalists just dream about.
It was this which ignited public concern. Top of the average Argentine's contempt list are politicians who are seen as corrupt in
a way that has got beyond being entertainment. In
a
@
way the killing of June
1
The first depression
CanOnCanon 10/F,
of the 21,st Century f).pr"rring, isn't it? tnallthe chaos lJ ol the Asian Economic Crisis, the price of everything - except a beer atthe FCC bar-isfalling. Aidine tickets are cheaper this year than ever before. Property prices are some 45 per cent lower than ayear ago (hey, the down payment is almost as cheap as a whole house back home!), and even rents are negotiable. .ùTelcome to the Great
usually involve high unernployment, a huge number of bankruptcies and decÌining prices. Fancy cars are on sale for little more than 150per cent of what theywould cost back home, 400 foot flats inAberdeen are a rnere HK$7 million and taxi fares only go up 7.5 per cent. Stock markets losses trim Li Ka-shing's net worth by billions (say, 20 per cent). Recessions are fender-benders;
Asian Depression, coming soon to your coLÌntry. depressions are when you run into a Economists use terms like brick wall. Japan is now in a depression: "correction", "recession" and "growth growth not only contracted in the first recession" - without feeling the least half of this year, but fell well below the bit self-conscious - to describe a sharp slowing (or RECEDING GROWTHLINES contracting) of economic GDP: Percent Real Change expansion (We also lie, use 14Va statistics to lie, and cheat on 12Ea our favourite drinks, but that's
another story). Technically,
"correction" is when your neighbour loses his job; a "growth recession" when
yor-t
lose your job; and a "real
8%
takes only lhree vacations year, one to Macau.
in
is to reflate the bubble: The Bank of Japan needs to print money until it mns out of fancy paper, and then use fax paper or old newspapers. Demand needs to soar, so that Japanese companies have trouble filling all their orders. This will then suck in impolts
fi-om the rest of the region (where exchange lates vis-à-vis the Yen are still 15 to 50 per cent of what they wele ayear ago) and lead to people
being rehired, getting paid and buying things.
Another step is for Alan Greenspan, chairman of the
will knock the dollar down, givingJapan some relief What is likely to be done? Nothing, especially in Japan. .
a -2Ea
Mr Greenspan may trim
-4Va
fwo consecLrtive quarters (six rnonths) of slower economic activity than in the same period one year eadier. A "growth recession" is a significant slowdown, usually in what was a lapidly growing economy. The difference is that the economy is still growing (think of Chìna in the early 1990s lsee graphì: growth slowedfrom 12 per cent inthe last quarter of 1988 to 4 per cent inJanuary-June 1989 - and
1992
interest rates by
quarler of a percent-which wouid be an a
tlend. Unemployment eadier this year
unprecedented show of inter-
years.
nationalism, and for which he would be roundly criticised. It would be the first time a Fed God has ever taken a
was the highest in 45
Bankruptcies ale soaring, and the price of everything - including the Yen - is falling. (Indonesia isn't in a depression; it is in crisis, which technically isn't an economic condition but is known as a
prices will make money the most
Although we haven't seen the official data (technically, "guesstimates") on how economies in Asia
valuable asset in the world. Too plain? \X/ell, how about Australian red wine
a
did in the second quarter of this year, it is safe to say that Hong Kong is in a recession, as afe Korea, Thailand, Singapore and soon MaIaysia. China, the Philippines and Taiwan are
prolonged decline in economic activity significantly below the trend. This will
However, with a little less care and
and the down side is that you end up with a containerloacl of excellentwine on your front door step. Dauid O'Reør, regional economist for tbe Economist Intelligence Unit, is getting Tirecl of being called a wild.eyed oþtimisT
everyone gets neryous in earlyJune). A "depression", on the other hand is a recession on steroids: your boss loses his job. Unlike a lecession, there is no finite definition of a certainperiod
of time. Instead, a depression is
THE CORRDSP0NIIEI|T June 1998
probably in growth recessions.
