DEGEMBER 2OOZ IANUARY 2OO3
TIIE
t
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATIO
FO
P N D Ir
N CORRESPONDENTS' CLUB. HONC KONG
Opposing Hong Kong's security laws proposed Carnage in
_____
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TIIE FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS'
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Thomæ Crmpton
President
Firet Vice Prcident Iaurie Kevin Egan Second Yice President-Jim -
Correspondent Member Goveruors Paul Bayfreld, Brett M. Decker (Hon. Sec ), Daniel Kubiske, Elaine Kurtenbach, Anthony Lawence , Tyler Marshall, JenniferJanin O'Neil, Ilaria Maria Sala
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11 The FCC Responds to the Government's Consultation Paper
Finmce Comittee Atf}:ory Nedderman
Conaenu :
Profesional & Enterlaiment Comittee Contmu:
BreLLl¡L4..
Decker
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74
I
Feature
17 Book Review -
Tiziano Terzani's
18
Photography
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The 2002 Photographer of the Year Awards
20
Terrorism
The Bali Bombings
I
I I
20 Kees Metselaar
Caconumor: Ilarla Mæia Sala
Technology
The Foreign Correspondents' Club,
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FCC Speakers
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Letters Against the War
The Grim Aftermath 21 Andy Chworowsky Davtd Holloway Travel Safe 24
General Mmager Gilbert Cheng
@
A Small Matter of Life or Death
-
ç, (>
JJ I
Around the FCC
34
P*ot"ssional Contacts
I
Out of Context
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Main Cover Photograph by Peter Parks
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THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2OO2IIANUARY2OO3
/ AIP Photo
From Peter Bennett # 683
have been an associate member for 34 years' I in would like to comment on the recent deterioration
I
I do dress code. We are not a stuff,i business club, and During not suggest business suits should be d'e rigueur' the Vi-etnam Waq many correspondents would be has dressed in their t ademaik safari iuits. Informality always been the way of the FCC.
I{owever, on my frequent visits to the Club in the past few weeks, I have seen a very considerable number of members (or maybe guests) in T-shirts' some in baseball .up., .unâuls, short shorts and even sleeveless singlËts. The Club sometimes takes on the air of a construction workers' conventron
or Club Med weekends.
and I am not referring to
An important point to remember is that
these
people in sports clothing are being served by our staff who are dressed immaculately in their smart uniforms, and perhaps may wonder about the contrast in the dress of those they are serving. In the end, it is to do with respect, to both the staff as a whole and to the Club as an institution. Another thing: I have noticed the appearance of children in the Club, outside of the 'weekend rule". This is not widespread but nevertheless does occur sometimes. Because of the gradual but considerable change in our membership prohle ("you don't have to be foreign, you don't have to be a correspondent"), it is very likely
that new members are not aware of the dress/
Al fresco dining in Mo Tat Wan
children,/mobile phone rules. It may also be that some don't agree with them, or just don't care' However, so long as there are rules, they should be adhered to, and enforced. Who is to enforce them? Well, it should fall to Committee Members to take polite action to remind people who are dressed or who but it seems to me that are behaving inappropriately very frequently, no Committee Members are present in the Club. The difficult duty then falls on the General but do they feel willing to stick Manager and his staff their necks out and get yelled at, or just look the other way as dress and other infringements continue to become more widespread? I would like to suggest that the issue of dress be brought up at the next Committee meeting. If there is a decision to maintain the current code or to change it,
Come to Nilo Tat Wan on Lamma Island and discot'er Hong Kong's rnost beautifulvenue for al fiesco dining and great parties.
clear guidelines should be disseminated to all members. Subsequentþ the rule should be gentþ with clear instructions to introduced, then enforced the "enforcers" who should know that they will be fully supported by the Committee if there is any unpleasant reaction from individuals attending the Club. As to the use of mobile phones, my observation is with even long-term members that it is increasing simply retreating into corners of the now much-
enlarged bar area to take their incoming calls. Again, new members and certainly guests don't always know that mobile phones are banned
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don't care a great deal when they
Should any member haue hroader concerns about a þarticular rule, þlease do not hesitate to raise thìs uith the
Hong Kong residents while lending prestige to the territory. In addition to making Hong Kong the largest regional concentration of foreign media in Asia, the territory's reputation for free flowing information has also encouraged investor confidence in the economy and been a major draw for multi-nationals from many
Board, uia e-mail at fcc@fcchk.org.
other industries.
stack ofthem by the bulletin board. I would encourage members to read these rules and sþeah
to the Club's clarif.cation
General Manager, Gilbert Cheng, should
be needed.
From the Family of Daniel Pearl -Judea, Ruth, Tamara, and Michelle, Mariane, and Adam, Encino, California We would like to express our utmost gratitude for your participation in the first annual Daniel Pearl Music Day. You and your friends and/ or organisation were part of a very special day that saw over 100 events in 17 countries around the globe, and allowed peoples of many cultures to unite in a musical celebration for tolerance and harmony.
Your commitment to make this happen in such a short time is truly heartwarming and a testament to the power of Danny's legacy to galvanise people behind common ideals. Please convey our personal thanks to all the artists and performers that were part of your event. It is our hope that the global context of Music Day gave you and those involved an opportunity to enrich the musical messages, to form stronger connections with the audience and to spread the word of friendship. Next year, on what would have been Danny's 40th birthday, we intend to celebrate the annual MUSIC DAY with an even more comprehensive programme,
and we plan to assist all participants with press, materials, and communications support. We will keep you posted of our plans and would welcome your suggestions.
Thanks again for all the energy and love you put into this event and for helping us, together with thousands other music lovers take a stand for tolerance and humanity.
From Thomas Crampton, President, FCC
FCC President Thomas Cramþton reþL)es: Dear Mr Bennett, You are correct to highlight the need'for both new anrl longstanding members to abide b1 Clu'b rules. This year's Board undertooh to address this concern
for
the
first
time
a
in
disnihuted to eaery current
comþlete set of
In
b1
fo
decades' These
member of the Club
Extra coþies of the lry-laws out to el)erJ office and there is usually a the are ako auailable at front newly joining
questions vital to foreign and local journalists as well
as
the future of free expression in Hong Kong. Our response to the government's request for comments and views: The Foreign Correspondents' Club strongly opposes the government's proposal for Article 23. We fear the proposal, as described in the Consultation Document, endangers journalists by opening them up to prosecution for merely undertaking normal j ournalistic activities. More specifrcally, we strongly object to: ¡ The introduction of the Mainland's broad notions of "national security" and "state secrets" into Hong Kong. o Increases in the government's power to restrict the flow of information without a corresponding statutory right to access information. o Placing the onus on reporters to determine whether or not information they obtain has been legally
¡
disseminated. Possible prosecution ofjournalists under the newly
investigations. "
The proposed granting of expanded police rights of
Dear Ms Ip,
laus
While our Club rarely seeks involvement in any public policy debate, the issue of Article 23 raises
The prohibition on publication of "information relating to the commission of offences and criminal
FCC Stance on Article 23
members using them.
þreþaring and' þubtishing
Document.
created offence "unauthorised disclosure" if materials are published without prior government permission.
Mrs Regina Ip Secretary for Security Government of the HKSAR
and
see established
Founded more than half a century ago to liase between foreign correspondents and the government of China, the Foreign Correspondents' Club has long represented the interests of foreign media. Our membership includes most of Hong Kong's foreign correspondents, many local journalists as well as a high proportion of Asia's most senior publishing executives. Our clubhouse has long served as a neutral venue to help foster balanced debate and rational discussion on all topics. In recent weeks our Club has hosted numerous events at which participants spoke both for and against the government's Article 23 Consultation
memben
THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2002/.JANUARY 2003
a region where governments habitually jail
search and seizure
journalists and censor the media, Hong Kong has long served as a beacon of free expression and transparent rule of law. Certainty of these freedoms encouraged many foreign correspondents to use Hong Kong as a base to cover Asia and prompted some of the world's largest
The offence of "dealing with a seditious publications" and the offence of "unauthorised possession of a seditious publication. " The global reach of the proposed law which holds Hong Kong permanent residents at risk of prosecution for activities worldwide. The many broad and vague concepts put forward in
headquarters here. This large presence of international media provides hundreds ofjobs and opportunities for
the Consultation Document, such as "national
media organisations to locate their regional
THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2OO2IJANUARY
2OO3
continued on þage 5
3
From the President Building on FCC lobbying efforts that resulted in the unprecedented easing of visa restrictions to mainland China for Hong Kong-based foreign correspondents, your Club has continued to raise the concerns of journalists with the Beijing and Hong Kong authorities.
Like many other groups, the Club issued
a
statement (page 11) strongly condemning the Hong Kong Government's Article 23 proposal for fear it
up to prosecution merely for
undertaking normal journalistic activities. In relation to the mainland government, the Club has worked to build on the much-improved relations between correspondents and those responsible for issuing visas at the informaúon division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Foreign Ministry staff have expressed great eagerness to assist journalists
in obtaining
visas quickly
well as working towards organising government trips out of Hong Kong similar to those offered to Beijing-
as
based correspondents.
to
establish closer contact and co
operation with Hong Kong-based foreign correspondents," said a Hong Kong-based Foreign Ministry official who requested anonymity. "Please tell correspondents to let us know about the amount of interest in things such as
organised trips from Hong Kong to the mainland." The Foreign Ministry offices, located at 42 Kennedy Road, can be contacted by telephone at 210G6164 or fax at 210G6153.
Despite the increasingly dire economy, our members are now spending more time and money at
the Club while an increasing number of people are seeking membership. Spending per member in the two months since the newly renovated bar opened was greater than the same period last year while the number of new members applyng to the Club in Octot¡er spiked up to a level not seen for more than a year. The Club's membership level and finances traditionally mirror the econom¡ so let's hope our improving situation is a leading indicator of better economic times ahead. As for events, the Professional Committee has been putting together an impressive series of speakers. In addition to the very well attended events on Article 23,
4
subversion.
We suggest that rather than introduce the law described in
our members an average of 3,260 pounds of beef, 6,400 pounds of chicken and 21,600 eggs each month. Before coming to the Club nearly two years ago, Alan served as executive chef for a series of top class hotels, resorts and clubs around Asia. He was executive chef at: the f,rve-star Shangri-la Hotel in Shenzhen, the
ritzy Lohu Golf and Country Club in Guangzhou as well as the five-star Gold Coast Hotel. Alan also set up kitchens for some of Asia's most prestigious social
clubs, including: Singapore's Pinetree Golf and Country Club, Bangkok's Heritage Club, Jakarta's
as well as clubs in Tokyo and Taipei. His awards include three gold as well as silver and bronze medals in the Singapore Culinary Competition. In addition, he led a team representing Hong Kong to a Grand Prize victory in a major international New Zealand culinary comp e tition. Alan said one of the greatest challenges in running the FCC kitchen is keeping up with the widely varied menu offered at all the Club's venues. At an average sitting of lunch or supper, the kitchen produces 300 different dishes. Overall, the curries produced by our one is from Pakistan, one two South Asian chefs from India are the Club's most popular dishes. The top selling -individual dishes are Hainan chicken rice,
Bankers' Club
rib-eye steak and bangers and mash. "FCC members are extremely conservative," Alan said. 'We must consider changes more carefully than anl"where else I have ever worked before." Nonetheless, Alan has now worked his way week-by-week through 90
percent of the Club's giant menu, revamping presentation and improving the food. The Chinese menu is now facing scrutiny and revisions from our new Chinese food chef, Kwok Keung, who joined us in November from the Lohu Golf Club. Alan's main message to members is how much he appreciates feedback, a sentiment I will echo on behalf of the Board. The most effrcient ways to communicate are by e-mail to fcc@fcchk.org or by calling me directly
on
the Consultation Document, the government update and narrow Hong Kong's current and far too broad laws on these matters. Any changes should just clean up anachronistic language related to Britain's administration of the territory and reduce the scope of the law to conform with the Johannesburg Principles on National
Security, Freedom of Expression and Access to Information. Drafted in 1995 by an international group of experts on law and human rights coming from both developing and developed nations, the Johannesburg
principles seek to create a balance between the citizen's right to
information and the state's right and responsibility to protect its integrity and security. For the protection ofjournalists, we also urge introduction of "prior publication" and "public interest" as a legal defence.
Since the details of wording will be so important, we strongly urge the government to release the full text of the proposed changes and allow a lengthy consultation period
during which the public
As it stands, the government's proposal for Article 23 would damage Hong Kong's reputation for free flowing information and possibly spark an exodus of journalists and news organisations, among other dire effects on the territory. Thank you for considering our views and please do not hesitate to
get in touch should you
Goaernment's call the
crampton
THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2002,{ANUARY
to
for consultations
the on
Article 23 bill on þ11. Rcgina's
2OO3
wish
further discussion or input. See the FCC's resþonse
il^,-- C-_l .-I
rr:ay
comment on any proposed law in relation to Article 23.
9272-1617.
Thomas
3
security", "incitement" as well as the declaration that "to intimidate" the PRC government consists of
hired award-winning fìve-star Chef Alan Chan to manage our Z&person kitchen staff in preparing for
Fellow Members,
'ïMe are trying
conti.nued from þage
the series of lunches introducing the political faces of Hong Kong raised considerable interest. A club cannot, however, survive on conversation alone. That is why we
THomas Crampton with Chef Alan Chan and lunch
opens journalists
Letters
fþ r$b
on þage
30
Prisoner at the Bar
By Ted Thomas
<
corþcom@hh. linhage. net>
The Legion of the Bar¡ned: Journalists, and foreign correspondents too, are never slow to emit howls of outrage at the slightest hint of injustice, so how about looking at rough justice a little closer to home? Three of the Legion of the Banned, that exclusive club within a club, which is comprised entirely of members of the FCC who have, al one time or another, been banned, were discussing their experiences at the Bar recentþ None seemed unduly perturbed by their sentences, but all expressed disquiet at the atmosphere of drum-head court martial which prevails at these hearings. My own case (yes, I'm a charter memtrer of the "FCC Banned") was in no way untypical. It's so long ago, back in the days of the Vietnam War, that I don't feel compelled to change the names to protect the guilty. We were sitting in the old FCC bar at Sutherland House. In those days, easily inflamed correspondents on R & R from the killing frelds and jungles of Vietnam were disposed to flare up and become violent after a glass or three of firewater, so an explosive outbreak of physical brawling was nothing too epic and regarded by most members as part of the warp and weft of "the best goddamn bar in Asia". as one does We were drinking at a table minding our own business when a bellicose Australian weaved towards where we were sitting and demanded to know why we were looking at him. I invited him to leave and return to where he was less likely to get into trouble. The atrnosphere was crackling as the would-be pugilist returned to the bar, but a few minutes later, he picked up his beer bottle and approached our table again. He grabbed me and forced my head by the hair which was fashionably long at the time back, no doubt intending to shove thejagged edge into my throat.
Having been at the receiving end of that sort of attack before, I was none too keen to repeat the experience and I felt compelled to make my displeasure known. Though still sitting, I lashed out. with one foot and caught him squarely in what are referred to in polite circles as the testicles. Exit our would-be assailant, who staggered away clutching himself and groaning, accompanied, as I recall, by the saintly I¡Varren Rooke who had been sitting with us and thought he'd better ascertain the damage. Next day I was summoned to appear in front of the President, who
without the courtesy of asking for an delivered judgement explanation. I was banned for three months on the grounds I had used more violence than strictly necessary in seeking to dissuade a drunken digger from ramming a broken beer bottle in my face. Last week other members joined the FCC's Legion of The Banned, and I'd like to think that the rules of natural justice prevailed. But I'm not convinced. I[ seems to me that if a member feels the need to work off a grudge against another member, an unsubstantiated word in the right ear can set the process in motion. The accuser should be right there in the hearing setting out his or her case in front of the accused. For the (relatively few) inarticulate members it should be possible to bring in a "friend" or if it's serious enough, a lawyer. Finally the proceedings need to be more open and transparent. I have to say that the sort of abuse that I'm talking about is not a regular occurrence but when it does happen it leaves a nasty taste. The Board has never been slow to take up unpopular positions but why court controversy? All's well that ends well, to quote a famous scribe, but would it not be more appropriate if defendants were given a chance to better defend themselves by being able to call witnesses, rely on an advocate and by confronting their accusers? I
THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2002,{ANUARY 2003
5
Political Gantoons
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Political satire is not only alive in Hong Kong but is kicking and biting. Following its controversial showing in Macau, the exhibition by five of Hong Kong's top cartoonists and satirists moved to the FCC Pen portraits of the artists whose work graced the Club
walls in December andJanuary:
Malone - Born in Hong Kong, Malone started producing political cartoons in 1983. He has worked as art director for a newspaper, as creative director for magazines and his work has appeared in numerous magazines, newspapers and books.
He edited Hong Kong's first political
KEE YUNG
cartoon
magazine FanDouin 1991 and S,4A CartoonMagazinein
1998. He runs Malone's Cartoon Teaching Workshop in Central, Hong Kong.
x -v4Á sK
5M6 - Born in Hong Kong. A special column cartoonist
for the Hong Kong EconomicJournal M0- cù rN(,^ - 6Utv
C^
(/v.$iq
I ßt tlt
s
Zttnzi - Started creating cartoons in the BOs. After an editing stint, he joined Ming Pao Daiþ News as a staff writer. His artoons appear in Ming Pao, Aþþl.e Daily and Next Magazine.
EMU - Has been drawing cartoons for Hong Kong publications since the mid-1970s, targetting leaders of Chinese Communist Party and Hong Kong-British politicians. EMU's cartoons appeil in Ming Pao, Ming Pao Eaening Nans, The EconomicJournal and The Economic Times arnong others..
Hasn't repented since 1997 and continues to "uglify" leaders in China and Hong Kong and continues to agitate in support of his views that our Chief Executive, Mr. Tung Chee-hwa, is good for nothing, and his impact on Hong Kong is disastrous. Kee Yung - Born in Paris, France. Kee Yung was fired by tlte Hong Kong iMail before managing to get any cartoons published, and then by HK Magazine in the summer of 2002. He went on to work on the character
But ¡t's not flex¡ble enough when it comes
It won't give you "parole for medical
design and storyboard of Dragonblad'e, Asia's frrst fulllength computer-graphic animated movie, due to be released in December 2003. Surprisingly enough, hê hasn't been fired by anybody for more than three months now, though that is probably because his work isn't published anymore.
The Knife that Fells the City: Following Secretary for Justice Elsie Leung's assertion that "the knife has always been hanging over your (journallsts') heads and uncertain about whal constitules national security, radio show hosts confine lhemselves to weather bulletins and discussing recipes for dinner
THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2OO2IJANUARY
2OO3
THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2002,/JANUARY
2OO3
T
a T a o o
added: "The best information comes through leaks." The reality of Hong Kong's political situation made
Cohen pessimistic about chances the government would incorporate safeguards for the press. He noted
that Chief Exe cutive Tung Chee-hwa runs "conservative" administration, making
a
it "not the ideal
climate to safeguard human rights." ndeed, Cohen was pessimistic about much of the process, although he did praise the government's consultation paper as a "thoughtful document" that alerted the public to security issues. He joined the local chorus calling for the government to provide draft legislation, a so-called white bill, rather than the summary document it released. He said the white bill
was needed to answer "suspicions of phoney consultation." (Since Cohen's remarks, the government has indicated it may release draft legislation, but stopped short of committing to a white bill.) Cohen said he was unimpressed by government assurances that it will comply with international standards because "everlnvhere in the world, even in my own countr¡ (lawmakers) have trouble coping with national security." And in maþe his most blunt and troubling observation of all, he said, while speaking about Hong Kong's judiciar¡ that he had "no illusion that the courts can be relied on in all circumstances" to protect human rights. Solicitor General Robert Allcock for the government sought to rebut some of Cohen's observations during the second forum at the FCC, organised by the jurists' lobby group,Justice . But others on the panel of mostly lawyers and professors, notably newly installed Bishop Joseph Zen of the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese, raised more questions about the
Fi,tË¿0ÅÀ
Such sentiments signalled deeper trouble ahead, Zen said. He predicted that the Article 23 laws "will destroy the wall between the two systems" by allowing "a bridge
through which everything comes to us."
Hualing Fu, who teaches criminal law at the University of Hong Kong and co-'r^/rote a book on PRC media law, followed Bishop Zen's comments. A group
of graduate students had joined me at the forum specihcally to hear Fu, the author of some of the articles on the legal crossroads between Hong Kong and the mainland that I had distributed in my Media Law class at HKU's Journalism and Media Studies Centre. It proved to be a useful session for them. As usual, Fu cut to the core of matters. He likened the A¡ticle 23 package to "making a law on theft where no one steals." He was particularly concerned over the proposal to prohibit possession of seditious materials. "It is totally unnecessary to punish anyone who merely posseses such materials," he said. "Even Chinese law does not punish that!" Four days late¡ Secretary of Security Regina Ip appeared at the hnal FCC forum. The stern security chief was the big draw on a dais that included her cohort, Allcock, and Legislative Council (Legco) members Margaret Ng and Audrey Eu. Before a standing room-only crowd, Ip was Ip to the bone curt, aggressive, shrewd and unapologetic about -anything, even her observation earlier in the week that Germany had democracy and look what it got them Hitler. Ip -insisted that the government's proposals were
Mondial
government's Article 23 ideas.