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G0RRXSPOilIIDNT
was sitting on the veranda of my hotel
having my dinner when an African fell
into my soup." Donald 'ùØise
DonraldWise
was born in
Leatherhead, Surrey, on February 7, 1918. The family fortune had been made inJohannesburgwhere his father owned a department store. His mother decided he was too sickly a child to withstand the Afi'ican climate and he was never allowed to visit there. He was educated at Millhill, which he
by Colin Srnith
hated, and in 1936 went up to lØorcester College, Oxford, to read //-\
iournalist and former Club \-,f President Donald Wise, who died onMay 27 aÍÍheage of 80, was one of
when Lieutenant-General Arthur
thebest of asmall bunch of adventurers
Percival surrendered to the Japanese
\oldier,
who bestrode the pages of the oldstyle British popular press for almost J0 years after the war in which most of them had served.
In
September 7972,
\ùØise was
among a group of British foreign correspondents thrown into Kampala's
notorious Central Prison. There they were ordered by some of Idi Amin's
frothing soldiery to strip to their underwear and stand in a line with their arms outstretched. Keith Graves, then of BBC Television, found himself next lo \ùØise. "How long do you think we're going to be in here," whispered the appalled Graves. \fise replied: "'SØe11, last time itwas 3 I/2 years in Changi." It was only then that the television reporler noticed that while the rest of them had hastily dropped their clothes
on the filthy floor, the ever-elegant \Øise had his tronsers neatly folded over one arm and his jacket on the other. "Elegance was Donald's middle name, " recalled war correspondent Bill Tuohy. "He had courage, talent and a zest for showing us all how to report and live." He was one of those life-enhancers
whose presence
lit up each
fresh hellhole. \ùØise was once described in the pages of this magazine as looking like he might earn his living as a stunl-
man for David Niven. "He was the David Niven of journalism," said longïime Far Eastern Economic Reuiew editor Derek Davies. "He had
a
similar'
wit, was similarly successful with 'worrren, and bore an uncanny lesemblance to the actor." fHE
GORRXSP0NIIDNT
June 1998
As a young officer, \Øise was one
of the few wounded prisoners taken
wounds during his days as a correspondent, first for the Daily Express and then the Døily Mirror.In the Congo he was hurtwhen amortat
part
scored a direct hit on the Irish
of his command to lingering deaths from staryation and disease and the
contingent's ammunition dump. A few yeals laterhe was onpatrolwithBritish
casual brutality of their captors. 'ùØise
soldiers in Aden and was the first to spot a grenade coming their way. He and a soldier were hit by shrapnel. He surwived two air crashes: A press plane caught fire during a royal
at Singapore, condemnin g a lar ge
felt the humiliation deeply. A fellow prisoner recalled an exchange belween \Øise and one of the more humane Japanese non-commissioned officers who was trying to persuade British
tour of Southern Rhodesia. More
Air
officers to ignore the privileges granted
serior.rsly, he was aboard a Royal
to them by the Geneva Convention and go to wolk.
Force Shackleton when it made an emergency landing in the Radfan Mountains above Aden with all its bombs still aboard and only half its undelcariage down.
'Jesus Christ worked," argued the
Japanese NCO. 'Jesus Christ was a carpenter." 'Jesus Christ, " \Øise informed him, "was not a Blitish officer."
over six feet tall (I82 centimetres), he weighed just 94 'ùØell
pounds (43 kt\ograms) when he was released from Changi in Augr-rst 1p45. Almost imrnediately, he volunteered
The personification of
Hemingway's grace under pressure, NØise
had endless patience with
younger colleagues and those lucky enough to be alongside him when they were facing the powder for the filst time often found his humour had
for the Parachute Regiment and always
a greatly calming effect.