Allcock told the audience, "I would frrst like to
Client-Driven Independent Financial Planning &
emphasise this is a genuine consultation." He then laid
and internal security. L,-,--aì.-ìnnñ.eafìêa ot the trcc in FCC in of fnrrrmc forums at he week-long series nf October on the Hong Kong government's proposed internal security laws had it all proponents, opponents, accusations, denials, admissions. Everything except no comment. The sessions provided as perfect a reflection as you
will get of the mounting concern that the government's
r
wav might resul1 "
""ini.'ã
They began with a scholarþ dismemberment of the government's thinking. By the end, the Main Dining Room was electric with tension and dismay as Secretary for Security Regina Ip collided sharply with Legislative Councillor Margaret Ng, bristled at reporters' questions, danced around a Hitler misstep and said she
rtJ
e
n' the oÏ:.lt chi"u in.1e78'
ro m e Co he
li tÏ?y, :l ji1iT:
n compared Hong Kong's ph McCarthY's "subversive e U.S. during the 1950s' sals, Cohen saw Particular
ly the sectionô on theft of the mainland have alreadY alists who wrote stories the
is not so sure democracy is a good idea. The week may be remembered as the period when Hong Kong woke up to some of the graver
I
e
any high-Profile mainland -type issues, including that as released last Year after a
have ignited.
implications of the government's proposals and fears grew that the so-called consultation process now under
. *p
,. äïi-åir"""i" :'Tti has ;il;. i.;ilo i' u Nt* York law professor who
and rancour
Article 23 proposals
in.lnlr -tl::,.t],:5:11t^:l-Î
knows what it wants to do and ä1"#,f;;, inutto **ay do it' Ëas the Power
v"""'
. Hong Kong's version of e threat to freedom of the journalist' szid Cohen, who' thinking like a 2OO2IJANUARY THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER
2OO3
out what he had been saying at other forums and in opinion pieces in the South China Morning Posf it was Hong Kong's "constitutional duty" to "adapt to the new constitutional order." Acknowledging that "words like subversion send chills down the backs of many people," he said the government's proposals had found the right balance between protecting national security and safeguarding human rights. He said the government proposals drew on existing law as much as possible, narrowed the current law on sedition and added minimal amendments on official secrets. He agreed that freedom of speech would be most affected by sedition and theft of state secrets. But he defended the government's proposals and told a diverse audience of journalists, activists, lawyers and other interested observers that, essentiall¡ they have nothing to worry about. When it came his turn to speak, Bishop Zen said he and quite upset by a mainland was quite worried off,rcial's comments a day earlier that people worried about anti-subversion laws had "devils in their hearts." THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2002/JANUARY2003
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9
she said she already had the power
,,cndrely generated bY Hong Kong
Kong
.m.jultî ãncl that Hong Yriì'"*,."otng main la nd law' "
under existing law to prohibit
was
groups once she determined ttrey were a security threat.
"Why do I need additional
s. who will helP lead the
ãpposirion when a bill dàås land before Legco, said the Article 23 laws
powers?" she asked.
Responding to the request of the
Associated Press's Elaine Kurtenbach to clarify comments earlier that week before City University students that "Adolf
ß:,l,';Ïi,,:';'Jåiå.îïî'$::i'.l She described the antiä*i"-.",."
Hitler was returned by
universal suffrage and he killed seven million
subversion "oervasive" r r.
rrmy
Jews," she said they were personal views" and questioned whether "one man, one vote" was
to iournatts Felow I -*^.1,e¡1 the sovel
nal security reallY meant ort of. During her fellow while audience members uently sighed, breathed Ng, she said she had the
e form of the majoritY of ent. The objections, she
human rights gtagApril 5 Movement. To d has moved on from the ggested she do so as well. ines's question about what Gong under the new laws' suspects
to would happen
tne
appropriate for Hong Kong. Whew What a session. But there was more. Mark Daly, a member of Amnesty International's lawyers network, noted in a question to Ip that it seemed that the Hong Kong government had cherry-picked only favourable outside legal argument to fit its Article 23 consultation paper. Why, yes, we did, Ip conceded. So what? Her cheerful concession made headlines the next day, and provided one of the larger exclamation points of a story likely to run and run. I Doreen Weisenhaus teaches media law at the Journalism and Media Studies Centre at the Uniuersity of Hong Kong.
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FGG
The Press Freedom Committee of the FCC, convened by Francis Moriarty, issued the following response to the Hong Kong Government's consultation paper on Article 23. hen FCC members travel abroad, or host
international visitors, we are always asked if press freedom is threatened in Hong Kong. Given the proposals contained in the Consultation Paper on Article 23, we can now say'Yes."
Secretary forJustice Elsie Leung made that threat clear when she told the Newspaper Society "the knife has always been hanging over your head." Referring specifrcally to the Article 23 proposals she continued: "...you need to know the parameters of the law, how much room you have so that you won't face criminal
liabilities. "
klovers
ù
Ant¡Gle 2î= The Re$ponse
The Consultation Paper lays out the criminal liabilities but it does not delineate the true "parameters" because it fails to reveal the actual wording of the proposed national security laws. The offences proposed are political crimes and therefore highly sensitive. The FCC therefore joins with
other organisations in calling for the full text of the Government's submission to the legislature to be made public well in advance its introduction. The community needs an adequate opportunify to assess the legislation and develop an informed response. Any failure to make the draft Bill public creates suspicion, here and overseas, that the Government is hiding something, and that it does not trust its citizens to engage in mature and civilised debate. This refusal to be forthcoming has already damaged Hong Kong's image abroad and will do further injury the longer such suspicions persist. During the consultation period, senior ofhcials have made statements, given interpretations and granted apparent concessions that at times vary from what is in the document. But citizens cannot be asked to respond to an ever-shifting target. Law is law, assertions are assertions, and personal opinion is just opinion. It is unclear whether some ofhcials' comments represent their own views or the enunciation of government policy. Unless the actual wording of the legal document is revealed, the public cannot know to what, precisel¡ it is supposed to be responding. Only with publication of the text, and enough time to digest its meaning and implications, can the public have a fair THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2002/JANUARY2003
chance to reply intelligently. In the absence of the full text, the FCC wishes to make the lollowing points: . We belieue existing laus, with minor modification, are suflicient to meet many of the requirements of Article 23. We urge that any ffirts to legisktte on Article 23 should be
minimalist in nature. c We oþþose the creation of seditious ffinces. The Crimes Ordinance couers these areas and is itself in need of reuiew and nawouing. Any legislation should be limited, for example, to
amendments that narrow the scope of existing laws, remove anachronistic wording and, where necessary,
bring the laws into line with the Bill of
Rights
Ordinance and the relevant international covenants. Possession of seditious material is particularly repugnant and would be extremely diffrcult to enforce. This offence would be particularly diffìcult to reconcile with press freedom as it has been understood in Hong Kong and we urge that this proposal be dropped. c We oþþose the creation of a nat law against secession' the þroþosed law would threaten free exþression and the free reþorting of oþinion.
Existing law can deal with this, and
eople must be free to express their views and journalists should be free to report it. Also, pollsters must be free to gauge opinions on sometimes-sensitive matters and to release their frndings and interpretations, just as historians must not be constrained either in revealing the truth regarding past events, or in suggesting eventual outcomes.
One real example of a potential difficulty: in some collections of Mao Zedong's writings published prior to 1949, reference can be found to his support for the
independence of Taiwan. If this law were enacted, would anyone holding an early copy of Mao's writing, or quoting from it on this point, be liable to prosecution under these proposals? Or would they have to restrict themselves to referring only to sanitised versions printed subsequently? c We urge that all national security-related laws be drafted to meet the requirements of the Johanneslnng Principles on National Security, Freedom of Expression and Access to
11
and that may well be the intention of the provision, it would necessarily affect free expression and free press'
.
The FCC sees no need or justif'cøtion
for introducing
new to and extra-territoriakty. It is
of materials Pntai'ning
an unnecessary law that would apply to everyone else
while at the same time proposing to
scrap only is the which (see below), Compounding Treason
treasòn-related offence now specihcally applicable to keþt as an
g Mainlan d-H o n g the ties between a central re gardin
Kong relations, which are
e oppose creating this new category of offence, which has implications for the press, but if the Government insists on legislating we would insist that any e.g., exchange of information areas, proscribed investigations, should be criminal to þertaining carefully spelle<l out' It is and identified ipecifìcally might interact with Article Article 29 how unclear also whether the certification for example, legislation, 23 banned on the mainland, for groups suggested process be used to certi$/ that might process, similar ãr a to national security or pertains information certain information not only that put thus and stale of acts but perhaps beyond reporting, of bounds the outside We can think of well. as courts the of reach the done today that reportage of examples numerous relations Kong-Mainland Hong under afoul fall might 19. Article or granting of exþanded search-
The FCC strongty oþþoses any
ønd,-seizure þouers to the þolice.
it be stated explicitþ in any treason prosecution can brought absent a no thal: legislation of a state of war; arry act prosecuted declaration foimal link to imminent violence demonstrable have must must be shown to defendant the and state; the against should legislation The violence. such intended háve "state" and between distinguish clearly also "government." Section 2.2 (C) makes it clear this applies to the on "bY an'overt press, writing'" It also o act' to comPel traint refers "to (CPG) change its Government People's Central the over awe" "intimidate or to or or counsels" measures defìned clearly be terms these that urge We CPG. the of principles the following constructed narrowly and We urge that
.
like inchoate offences" will be the subject lling no description is Provided.
"Misþrision of treason" is not a statutory ffince and should, not be mad,e one- It inaites the making of scurrilous and, d,amaging accusations, and risks wasting the resources of security agenci'es. Because it uill it uiII also alfect a free þress'
þut a chill
on
free exþression,
Misprision of Treason is a common law offence of ancient vintage and in earliest usage applied not to ordinary citizens but to misdemeanours or failures of duty on the part of public officials. We have difhculty understanding why the Government woulcl seek to add THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2002/JANUARY 2003
ffince as it
of Justice offl'cials
uho
to prosecute in exchange for This is an example of devils in details and why we need the actual draft Bill. some ad'aantage.
fail
gounnment and a suboriLinate tnritory.
.
t
The Consultation Paper is misleading on the Compounding Treason proposal. It says in the body
of the text that no new offence will be created, but in a footnote (Annex 2) it says that in fact the existing offence of Compounding Treason is "proposed be
explain why
it failed to make this clear in
Consultation Paper. t No national security legislation should
be
the
introduced beþre
(") the Lau Reþrm Commission has released
recommend'ations
on the results of the consultation
its
exercise
regard,ing the Press Counci'\, and (b) the ad'min'istration has þubkshed, its resPonse.
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c) J. @
T o
M atter
Life or
of
Frida¡ we left the Baptist and went home. Annie, meanwhile, was preparing herself for the moment she yearned for. At Grantham that night, Annie held and breast-fed Isabelle for the first time. It was a beautiful sight. We both wept as Annie hugged the precious little bundle that she had only seen for a split second at birth. For six days Isabelle had been a medical bulletin
us for the next stage of the ordeal. Hospitals are legally obliged to fully
brief parents about surgery to
be
performed on their children. Quite it is you who have to sign right, too the consent form. Unfortunately, this involves describing all the possible side-effects and medical
complications that have ever in the history of the
happened
operation. I feltAnnie's hand tighten around mine as the list grew ever longer ... brain damage, blindness, chronic kidney problems, to name a few. Then, of course, there was death. On average, one in every 20 babies who underwent this operation died. Surgeon Dr Clement Chiu Chui Wah, We were shattered when we left the paediatric cardiac ward put us on briefing room. The fragile optimism nodding terms with many other who performed the miracle on lsabelle. that had started to form over the last few days had regular visitors. A room full of seriously ill children is a to Annie. Now she was real.
Death
I
A healthY Isabelle with her mother' Annie
of the ffaumatic events that tells Marsh journalistJon FCC member and daughter's condition hours-old his that informed unfolded, after he was was "not compatible with life" Rcprinter) with hinrt þermission of B Magazine Intunational
had a heart problem' The bad news was that Isabelle not that it was curable' I probablv did
;;i';;;t;"s
sound verY convlncrng'
Isabelle At Grantham at around midnight' survive h:lp to "simple" operation ,her ""å;;*;;; iïii-,n. open-hårt'"ltîlnnll
ïäJ'*r:::Ti;
e blood/oxYgen mix. She k to the BaPtist sometime fying to sound reassuring, camP bed.
blur of medical uPdates on
what to say. I held her hand and we waited. Within tlvo hours we knew the problem' Isabelle was born with a serious heart condition called TGA Transposition of the Great A¡teries. With the help of a crude sketch, the
ashes between BaPtist and
ome to Sai Kung to see our
ichelle, who was being
I made a dailY "milk nurses could feed Isabelle
iend.
in her hearl wer meant oxygen in t
milk' mother"s precious breast her ""
use his terri$ring
compatible with life". Isabelle would die unless she underwent risky opene clear heart surgery in the
;;
;;;.
e
with
",i:î:, 3;''*'.
Knowing that friends were so deeply concerned was a the operation huge comfort. The doctors had spoken was scheduled for the morning of Thursday, February 28. Isabelle would be 10 days old, a truly scary thought, but mentally it was good for us. \Me were no longer in limbo. The waiting would soon be over. I had read a lot about TGA on the Internet so I had a good idea what the operation involved. In layrnan's terms, the surgeon would put the tlvo misplaced arteries back on the right way.
It
sounded so simple. Nothing, however, prepared
disintegrated. But this was always going to be a roller-coaster ride
and our hopes were lifted again the very next day. Grantham hospital had kindly arranged a meeting with the surgeon, Dr. Clement Chiu. My confidence soared the moment he stepped into the room and shook hands. He was one of those rare people who made you believe in them at once. Yes, he explained, it was a complex operation, but it was something they did very well at Grantham. Success rates were as high as anwvhere in the world. He stood up and shook my hand again. "I will do my best for your daughte¡" he said, and that was that.
We only spent hve minutes with him, but we felt a the operation brought us crashing down again. Annie was breastfeeding Isabelle when she suddenly looked up at me and asked tearfully: "This isn't the last time I will feed her, is it?" It was the question I did not want her to ask. It was a long, sad drive back to Sai Kung.
hell of a lot better for it. The evening before
After a sleepless night, I rose early the next morning, and arrived at Grantham at 7 am. I went alone. It was too much to ask of Annie. I looked down at Isabelle, who was sleeping peacefully. She looked
:ii.ïiå?îiï;
ic sight. HeavilY rnedicated,
tubes uP her nose and driPs
elle to
that we only had o sPecial Grantham Éospitul ward for children wi It took Annie and, I less than two minutes to agree and at around 9 p-, less than nine hours afrcr her birth, Isabelle waÀ in an ambulance on her way to Grantham. I folìowecl in a taxi. Before leaving' there were phone calls to make. My parents in England' Annieìs parents in Seoul, close friends in Hong Kong' These were difficult conversations: coping with the news was hard. enough, sharing it was torture' I.tried,to be positive' The suppress the rising sense of pa'nlc ^nd 14
oå
desperately forlorn place and I recognised the desolate
the anxiety, the lack look on the faces of the parents of sleep, the fear. We were all -the same. These were long, exhausting days and we experienced levels of anxiety that were unknown to us. Annie coped by sealing herself off from the outside world. She took no calls, allowed no visitors and did not go out. This allowed her to maintain an outer calm, but I needed some form of outlet. I soon realised that taking a dozen phone calls from friends every day was not the answer. Repeating the same harrowing news again and again was a deeply disturbing experience. Far better to give daily updates to a couple of close friends who then relayed the news to the others.
a
bank of monitors. A nurse
ay. Back at the BaPtist,
our
having to move rooms twice orn because workmen were
make matters worse, an r Isabelle's hosPital transfer d her to sign it. I swore and matron later aPologised for insensitivity' this crass piece of bureaucratic The good news was
tha'T"*li:Ï:I"g:iÌI:
,"-Jåt;
tttout'y from the
"uttuÏut'
ot *
DECEMBER 200244NU4RY2003 THE CORRESPONDENT
THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2002/JANUARY 2003
15
Peace Plea$G, Mn Bu$h
0)
f
o l l
(o
I
o
taken Michelle out for the day to keep her out of our hair. It was a bit late so I called them to see what time Michelle was coming home. They seemed a bit vague, but I thought nothing of it. At 7 pm they called back and I knew
and Annie ¡oì, viárt"rr" lsabelle
uch we loved her, how she , how she had a beautiful er. How she had to live. As
nie the Pooh toy attached song over and over again' e Pooh ... the tune
will
staY
with me forever'
:åi:#î:-Ï "i:l:f**'i:,ru'::ú'J.lÏff put on little Isabelle littlo
Tcahellc
\^rrq ntrt ôn a 2 was
away through the swing e. I held her hand one last ld ever see her alive again. as called. I bolted up the ere was Dr. Chiu, dressed
he operating theatre. He tions. It had gone well, he as a success. Isabelle was in 4 hours
will be critical," he
w call your wife." Laughing
the phone to Annie: "She's at Isabelle in the intensive to me the enormitY of the
ator, with tubes, driPs and arts ofher bodY. The nurse there was anY "change in
and for terrible, terrible ged Annie. Our aPProach the start was to take it one d been safely negotiated' I n two. gor Then things
Snme friends frienrìs '^,pirrl Some r"'"r weird'
hzd had
something was wrong immediately. I heard those dreaded four words again. "There is a problem." They were at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Jordan. Michelle had fallen over at a funfair in Whampoa Gardens. They had just got the results of the X-ray. She had broken her right arm. Annie screamed and collapsed on the floor. She'd overheard some of the conversation and thought Michelle had fallen off one of the rides and suffered head injuries. I calmed her down, told her it was "only" a broken arm and we set off for the hospital. Michelle was pleased to see us but, unlike her parents, seemed unfazed by the whole business. Her arm was set in plaster at 1 am, which meant a sleepless night sitting by her bed staring at the mobile phone and praying the nurse from Grantham wouldn't ring. She didn't and I took Michelle home at lunchtime. At 3 pm, 24 hours had passed since the operation and the phone had stayed silent. Isabelle was moving into safer waters. It was then that I found out that Michelle had broken her arm at exactly the same time as Isabelle was coming out of surgery. What a coincidence. A colleague at work later told me that there was a Chinese belief that in these cases the elder child was "sharing the pain" with her baby sister to help her survive the operation. It worked. Isabelle was soon off the respirator and moved out of intensive care after four days. Helped by lashings of mother's milk lovingly served by Annie, she was making a speedy recovery. On Sunda¡ March 10, three weeks after the nightmare began, we drove Isabelle home. She is a huppy, smiling little bab¡ who eats far more than her sister ever did at that age. The wound has healed and the neat little vertical scar will give her bragging rights in the school playground. Isabelle will need regular check-ups for several years, but if there are no major complications she should be able to lead a normal life. We owe the doctors and nursing staff at Grantham hospital a great debt, as does Isabelle. That's why her middle name is Grantham: so she will never forget. I
At
the author's request, the fees for this article haae been donated to the þaediatric cardiac uni,t at Grantham Hosþital. The monE uill be sþent on equiþment for the chi,l.dren's day care. Rzaders who would like to mahe d,onations should cont&ct Anna Choy at 25 18-2629
THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2002/.JANUARY2003
16
Veteran Asia hand and combat reporter Tiziano Terzani has covered his share of wars during his long career. In a new book on the war on terror unleashed by the U.S. after September 11, he declares peace on all wars. Review by Jonathan Sharp. nyone who requires ammunition to back the view that the Bush Administration's response to the September 11, 2001, attacks, including the threat to topple the Iraqi regime, is dragging us into a chasm that we may not able to clamber out of should read Tiziano Terzani's latest book.
In a brief but passionate and eloquent essay collection entitled "Letters Against the Wai' the veteran whom we see all too rarely in Italian correspondent has written a withering Hong Kong these days
critique of U.S. policies- and attitudes that is not calculated to make us sleep any easier.
-lerzani portrays the United States as an arrogant, inward-looking nation that, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, lacks a counter-balancing check and has a "complete lack of interest in or understanding of the rest of the world". \À/hile condemning the September 11 attacks in no uncertain terms, Terzani argues that the American reply has been misguided, utterly self-serving and, to say the least, disproportionate. "By trying to protect themselves, the Americans have made everyone else more vulnerable and the whole world a more precarious, less pleasant place to live." He adds: "If we respond to the attack on the Twin
Towers with even more terrible violence, first in
Afghanistan, then against Iraq, then who knows where, this too will be met with violence which is worse still, then we will be forced to retaliate once again, and so on and so forth." 'lerzani now lives in the Indian Himalayas, but he is much more than a mountain-top pontificator or, as he himself says, the mouthpiece of "barmy ideas of some fakir on a bed of nails". Some of the most absorbing sections of this book are about his travels in Pakistan and Afghanistan after September 11 during which he deliberately avoided the well-worn, cliché-strewn paths
trodden by fellow journalists. He has no time for some of the "absurd" practices of
the Taleban regime, but adds: "Even Islamic fundamentalists such as the Taleban can change in their own way. If they had been recognised as the legitimate government or Afghanistan when they took power in 1996, maybe the Buddhas of Bamiyan would still be there now and maþe the red carpet would not have been rolled out for Osama bin Laden in quite the way it was." THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2OO2IJANUARY2OO3
-letzani Lashing out at terrorism is not the answer, writes. "Rather than remove the terrorists and those who have supported them it'd be wiser to remove the causes that drive such people, especially the young, into the ranks of the ji,had and make murder and suicide seem like a mission." Terzani's book is in part responding to a postSeptember 11 outburst against Islam by a fellow Italian writer, Oriana Fallaci. Demonising Islam is not only wrong, but futile, he says. Like many a faith, Islam has its tradition of crimes and atrocities. "But it's absurd to think that some cowboy can wipe it off the face of the earth, even if he is armed with all the pistols under the sun."
The book concludes with an appeal for
disarmament that may endear the author to peace-niks
but might strike others as idealistic. "The war against terrorism is being used today to militarize our society, to produce new weapons and increase defence spending. Let's oppose this, and refuse to vote for anyone who's behind such policies. Let's say what we know and feel to be the truth, that killing under all circumstances is murder." I Letters Against The War
By Tiziano Terzani India Research Press ISBN: 8r-88353-00-0
PB. r90 pp
17
Who will he the FGG Phrlto$Fapher o,f the
ycan 2092?
Entries have closed for the FCC Photographer of the Year Awards (POYA) 2002.Judging will take place in January, POYA Chairman, Terry Duckham, reports. ntries
for the second FCC Photographer of
the Year Awards (POYA) closed on December 14, just after this magazine went to press. At
the time of writing I don't know how many photographers always leave entries we have received everything till the last minute. Last year we received 265 of our 265 entries in the final week and I expect more of the same. We do know that we have opened the Awards to more than twice the number of photographers and had more than three times the number of enquiries this year. Our sponsorship has grown signifrcantþ as you can see from the list on the opposite page. The travelling exhibition of the POYA 2001 winners has been a great and continuing success. We plan to build on this in 2003 by exhibiting more images in more venues. The past year has been a difhcult one for everyone on the economic front but the POYA committee has worked very hard in the face of financial strictures to expand the Awards, find sponsorship and to get the
travelling exhibition up running.