insisted they accepted him only because he was so under-weight he was ideally suitecl for testing
bombardment from North Vietnamese artillery in L972, \Vise - then working for the Daily Mit"t"or - and other correspondents dived into a ditch. From there they watched as Gavin
experimental 'chutes. \Øise, then a captain,left the army to become a lubber planter in Malaya just as the mainly-Chinese communist
Under
Young, 'Wise's fi'iend and correspondent for Tbe Obseruer,
guelrillas began theil insurrection. Bored stiff with planting he enlisted once again and helped lead a very irregular unit known as Fen'et Force. Among its ranks were head-hunters fi'omBorneo ernployedfortheir abilig as trackers but given to spontaneous demonstrations of their traditional
asked his colleagues between shell bursts, "that he has just taken cover beneath an ammunition truck?" 'ùØise's mordant wit ran counter to
pursuits unless closely watched.
the Vietnamese language to that of
\Øise was wounded once as a soldier but received three more
"copulating ducks". A famous account of a massacre in the Congo began: "I
crawled under a vehicle. "shouid I tell a former \Øelsh Guards officer," \Øise
today's standards of political
correctness. He likened the sound of
German and French. His studies took him to Germany where he attended Nazi rallies and was impressed by their pageantry. He alsobecame convinced warwas inevitable and enlisted in a Territorial
after a spell as a reporter onthe Ra.nd Daily Mail inJohannesburg. He soon became a stringerforthe Daily Exþress and this rapidly became a staff job as Nairobi correspondent when he found and interviewed Ernest Hemingway,
mr'ltter to colleagues on the more cerebral publications as they telexed 1,000 words on the latest political
who had been almost killed in his
become : "I write for people who move their lips when they read."
second air crash within 24 hours while
on safari.
In those days there was probably no newspaper in the world that could rival Lord Beaverbrook's D aily Express forthe resources lavished onits foreign coverage. It was a golden era when foreign editors cabled star reporters cash bonuses for stories that pleased them. Wise mostly covered Afri ca and the Middle East. In 1956 he was in
developments, "you don't have to compete with a cow that gets on to a bus." In sourer moments this would
In fact, \Øise loved the Mirror, which then was not only the biggestselling newspaper on the planet but also very good. sØhen he left in1,975, partly because he was tired of competing with television, he instantly regretted it: soon after the communi.sts launched their final offensive and câptured Saigon. He went to Spain andwrote two booksa novel and a memoir
- a.d
dumped both manuscripts in the Mediterranean. He returned to Hong Kong and joined the
Army motorcycle battalion.
Inspired by the memoirs of US corre-
Far Eastern Econotnic Reuiew, a publication
spondentJamesNegley Farson, hehadbecome a "space reporler" -fi¡st
not entirely to
his taste. He never had
fortl¡e Mirrorandlater
on the Daily
any ambition to be an executive and said
Sketcb.
Space reporters were paid according to how much space they filled. Some weeks lØise
found he was paid more than the nine guineas a week staff reporters received. However, he was
the whole point of being a f oreign correspondent was to be somewhere foreign
Peter O'Iougblin of tbe Associated Press iand. Bntce Dunning of CBS
mobilised as soon as war broke out
Israel for their strike against the
and commissioned into the Suffolk
Egyptians that provided Britain and France with an excuse to intelvene at Suez. Afterwards he worked on a
Regiment. He volunteered for the newly raised P arachute Regiment but the Suffolks were suddenly sent to Singapore just three weeks before the
surrender. 'W'ise was wounded and was mentioned in dispatches for a
night action against Japanese tanks: Suffolks clambered aboard them and dropped grenades into their hatches. He remained convinced that the British could have held Singapore indefinitely and felt theywere let down by a premature surrender. He left the army after the war. One of the reasons was a notation in his personnel file:
freighter crewed by drunken Finns and commanded by a club-wielding ryrant
in order to be on the first convoy of ships to pass thrgugh the reopened Suez Canal.
In
1960 Hugh Cudlipp's Daily
Mirror lured him away from
the
Express. For the next 15 years he was
chief foreign correspondent based mostly in Singapore, Hong Kong and Beirut. He covered two more Middle East wars and taught South Vietnam's Madame Nhu how to do
and correspond. He retired in 1989 and moved to Vence,
France. He returned
to Vietnam in7995 at the age of 78 to
participate in commemorations of the 20th anniversary of the end of the war. He and other colleagues were briefly detained by police: 'SØise was delighted he was not considered too old [o get int-o troubie. He died at the age of 80 after a long battle with prostate cancer. Donald \Øise is survived by his fifth wife, Daphne Salvesen, and three children from his third marriage, Susan
'llise of Somerset'S?est,'South Africa; Gillian Handley of Sydney; and David \ù/ise of Johannesburg.