I would like thank Paul Bayfield for his tireless
efforts and for liasing with the FCC Board, Philip Nourse for his organisation of the travelling exhibition, Donna Mongan for managing to juggle her POYA and
Hong Kong Tourism Board hats to organise major sponsorship deals, and Tracy Walton for her work with Hong Kong schools and prize sponsors. Peter Mann and Bob Davis have proffered invaluable advice, help and introductions. The FCC's Hoi Lo Chan has provided POYA with seamless secretarial services and her colleagues in the FCC front office staff have done a great job of coordinating the logistics and keeping track of the many loose ends. POYA 2001 was a great success and POYA 2002 has built on that triumph by adding more categories,
more sponsors, and new Non-Professional and Student divisions. To ensure that the FCC Photographer of the Year Awards continue to grow as Hong Kong and Asia's premium photographic event
we welcome the support and contribution of our members in whatever capacity they can serve, whether it is donating expertise, prestigious prizes or cash T8
in immediate POYA Travelling the to fund 2003 need of cash is free of provided each venue Exhibition. While sponsorship. Not surprisingl¡ we are
FCC Photographer of the Year 2001 - Christian Keenan, Freelance Winner: Asia Magazine Feature Category Uyghur People of Kashgar, Xinjiang Province, China
charge, or at heavily discounted rates, there are still signifìcant costs. The planned exhibition venues include the Airport, Hong Kong Station, the Cultural Centre, Shatin Town Hall, Times Square, Harbour City, Peak Galleria, the
British Council, Kornhill Galleria and
Exchange
Square. The travelling exhibition gives the FCC, the photographers and POYA itself recognition and prestige in the public eye. Judging will take place in January and the Awards Ceremony is scheduled for February. I am happy to be able to thank a number of last year's judges for giving up their time again. They include Peter Cook, Bob Davis, Hugh Van Es and Leong Kai Tai. This year a picture editor from the South China Morning Post, a representative of Hong Kong's camera clubs and an official from the Hong Kong Tourism Board will join the judging team. Judging will be no easy task. This year we have a second major award, the FCC Photograph Year, and therefore the selection process will be of the than before. more demanding even
introduced
Cathay Pacif,rc Airways is sponsoring the major prizes and a special award will also be made for the Photograph of the Year. Other great prizes include the latest digital cameras and other photographic equipment
from Fuji, Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Fuji, Kodak, Agfa, Olympus and Sony. A helicopter flight from HeliHongKong, equipment from Hutchison telecommunications and fine dining are also among
FCC Photographer of the Year Awards The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Hong Kong (FCC) invites the professional photographers and photojournalists of Hong Kong, FCC members, members of Hong Kong photographic societies and students to submit their photographic works for consideration in the second FCC Photographer of the Year Awards.
This year's categories are; Professional - open to all professional photographers who are resident in Hong Kong or who are FCC members. . Asia . Hong Kong - SCMP.com Hong Kong News - Hong Kong Magazine features - SCMP.com Digital Photography and Computer - The Standard Corpolate Hong Kong
IHE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2OO24ANUARY
2OO3
features
Hong Kong Perspective* - Beyond the Highrise -
World City
- SCMP.com Digital Photography and Computer Imaging
* "Hong Kong Perspective" theme is co-sponsored by the Hong Kong Tourism Board and seeks to promote images that capture the unique qualities and character of Hong Kong. SCMPYoung Post Hong Kong Perspective** - open to Hong Kong students from participating schools. - Beyond the Highrise - World City
** "SCMP Young Post Hong Kong Perspectíve" theme is co-sponsored by the South China Morning Post and the Hong Kong Tourism Board and seeks to promote images that capture the unique qualities and character of Hong Kong. Students between the ages of 12 to I I years from participating schools in Hong Kong may enter. This year POYA 2002 will introduce a second principal award: as well as selecting the 'FCC Photographer of the Year', the POYA 2002 judges will also make the 'Photograph of the Year' award. Both series and single entry images in both Professional and Non-professional divisions will be eligible for this award. Only one award will be made. For entry forms and further information please contact the POYA Secretary on252l 1511 or e-mail: poya@fcchk.org
The FCC would like to thank the following sponsors for their support:
=ê HONG KONG TOURISM BOARD
ã;Ë¡ftüðëEE
photographers in Asia.
We are also hoping to see more photographs entered by members and their families as each year goes by. Don't be shy. Pick up your camera and start composing.l
Imaging
.
Non-Professional - open to members from participating Hong Kong photography clubs and all FCC members and their families. . Hong Kong Perspective . Portrait of a Traveller . Landscapes in Time - Beyond the Highrise . SCMP.com Digital Photography and Computer Imaging - World City
the prizes on offer.
The FCC Photographer of the Year Awards are entering their third year and the POYA committee would like to take this opportunity to invite all FCC members to join us and contribute to making POYA 2003 another successful venture for the FCC and for
News
- Magazine
Canon
South ChinaMorning
Post
C¡r The Standardå
PENTAX
lr II
Hutchison Telecom
rBali, th,G EF'im fffteFlltath o Ð 3
Photographer Kees Metselaarwas enjoying a break in the Indonesian capital when news of the Bali bombing broke. Equipped with only a single camera and no laptop or transmitting equipment, he nevertheless flew down to cover the event. His recollections: hen the bomb exploded in the Sari Club
in Kuta on the island of Bali my wife Vaudine England and I were celebrating
the 50th birthday of a good friend in a trendy restaurant in Jakarta. I had gone to Indonesia with only the party on my mind. No photo job. All I had with me was one camera. We heard about the explosion in the middle of the night. By morning it was confirmed that more than 100
people had died. Vaudine, Southeast Asian correspondent for tl,:re South China Marning Post, }rad
FCC Member Andy
Þ
T T T J o
Chworowså1
flew to
Bali to support his
brother who, though injured in the
some hustlers around, though. A local youth tried to sell me some horrific pictures he had taken on the night and the morning after. I remember they mainly showed bits of bodies. By Monday morning, Jalan Legian, the street at the he art of the night club quarter, was blocked off in front of the Bounty Club. Police and forensic specialists had started their investigation. IJnfortunately for them the scene was compromised. All day on Sunday, people had been allowed to walk at will over the site . The story of course had become Southeast Asia's
bombing, stayed on
to search for his friends and comfort bereaved relatives
own 9/11. Correspondents were flying ^o o o Þ p
in from all over the world. The Hard Rock was buzzing as if the Rolling Stones were in town. We had escaped to
Poppies Cottages, one of my favourite haunts in the heart of Kuta.
Many Hong
Kong-based
correspondents and FCC members were around. Early on we bumped into Fritz
von Klein, NBC bureau chief with cameraman Richard Jones and Adrian Brown from Asia Pacific Vision (APV) . Mike Chinoy had landed.
managed to get the first plane out to Bali. I lingered, wondering what I could do with minimal equipment. But bymid-afternoon I gave in to myinstincts and Ijoined the press exodus to Bali. I wouldjust have to improvise. The Hard Rock Hotel was the HQ of choice for the press crowd. It had satellite facilities for the TV crews. We stayed there for one night. It felt strange. The Johnny Winter guitar riffs and garish colours just didn't do it for me. The magnitude of the disaster was still sinking in. Unsettled, we vowed to move out the next day. Kuta was subdued. The streets were eerily empty. Normally, even in the low season, they would be bustling with tourists and hawkers. There were still
20
I visited the main hospital with its hopelessly small morgue. Reporters, jostling past empty coffins and distressed family members, roamed the grounds. The morgue itself was closed off to the press but local school kids took turns to peek over the wall, drawn by the morbid appeal of burnt corpses. The by now closed-off "Ground Zero" area became hallowed ground, surrounded by wreaths donated by hotels and bars. Sombre groups of tourists, many of them Australian, paid their respects. I walked there with FCC stalwart Andy Chworowsky. His brother had been partying in the Sari Club at the time of the explosion. Luckily he survived. Several of his rugby mates were still missing. We had a few drinks in Made's, another of my favourite places. It was a very strange feeling to be in such a lovely and familiar setting for all the wrong reasons. I THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2002/JANUARY 2003
had no idea my brother was in Bali until he phoned me to tell me he had been caught up in the blast but was OK. I had heard the news on the radio. I knew where the Sari Club was, and that Peter and his fellow Taipei Baboons Rugby Team members regularly partied there when they were in Bali, but it never occurred to me that he might have been in the club at the time. When Peter regained consciousness after the explosion, people were running over him trying to get out. He looked one way and saw an inferno. He looked to the side and saw a portion of roof collapsed against a wall. He managed to climb up and over the debris of the roof to safety. Peter told me that five of his friends were missing team-mates and the girlfriend of one of the -four survivors. He still held out some hope, but after spending Saturday night and all of Sunday searching through the casualty wards, he was beginning to believe there was little chance of finding any of them alive. Two of his team-mates were seriously injured and were airlifted to Australia and mostly burns - with less serious injuries were on Singapore. Others their way back to Taiwan. As the senior member of the team (most were in their 20's while he is 43) the responsibility of trying to bring order to their situation naturally fell to Peter. He was dealing with almost constant phone calls from anxious relatives, government officials and reporters from all over the world. On the phone, he sounded like he was keeping things together, but he THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 20024ANUARY 2003
also, naturall¡ sounded exhausted. Before he hung up, he managed a little grim humour. In 1978, my parents,
sister and
I
survived
a crash of a Boeing 737 in
India.
Peter, who was at university at the time, wasn't due to join us until a week later, so he missed it. He jokingly wondered if this was some
Hyderabad,
Karmic debt repayment. I laughed and told him I didn't think it applied here. I told him goodbye and that I loved him. A friend atCathay managed to get me onto the next flight to Bali that left the following morning. At the airport, I ran into Richard Jones, who was also on the way to Bali as the cameraman for NBC News. It' was obvious that journalists occupied most of our cabin I recognised the CNN and the TVB crews; the rest were identifiable by their fishermen's vests. At Peter's hotel, I walked into the lobby and immediately bumped into FCC member Vaudine England who was at the hotel to interview rugby team members from Hong Kong. Her husband Kees both of them had flown in Metselaar was also in Bali mobile numbers, and the previous day. We exchanged I went to find my brother's bungalow. As soon as I got into the room, the phone rang: I answered it. It was the mother of James, one of the missing players. She and her husband had just arrived from Sydney, and were at the crisis centre trying to hnd out anything. She said they needed to know what their son was wearing on Saturday night. I kept my voice as helpful and practical-sounding as I could, realising that this mother had almost certainly just lost a son. As it turned out, they were later able to provisionally identify 21
Tnnnonrsnt he night wasn't over. At about 11 pm, the
=.
father of one of the missing
T T
Daniel, arrived at the hotel. He wanted to go immediately to the hospitals and
T
players,
morgues to search for his son. Peter knew this was almost certainly futile, but he accompanied him anyway. Peter finally got to bed at about 3 am. Not 15 minutes went bywithout the phone ringing. We gave up on sleep at about 7 am. At breakfast, I was introduced to Daniel's father, who had travelled from the South of France. He seemed to be remarkablywell composed, having apparentþ accepted the inevitable
o o
that his son was gone. of Peter's room lay a crumpled shirt that was drenched in dried blood. He said it was the shirt he was wearing "that" night. I put it in a plastic bag. The closet was full. The luggage belonging to his missing team-mates was stored there. While Peter attended an Australian consulate
- In one corner
briefing session for survivors and victims' families, I took the opportunity to meet Kees Metselaar and visit already being referred to as "Ground the blast site Zero."
-
Barriers were up
to prevent the crowd from
interfering with the forensic teams, although the police James by the shirt he had been wearing
which remained intact.
-
a piece of
The phone rang constantþ Some calls were from friends in Taiwan. Some were from Taiwanese reporters who claimed to be friends so they could talk to Peter. As I learned later, the team-mate's girlfriend killed in the attack was the only Taiwanese fatality. The Taiwan press was in a frenzy to get information.
what he knew over and over, and heard the agony in his voice as he tried sensitively to inform parents on the status of the search for their sons. lle knew he couldn't raise any false hopes at this point, but still tried to hold
out some to them. There were evidently a few unidentified, unconscious survivors who had been evacuated. That was the only glimmer he could offer. It occurred to me that staying busy was probably
- He would need surgery to would start repairing itself. graft new eardrums. The only other visible injury was a nasty looking scrape high on his cheek but that turned out to be the result of a tackle on- the rugby pitch on Saturday afternoon. Four of his team-mates joined my brother and I in Peter's bungalowwhere talkwas mainly of practicalities. Who needed to be contacted; whose parents were coming; who would be next to use one of the two phone chargers they had between them (they were
what was keeping all of them from losing control. I was amazed at how matter-oÊfact the conversations were. 'lVho has _'s luggage?" "llas someone phoned back to _'s sister? She called earlier." "Do you suppose might have had a phone charger in his bag? Can I look?" Peter spent much of the evening giving interviews to TV crews, hrst to the Taiwanese media in Mandarin and in English to Ned Holt of NBC. At one point Ned and I went out to the hotel's entryway for a cigarette. A long motorcade with army and police outriders pulled up and a short, chubby Indonesian stepped out of an important-looking car, He strode up to Ned and me and shook our hands saying, "Thank you for staying." When he'd gone, I asked a soldier who lhat was. It was Megawati Sukarnoputri's husband. I learned later that he repeated this gesture when Vaudine ran into him earlier that night. Ned was a sensitive questione¡ and made the
using their mobiles so much, they were having to charge them three or four times a day) . They wrote updates to post on their team's website and discussed what they had seen that day as they searched hospitals and morgues for their friends. The phones rang constantly. I heard Peter repeat
parents in Wisconsin saw the interview and telephoned to say how reassuring it was see that Peter was physically and emotionally healthy. (Credit to DickJones on the camera, too. My mother said that she thought Peter looked more handsome than usual.)
he explosion had perforated both of Peter's eardrums. He retained 40% hearing in one ear and 20Vo 1n the other.
He initially had fears that he wouldn't be able to fly for weeks because the change in
pressure would re-perforate the healing tissue. However, the damage was so bad the doctor said it didn't matter if he flew there was no way the tissue
22
experience as painless as possible
for Peter. Our
THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2002/JANUARY2003
let through survivors, family members, and people wishing to place flowers at the site. For about 40 metres from the barricades, white fabric had been stretched along both sides of the road. Thoughts, prayers, and messages of solidarity and anger had been scrawled all over it. Some of the remarks were vicious. But there were also less incendiary messages that were more in keeping with the widely-held preconception of Bali as a friendly and gentle place. Later that evening, Peter, myself, the rest of the team and Daniel's father all had dinner together. After three days of quite overwhelming stress, the dinner was the first time any of them had had a chance to unwind a bit. Nearb¡ another rugby team was doing what rugby teams usually do. They were having a very loud and energetic party around the bar. Surprisingly, Peter and his team-mates didn't seem to mind. Someone remarked that the team wasn't at the Sari Cub that night so hadn't lost anyone, but there was no begrudging them their luck. In the weeks since the bombing, three of Peter's five missing friends have been positively identified and declared dead. Peter has had surgery to rebuild one of his eardrums, and seems to be making progress. He may need further surgery in the coming months. I
FCC Ðonates $.800,000 to the Po Leung Kuk to Estab-lïsh Scholarshìp Fund VeronicaLi, chair of the Po Leung Kuk, accepted a cheque for HK$800,000 raised at the first FCC Charity Ball at a ptesentation luncheon in December. The money will go to establish the Foreign Correspondents' Club Scholarship Fund, Club President, Thomas Crampton, reports. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, members and the guests who attended the ball in September, three students who would have been unable to pursue higher education because of financial constraints will now attend university. Tutoring programmes associated with the FCC Scholarship Fund will also help educate more than 100 children cared for by the Po Leung Kuk. The inaugural ball superceded all expectations. The ball sold out within days and raffle ticket sales and cash donations enabled us to create alarger fund than we had imagined. We are determined to prove that the FCC Charity Ball was not a one-hit wonder. In 2003, we aim to at least triple the funds raised tn 2002, enabling us to provide nine talented children from broken homes and no homes at all with tertiary education. By setting such an ambitious goal in a time of economic downturn we realise that we must work hard to produce another unforgettable fundraising event. Martha Reeves, who had us dancing in the aisles, will be a tough act to follow, but we are considering some big names, including Chuck Berr¡ the Temptations and Cyndi Lauper. As for the venue, the ball committee is working towards a sumptuous dinner-concert in the glass room of the Convention Centre. The ball committee has already stared requesting sponsorship and donations to cover the food and entertainment and raffle prizes. Cash donations to the scholarship fund are tax deductible and sponsors will receive publicity according to their level of sponsorship. For more information about the ball, see http:/ /www.fcchk.org/ball/ball.html. For more information on sponsorship, please contact Sophia Harilela at9689-7625 or e-mail charityball@fcchk.org. I
THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2002,/JANUARY
2OO3
23
Tnnnonrsnr
Travel S afe
Have Tech, Wilt Travel
Security expert Dauid Holloway advises on the common sense precautions that one should take to minimise risk while travelling in the region in these uncertain tim s
"Broadcaster wanted: Must be able to bench-press 250 kg, hold a PhD in electronics and possess advanced diplomacy skills. Reporting ability and knowledge of which end of the microphone to grip are useful but not mandatory." Jenntfer O'l{eil, Voice of America's .Lsia news senior editor and FCC Board member, gets to grips with the real skills needed by the travelling broadcaster to survive in today's multi-media world.
-f I
I
p call for Americans who had experienced international
;îîä:ï:;5;JiîJiiTlli
for many in the Asia Pacific. Until then, except for the southern Philippines and other parts of Indonesia, such as Aceh, terrorism seemed far away something seen only on our TVs holiday and Bali an idyllic - now changed and people resort island. That has everlwhere are increasingly concerned about their
o Be up to date on news regarding your destination and seek to avoid travel to known trouble spots unless unavoidable
Air Travel . Lock your bags and keep valuables a a
personal safety. Yet, while the looming possibility of war in Iraq and potential down-stream consequences that war and future terrorist violence holds for us all are daily news items, the fact of the matter is life must continue as normal or as near normal as is possible. Were it otherwise, terrorism will win and we will never be free from fear. Corporations are now taking increased measures to seek to protect their assets and people. How can individuals betterprotect themselves, their families and their friends and colleagues in an
increasingly troubled world? One word: alertness. Terrorism is, by its nature, unpredictable. There are no crystal balls indicating where the next incident will occur, but there are things you can do to improve your personal security when travelling. Always be alert to your
surroundings. If you feel uncomfortable, move to another location where you feel safer your hotel, office, etc. Avoid large crowds or local demonstrations. Do not make yourself a target for the criminally minded. With some notable exceptions, Asia Pacific has never been especially safe. We have unpredictable natural disasters earthquakes, typhoon5 ¿nd me¡s - experienced war and insurrection and some areas have for decades. No ln¡o countries, and no two locations within any given country, have the same risk profrle so it is only possible here to provide general tips to help keep you safe when you travel.
Pre-Tþavel Check List
.
¡ ¡ ¡
Ensure your ofhce and your family have a copy of your passport/identity documents and are aware of
your itinerary Establish a routine for a daily telephone "check in" If unfamiliar with the location you are visiting, arrange where possible to be met For travel to more high-risk destinations, consider not making hotel bookings in your company's name
24
with you at all tlmes If possible, travel with hand-carry luggage only Ensure luggage is easily identif,rable: initials and address on outside, full name, address and telephone number on inside If you arrive late at night and are unfamiliar with the city, consider an overnight stay at an airport hotel and travel to your destination in daylight
Hotel Security
. .
¡ . .
Step one after check-in: always ensure you know where the fire exits are located Consider requesting a room no higher than the 5th floor: it might be noisier, but at least local fire services ladders can reach your floor in case offire, and evacuation is álso easier
Do not open the door to your room without first checking the caller: if in doubt, call the front desk Leave the TV or radio on when out of theroom: use the 'Do not Disturb' sign. IJse the main hotel entrance, especially after dark
any of us in radio and television have received that call. The editor screams, "I need you in (insert conflict spot of the
moment) and I need you there As you hang up the phone, adrenaline
yesterday." rushing, you stop and think, 'I,{hat do I need?" We are not talking sunscreen and scuba gear here, we're thinking equipment. Now, if you are lucky enough to work for one of the fancier, richer news organisations, a team has already swung into action. Producers are on the ground, fixers provided and most importantly, a team of engineers and techies stand ready to assist under the most hellish conditions. Airline tickets, other transport and accommodation also await, where you need it, when you need it. But if you are like many broadcast journalists, it's going to be you and what you can carry. And you had
better be able to file broadcast-quality spots or, well let's just say that it won't be a landmine that- ends your career. If you happen to be a staffer for a multi-media news organisation, you had better be strong enough to carry
it all
Personal Safety on the Street
r .
Carry yourself with conhdence - even if you are lost! Dress conservatively and do not attract attention to yourself, for example by speaking loudly in your native language . Always try to keep someone informed as to your whereabouts . Keep to main roads. At night stay on streets that are
well lit
o Keep your wallet/purse and passport concealed.
. . ¡ .
Protect your bags. Avoid looking like
a tourist
- for example
continued on þage 28 THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2OO2lIANUARY
2OO3
a a
&9 adapters (can't the world standardise power outputs?) 10-12 cables and extra cable adapters 2+26 AA batteries for each week of the trip 10 mini disc cassettes
a
I
a
2 back-up microphones
a
Shortwave radio
a
and, if you're a freelancer... well, good luck,
Sennheiser microphone
Global sat phone with ISDN feed capability and
Internet
you probably can't afford the technology.
a
access 1 Thuraya hand-held
We're talking 30 to 40 kg of equipment that no matter how fancy it is, probably isn't going to survive weeks maþe months arrryay. Climatic conditions (dust, rain, humidity) or human foibles (thieves, bandits, con men) will make sure of that. But you pack it arlryay. Here is a typical list of equipment required by one news organisation that requires its journalists to do radio, web news and fledgling TV all at the same time.
a
1 set of headphones
a
5-10 CDs of software to reload when everything goes down (and it always does)
because
-
by keeping
camera and map in hand - you attract pickpockets If you need directions, it is better to ask hotel, restaurant or shop staff rather than a stranger on the street Do not share personal information with strangers Avoid protests, street demonstrations or other large crowds
a a
RADIO:
.