Colin Smitb is a former
"This officer has had no successful
the twist - it was on the tape he used
correspond.ent
battle experience."
to interview her.
in Nicosia. Edith M. Lederer of Tbe
\Øise returned to journalism in
He was frustrated because of the
Kenya where, in the earþ 1950s, he was working as anaerial photographer
Mirrol s demand for short, tight stories. "It's all right for you chaps," he would
for TheTimes. He liues
Associated. Press in London contributed.
to tbis reþort.
I@ June
1!!8 rH[
CORRISPONIIEIIT
ï-
Farewell to David Thurston Members young and old packed the Main Bar to commemorate photojournalist David Thurston's last days in Hong Kong. The intrepid lensman and sclibe is heading off to the balmy climate of Phuket, Thailand, where green fees are lower.
D^rid Leonard
Photos by Ray Cranbourne and Hu van Es
by Arthur Hacker s
/^\,0 FCC member and arrisre \-rf .*,ruodi naire David Leona rcl died last month of cancer of the liver in the South of France. Flamboyant is probably the best way of describing David. He spofi ed an enormous Kitchener moustache,
and generally wore dapper Harris tweed jackets and cavalry twill troLlsers. Sometimes he favoured
David came up with the great idea known as "The Eyes". He created an rmage of a pair of glamorous, but ferocious eyes that followed you around the room like a
Mona Lisa smile. Beneath it ran the
grim Orwellian slogan "Hong Kong
is
SØatching". The model
for The
Eyes was David's beautiful Korean
wife, September Leonard.
jodhpurs and chukka boots. He also
It is very difficult to sell any idea
adored white suits. Any normal human being who put on a white suit will discover that it attracts dirt, and within a few minutes it will be covered with dandruff, bits of egg,
to
tomato skins and marmalade, even ifyou're bald and don't eatbreakfast. But David was different. \ùØhen he wore a white suit it remained whiter than white alI day - come wind and rain. He could have gone
committees, we managed to get it
mud wrestling in it and emerged from the best of three falls with his white suit still pristine and absolutely
spotless, He could have taken a shower in it, and the creases would sti1l have remained nzor sharp. I don't know how he did it. Apart from his indestructible
a
government committee. To sell
a good idea is almost impossible. By
calling The Eyes a graphic device instead of a symbol, which would have had to be passed by umpteen
approved by the people who mattered without showing it to any
committee at all. There was
inevitably
a
doubting Thomas. David
flummoxed this wimp with
a
typical
Leonard remark.
Doubting Thomas: "'ùØouldn't it be better if we showed your design to the committee?Justforsafety's sake. "
David (very loudly, twirling his moustache): "Have you ever commanded a regiment?" (Coliapse of stout Doubting Thomas)
sartorial splendour David was an
David came from a military
exceptionally talented artist and desígner. I worked closely with him
background, His father Len, was my
has passedthrough a period of social
brother's commanding officer in Cyprus just after' \ùØorld War II. However David's generation were not military men. His brother Ian (also an FCC member) was with
change and so we decided that we needed a new look. Our objective
NewsweekinHong Kong in the 1980s and his older brother Paul became a
was to persuade the public that cneaÍinga great modern city was not qr,rite enough, you had to keep it clean as well.
very successful art director in
ampaign. In 1981 the campaign had been running for six years and Hong Kong on the Clean Hong Kong
C
Tf,D CORRXSPOI|IIENT June 1998
Australia.