3 mini disc recorder.s
c li4arantz professional MD recorder (to edit audio) ¡ Shure amplifier (sound boost to feed audio) ¡ Gentner (for 2-way phone interviews) c 3 way splitter (for phone, laptop, amp) r Laptop . 2 cell phones - I global; I to get local calls THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2002/JANUARY 2003
phone for live shots
WEB:
. .
Digital camera Software to feed over laptop
TV IOI: . Video camera with Sennheiser microphone with a radio transmitter that also has a receiver o Editing clam
¡
6 rechargeable batteries o Charger for batteries ¡ Heavier headphones for TV recording o 5-10 video cassettes ¡ More software CDs for uploading video to transmit via laptop
Ir was a tough assignment but somebody had to do it. Bill Cranf,,eld packed his mosquito repellent and jungle-survival kit and headed off to the wilds of Siem Reap only to discover that unbounded luxury awaited him
OTHER: . 2-3 alligator clips (multipurpose for when all other cables fail) ¡ 1 reporter's notebook per week - unless you write big. Then you need a lot more. r Leatherman's tool kit (for repairs)
.
Corkscrew (this is selÊexplanatory)
nce everything has been gathered and transported to the said news hotspot, you pray you remember how to hook it all up. Of course, on really BIG stories, there are always some amazing engineers to guide you and snigger when your back is turned. Now, inevitably some of this equipment will break, malfunction or generally act temperamentally. The world of technology has taken you this far, but will undoubtedly fail you when you need it the most. Sometimes, things are simply beyond remedy. In those cases, you have several graduated courses ofaction:
offer to clean the big fancy news organisations and life in their åilets îo, the rest of your miserable to time' time ."a.rrn for the use of their equipmentfrom 4.Go home.
of being a should pack to ãnhance your chances arise: need the r"...rtf.if beggar and a bril er' should hats' (T:shirts' . Anything *lrfl u ttt*t agency logo pens, etc.) Cartons of cigarettes country) Mer.'s colognle (if you are in an Arab
Well' Liquor (if you are not in an Islamic country' one') this for *uit u -inrrte: discretion is required
of helping you rebels amateur by through naíty checkpoints set-up get you help can It who d"idn't e"ist the day before' but this customs' vou and vour equipment through Give-aways have the added benefit
i;;.t;; a.ti.u,.iy
handled' You should also have cash
as a back-uP.
1.Your hxers will try their best and are generally resourceful, but you're not in Hong Kong. Get ready
for step two. 2.Call your nearest bureau and ask to have a replacement sent with the next hack coming in, or to be put on a UN flight, if there is one' Or maybe someone has a cousin who knows someone who has a car and just happens to be driving in. (It has happened.) 3.Mosey over to the temporary headquarters of one of
26
balconies: at one end an open kitchen, with lwo-ton
pizza oven, at the other the bar, and in betr,veen a jumble of bottom-hugging, beigeJeather armchairs and low-slung drinks tables. The candle-lit restaurant, serving similar fare to that at the Phnom Penh property (an eclectic mix of Mediterranean, Californian, Asian and pub grub) is on the rear balcony.
The owners are planning to build a
22-room
boutique hotel, more shops and a "relaxation centre" behind the building, which has become an instant landmark in the once-sleepy town. Funny to reflect that merely a few years ago, real foreign correspondents would have been relatively
spacious grounds, that is the FCC Angkor.
items you Now, that brings us to the additional
. . .
he roundabout where Highway 6 crosses the Stung Siem Reap, with Sihanouk's northern retreat on your left, the royal gardens and Raffles' Grand Hotel d'Angkor to the right, could lay claim to being the pumping heart of what has become one of the fastestgrowing tourist destinations in the world. Crossing it at rush-hou¡ when the pillionJaden tide of motos is stemmed only by its own density, passes as something of a participatory sport in a town where the variety of pastimes on offer has failed to keep pace with the influx of foreign 'r.isitors. There is now, however, a whole new way of whiling away the evenings in Siem Reap, having presumably spent the days uncovering the jungle-wr,apped splendours of Angkor Wat and its far-flung temples. Turn left at the roundabout, down the tree-lined, riverhugging Pokambor Avenue, and you cannot miss the two-storey colonial-style building, set back from the road in its own
news out Technoiogy has allowed us to get more
before' But we faster and to more people than ever ,ro* ,.."d ur-, advanóed electrical engineering ;;gt"; to make it all work and muscles Ilike Arnold all' Shiartzenegger in order to carry it Contributors: Aksha
Africa conesþond'ent Ken1a. Scott Bobb,
P.yu, (and' VOA
East irobi, dent,
Banghoh, Thailand. 20024ANUARY 2003 THE CORRESPONDENT DECENIBER
Over the past decade, the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Phnom Penh, no relation to us but the brainchild of a quartet of ex-Hong Kongers including intellectual property lawyer Steve Hayward, who had the chutzpah to nick our name and register it across Asia, has established itself as one of Asia's great watering holes. Its magnifrcent views across the Tonle Sap Rive¡ its prime location next to the royal palace and the national museum, its classic all wicker and whirring fans Indochine ambience and its hard corps of bar-propping Cambodia-watchers have made it a legend in its own happy hour. Scenting a spin-off, the group, Indochina Assets, rented a run-down former police station, previously the French Consulate, in Siem Reap, gutted the place and got Bali-based British architect Gary Fell to re-design it with a '60s retro look. An "infìnity"-s¡yle reflecting pool is easily mistaken for black marble at night and the wetshoe experience will doubtless become a badge of patronage. There is al fresco dining on either side of it and a bar-and-barbecue area, as well as a handful of retail outlets (bookshop, handicrafts, delicatessen and travel agency).
Up the exterior stone staircase and into a buildinglength lounge, with obligatory ceiling fans and pillared THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2OO2IJANUARY
2OO3
thick on the ground in Siem Reap as the Khmer Rouge fought a last-ditch battle with government troops from their redoubts amid the ruins of ancient Angkor civilisation, now under graver threat from the trampling trainers of thousands of sightseers. They could have done with an FCC at which to swap war stories and anaesthetise shattered nerves. But with a dash of imagination and a couple of stiff
ones in the shirt-soaking tropical heat of a tlpical mosquito-humming, cricket-chirruping Cambodian evening, it is possible to live vicariously in the recent past. At the glittering opening bash that brought out tout Siem Reap, over the complimentary canapés and shrill improvisations of an avant garde jazz group, the talk was of skirmishes over agency commissions and fìre-fìghts around plots of development-potential land. Pol Pot would have been gyrating in his jungle grave now there's a happy thought. I
27
FCC Spnnxnns
LetteF The shattering impact of the Bali bombing on Australia inevitably raised questions about whether that country would instinctively draw back from its Asian neighbours as a result. South Australian Premier Mike Rann was able to answer those questions, as Jonathan Sharp reports. he Bali bombing was an enormous shock to Australia, which never in peacetime had experienced such a loss of life in a one-off incident on its doorstep. But Mike Rann, South Australia's Premier and the first senior Australian official to visit the FCC after the October 72 attack that killed scores of his compatriots, insisted that Australia would not retreat or disengage from Asia as a result. "For terrorism to be brought so close to Australia has had a profound impact on the Australian psyche," Rann told an FCC breakfast meeting. "\Alhat has happened has been a wake-up call for Australia.
I
-lanzanian army back
of an
attack, but Rann, whose Labor par$ is in
opposition to the party of Prime MinisterJohn Floward, said it would be neither "smart or sensible" to engage in domestic political issues. Instead he praised the central government's swift
and firm response in reviewing anti-terrorism
arrangements with lower-tier governments, whatever their political stripe. South Australia sent two Learjets with burns and trauma specialists to Bali. Such prompt action helped save a number of lives. Asked about suggestions that the bombing was
retribution for Australia's role in East Timor's
independence process, Rann said there were a number of theories about the reasons for the bombings, but these were mere speculation. "I guess the answer is that none of us in this room knows."
Rann said that one of the great symbols of Australia's engagement with Asia was the construction of the Alice Springs-Darwin railway, the largest such project in the world. "The project will link the south
Australian capital Adelaide, where the coast faces
Antarctica, with Darwin, where the coast faces Asia, for the hrst time. "The railway will become a central trade corridor for exports and imports between markets in Australia and beyond. By building this land bridge to Asia, we
will be opening a new front door for our trade in goods, the goods for which time means money. This will be a God-send for Australia and also for our Asian trading partners." I
Travel Saf,e continued from þage 24
.
Avoid excessive alcohol - or try to be with someone who is not drinking
Useful travel advisory websites: . US Department of State - Overseas Advisory Council: uwu.ds-osac. org . US Department of State - Travel Advisories: uwu. traa el. state. gou /trau el_w arnings. html
. IJK Foreign & Commonwealth
Offrce:
www.fco. gou. uk /trau el
David Holloway is Chief Operations Offìcer of International Risk Ltd, formed in October through a management buy-out of PricewaterhouseCoopers Investigations Asia Ltd. See wwwintl-risk.com for further details. I THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2OO2IIANUARY
2OO3
or
get
interested in the female goat directþ in front. So, to encourage them on their way, they are pushed forward by a large foam mattress on
in
1985), we an Asian
were rewarded by entrepreneur in the form of Mr
in future in terms of
prevention, detection, intelligence-sharing and response." But ex-journalist Rann, who used to work at the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation, said he believed that talk about Australia retreating from Asia in the wake of the attack was a "media beat-up". "The fact is that the Australian governments at federal and state level are engaging with Asia actively." The Australian government has taken a beating over charges that it failed to warn about the possibility
Stalwarts of the FCC for 10 years until they retired to London in 2000, Jim and Elaine Scullion decided after a yeaî or so back in the UK that life held still more challenges. So they signed up with Britain's VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas). They are now based in Kampala, IJganda, where Elaine, who worked for the Hospital Authority in Hong Kong, is deployed at a health clinic, and Ji-, who worked fìrst for the Hong Kong Tourist Association (now the Tourism Board) and then in the hotel industry, is involved in community tourism. grass, survey the crowd
We cannot ever be complacent again. We have to be
extraordinarily vigilant
Fn
wheels
Patel. Mr Patel is one of a growing number of Asians who are returning to Uganda, encouraged over the past few years by the Museveni Government, following their much-
the only group of Asians making
a
place lor themseìves in a more stable Uganda. The mainland Chinese are viewed as having a wide range of skills and expertise from
publicised exodus courtesy of Idi Amin in 1972. Mr Patel is a fixer who can get just about anything for you but is sensible enough to realise that, to build a sustainable customer base, he must sell his wares at realistic prices. This commercial acumen probably contributed to past Asian dominance in the business sector in Uganda and evidence of what must have been a thriving Asian community can be seen around the country. Jinja, about an hour's drive east of Kampala and renowned as the source of the Nile, was obviously very much an Asian town in Africa. It is full of former Indian-owned businesses (their family names decorating the facades of manl' buildings) and a large number of mosques, as well as Sikh and Hinciu temples. Not surprisingl¡ Uganda's wealthiest man is also Indian. His many business interests include the newly opened resort complex on the shores of Lake Victoria just a few miles outside Kampala. This was the venue for the recent Royal Ascot Goat Races, an annual event where the great and good of Kampala turn out in all their finery (including hats), partake of large amounts of alcohol and bet on a motley selection of goats for the beneht of local charities. Now, goats are not natural runners and tend to stop every few yards to nibble some THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2OO2IJANUARY
not exactly Huppy Valley!