In spite of not being a military rnan himself, David cultivated
martial idiosyncrasies. He was know to btay at bartenders "Don't you know I always take my San
Mig in green bottles." Beer in brown bottles was a British army phobia. The lØanchai bar owners used to stack the crates of beer outside and the sun's rays penetrated the brown glass and ruined the flavour of the booze. Davtd had picked up the green bottle habit from the drunken and licentious soldiery, Each of us have our own peculiar ways o[ expressing ourselves: perhaps the odd oath when angry; the neruous giggle when embarrassed; and the happy laugh; but David expressed himself dynamicallywith a single word, He would shout "CHARGE" at the top of hisvoice. Peoplewho knewhim well could tell by his int-onation whether he was hnppy, bored, angry or ecstatic. I worked closely with David for a couple of years. Behind the formidable moustache there lurked an extremely sensitive human artist who cared being, ^Írabout his work. As well passionately as being a fine graphics designer
and illustrator, David was an exceptionally good painter and produced some really excellent
Dauid. with Fred Fredericks ancl Alison
Lockban Gary Marcbant, Marilyn Hood., Dauid Thurston and Stefan Reísner
lllllllllll.r
Stuart Wolfendale witb Jane and Marty Mer-tz
Hu
uant Es Dauid Thttrslon, Dauid Garcia, Kølb, Saul Lockbøn and Ray Cranboutne
'Ð
F'
+
IL .'! ;)
',- t
r*
FdT
Dauid Thurston with Bob andJudy Liu ønd
Thurstonfans listen to his speecb
Mam Sbakesþeare and Kate Campbell
&
of the Peninsula Hotel and published a book on the same subject. Sadly missed, David is survived by his wife September @
Peter Euereft
Ëå
pictures of Hong Kong. He painted the Door Gods on the main doors
Leonard.
Ð
Cel'ía Garciø tuitb Døuid ønd Angie
'Er
"{¡
ür
Dauis ønd Hu uan Es lead. a round for tbe departing Tburston
cbeers
June 1998 THE
CORRXSP0NI¡XNT
Andy Higgins farewell Globetlotting reporter and former Boarcl member Andreu'' Higgins Ieft Tbe Guardian for the steppes of Rttssia - Ìte becomes Tbe Vall StreetJournal s Moscou,'colrespondent. A still-young old China hand once banned by Beiying, Higgins counts Russian as w-ell as Mandarin, among his linguistic talents.
Get me to the
Club on time ... Long-time club member Barbara'ùØaltels has a new preoccllpation besides rnobile phones, clocks
without hands and u,'orking late - new husband Angus'ùØilkinson. They n'ere marlied onMay 2 af
Higgins uith Keitb Ricbburg
a leception at the Hong Kong Club olganised by fellow FCC mernber Philip Nourse, who introduced them on a boat trip in 1,992.
City Hall befote
's
A ao co
The Waywe ar.e ... Veteran FCC member Ross.Way, who left Hong Kong last year with wife Teresa and son Stuart, are nov/ enjoying life in Roswell, Georgia. Teresa was an editol with r4 sia Inc. and now has her editorial office set up at their home. Although "Rossi" cannot play golf due to illness, he nevertheless drives himself to Players Woild of Golf in Atlanta where he spends three days a week as golf consultant and a golf equipment salesman.
Vice Presidet'tt Milee Gonzalez saying gor.;clbye to Anclrew Higgins and bis rtife Mañha
Cbtls Slaughter and Juliat't lYalsb at Híggins fareuell
Photos by Hu van Es
Scotlandvs Brazil
ønd Stuart lVay in faces tbe 14tb bole of tbe Rosuell Country Club; Iefi: actiue son Stuart some coacbing
It took tbe Vhrld Cup to reølise bow many Brazilians we
Ross, Teresa
Ross
giues bß
Photos by Ray Cranbourne
TtrE CORRf,SP0NIIEilf tune 1998
baue in Hong Kong. Club member leda Keattcb, seuenth
from lefi inphoto at left, organised afew supportersfor the match against Scotland. Unsurprisingly, Brazil won.
Photos by Hu van Es
June 1998 THX
CORRXSPOilIIDI{T
A montbly portrøùt of FCC ùrrepløceøbles
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