The- Indian communiry is not
2OO3
winning the civil engineering contract to build the Nakivubo Channel to divert the tropical
rainfall from Kampala's streets, to selling office equipment from Shanghai, to providing Shenzhenbuilt solar panels. A recent trip to buy office chairs brought us into contact with Mr Li, a smiling and enthusiastic salesman from an office furniture manufacturer 100 km west of Shanghai. Mr Li's company is called Golden Fish Company Ltd, not a great marketing ploy when your business is office furniture. Many a bemused local has turned up to see if the company had alternatives to the locally caught Nile perch and tilapia. Mr Li has now changed his company's name to the more prosaic, but accurate, \fanan Furniture (Uganda) Ltd to avoid future confusion. The Asian link doesn't stop there. Ever wondered where all the old Toyotas go after they have done their stint in the well-heeled cities of Asia? Kampala is full of late-1980s Toyota Coronas and Corollas, the vast majority of them white and many of them showing their country of origin on the bodywork in some way. Because Hong Kong and Japan both drive on the left, few they are a ready source ofused cars for Uganda here can aspire to a brand new car.
-
hese cars also do sterling service as taxis (called
special hires) although
a
l5-year-old Toyota soon shows signs of wear and tear after all those potholes. Toyota mini-buses are also pressed into service as public taxis (called matatus in Swahili), which make Hong Kong's public light buses seem the epitome of careful driving! And, of course, there is no limit to the passenger carrying capacity of the average matatus. Cries of "Please extend!" (translated as "Move up the seat") are heard throughout the duration of yourjourney. Cars and mini-buses are not the only secondhand Asian products that reach Kampala's streets. The used clothing industry is also big business here. When the government tried to impose a duty on these imported items in the last budget in an effort
LetterS
continued. from þage
5
From Regina Ip Secretary for Security, Secretary for Security Government of the HKSAR Thß reply was þrinted in the Sotúl;, China Morning Post in resþonse to the President's lettsr uhich was coþied to the
þaþer
The letter by the president of the Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC), Thomas Crampton (South China Morning Post, November 20), on the government's proposals to implement Articles 23 of the Basic Law contains many points which are manifestþ incorrect or which misrepresent what is proposed. I wish to respond to some of them. First, we are not introducing Mainland notions of "national security" and "state secrets" into Hong Kong. "National security" is already defìned in Hong Kong's Societies Ordinance as "safeguarding of the territorial integrity and the independence of the People's Republic of China". The definition is in keeping with the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the independe nt courts of Hong Kong will be interpreting it in accordance with the principles inherent in the covenant. As we have explained many times, our proposals are based on the existing Official Secrets Ordinance, which protects only four categories of "official information", namely, information relating to security and intelligence; defend; international relations, and the commission of offences and criminal investigations.
Again there is no question of extending Mainland definitions to Hong Kong. The allegation of increases in the government's power to restrict the flow of information without a corresponding statutory right to access information is not supported by facts. There is certainly no proposal to restrict access to information.
30
B arry
to stimulate the fledgling local clothing industr¡ there was near rioting in the streets. Since most of the second-hand clothes come from charity shops in Europe, it is not uncommon to see a local Ugandan
sporting a "Kuta Beach" or "Hard Rock Café obviously donated by a longBangkok" T-shirt
(1945-2002)
- last flush of holiday fever has haul tourist after the worn off.
Despite the potholes and the second-hand market, there are defìnite signs of improvements. A branch of to great razztratazz Woolworth's recently opened as Uganda's first department store. Many of those potholes are now being fìlled, and downtown buildings are being repaired and decorated. However, until Kampala's f,rrst cigar divan opens, we will continue to make weekly visits to Mr Patel. I
Other allegations concerning additional restrictions placed on journalists are based on a misunderstanding of our proposals. We have already explained them in detail to media representatives, and would be released to go over the details with the FCC again if it so wishes. The proposals regarding emergency police powers of entry and search are no different from emergency powers which a wide range of disciplined services, including the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Immigration and Customs, already have to prevent crime. Such emergency powers have been exercised from time to time to deal with a wide range of offences without any serious abuse. We would be prepared to build additional safeguards into our eventual bill to eliminate any possibility of abuse. The offences of "de aling with
a
seditious publication"
and the offence of "unauthorized possession of a seditious publication" are already included under the existing Crimes Ordinance. We have proposed to tighten the nature of the offence, not to expand the scope as the FCC seems to believe.
With the dramatic growth in transnational serious and organized crime, the extra-territorial application of domestic laws is becoming a global trend. Hong Kong permanent residents living aboard have nothing to fear unless they are involved in the commission of serious crimes undermining national security. The key question is whether the offences in question will be tightly def,rned to avoid abuse. We have pledged to do so repeatedly. Finall¡ while I fully understand the FCC's concerns about terms like, for example, "incitement" and " intimidate". I wish to point out that these are terms frequently used in the common law. They embody well-established common law concepts regarding which the courts have acquired a lot of experience interpreting. There is no question of abuse arising from wanton interpretation of such terms. THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 200244ìNUARY 2003
Bakker
By Andy Chworowsþ
Mix together a wicked sense of humour, a healthy dollop of cynicism, a generous portion of artistic talent, and top it all off with a voice redolent of honey and cognac, and you've got Barry Bakker. Long a late-night stalwart of the FCC , Barry passed away on September th.e 24th after succumbing to complications brought on by u bout with hepatitis many years ago. rom a young age, theatre was South Africanborn Barry's first love. When called up for military service in the early 1960s he managed to avoid the rough and tumble of army life by playing trombone in the regimental band. After discharge he worked in stage management in Cape Town, was a regularly heard voice on radio plays, and was even an em-cee on skates for a touring "Icecapades" type of show. But his growing disillusionment with the
political situation in South Africa in the late
1960s
meant thatwhen the chance came to move to Vienna as the stage manager with a travelling marionette show, Barryjumped at it.
number of years in Vienna (during which he co-founded an English-language theatre company), Barry's perpetually itchy feet brought him to Hong Kong. He arrived in the early 70s, and immediately became a fixture on Radio Hong Kong (RHK), forerunner to RTHK. The theatre continued to beckon, however, and he teamed up with Sheelagh Cullen, Suzanne Vale, Mark Rouen, and Warwick Evans to create Theatreast, Hong Kong's first professional English-language theatre company. Barry often told After
a
the story of rehearsing their first
production,
"Murderer," in his flat. The bloodcurdling screams in this very violent thriller brought the police calling. It
very tricky indeed trying to explain why four people were chasing each other with knives in the middle of the afternoon in an ordinary apartment in a quiet cul de sac in Kowloon Tong. After several years and a string of successes, Theatreast morphed into the non-profit company, Actor's Rep. In 1983, my own professional involvement with Barry began when I was asked to perform in a satirical rer''ue which had been co-written by Barry, was
THE CORRESIONDENT DECb,MBER 20024ANUARY 2003
Harry Rolnick, Stuart Wolfendale, Peter Lally and Teresa Norton. This show, "Skitzoid," which played for two weeks to packed houses, took aim and fired at every stuffed shirt bureaucrat, stupid commercial, greedy TV evangelist, and asinine government policy extant at that time, and spawned tlvo more "oids" in subsequent years: "Bastoid (Son of Skitzoid)" and "Paranoid." Barry directed all three shows, and wrote the þics
to the songs (Peter Lally wrote the music). During these years Barry was thoroughly in his element. He had a voice with which to tilt at the people and institutions he found ridiculous, and the arena to exercise his artistry. Perfect for him. But restlessness crept back in, and Barry decided to strike out in new directions. He moved to Pattaya
and opened his own night club, in which, ever the showman, he installed a huge water tank in which cute young things would swim in skimpy apparel. Although this club, Nautilus, did well, Barry grew tired of the hassles of the land of smiles and returned once more to Hong Kong to a news reading position at RTHK. Although he made a further short foray back to Thailand, he was to remain at RTHK until his health started to fail him, and work was no longer possible. During a memorial gathering held at the Fringe Club Theatre, Barry's friends were treated to some video clips of his frnest moments. Anyone who saw the original "Skitzoid" will not easily forget the sight of Barry impersonating the singing-woman-in-red from the famously nauseating TV commercial for Design 2000. It brought tears to the eyes then, and on this evening in the Fringe Club, with a small but appreciative audience, and Barry making his final exit, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. I 31
Gorüon Tn'alrling (I938-20,02) errrembers Gordon Trayling who died at his home in Croydon, south London, or the night of 23rd September 2002. Keith
Shakesþ e &re r
ordon was a civil engineer and his company was part of the joint venture that won the .reclamation contract at Chek Lap Kok. And what a contract. His influence helped bring that ambitious project to a very successful conclusion. He then moved on to the Tsing Ma Bridge, again with great success.
Prior to his time in Hong Kong, he worked in England, Africa and the Middle East, gaining the experience that propelled him up the ladder to head Costains in the former British colony. Remember Gordon the next time you drive through the Cross Harbour Tunnel, land at Brunei Airport or walk from Central Station to the Airport Express. Civil engineering aside, we had a great deal in common. We were both rugby enthusiasts, and I had
been looking forward to many afternoons
at
"
The FCC paid a Club Visit to Macau on November 19.
Harlequins, where we had adjoining seats. Then, of course, there were the many hours at the bar of the Foreign Correspondents' Club, when we would sit
together and pore over the latest Times cryptic
crossword puzzle. That was when I really got to know him, and I will sorely miss his wit and his amazing allround knowledge. I know little of his Masonic activities at I Kennedy Road, but I am aware that he had achieved a high rank in a relatively short time, during which he gained the respect of many of his fellow Brothers. There will be an empty seat at Lords, where he was a member of the MCC and a serious cricket fan. He will also miss the current success of his favourite football team, Arsenal. Gordon is survived by his lovely wife Norma, two daughters and four grandchildren. Farewell Gordon. I
The Wall Street Journal's Karby
Leggett performs at the Shanghai FCC's Music Night in remembrance of Daniel Pearl.
FCC mem-bers eelehrated the life of Derek Ðavies with Toi and rernembered Irmgard Lawrence wÍtft a wake at
::
The FCC presents a cheque for HK$800,000 to establish a scholarship fund for underprivileged children from the Po Leung Kuk (see p. 23)
i
i \\'
'ìt', " ,'
'My Brothers Keepers' at Bert's The FCC joined the international Music Day trìbute to murdered Wall Street Journal correspondent, Daniel Pearl
32
THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 20024ANUARY 2003
THE CORRESPONDENT DECEMBER 2OO2IIANUARY
2OO3
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THE, (ìORRESPONDENT
DECEMBER 2OO2IIANUARY
2OO3
35
In this section we discover what members get up to ^wa)/ from the Club. Jona,tha,n Sharþ talks to
FCC Mentber; Restaurøteun and, .."...
Eï I
l.r.rone- other things restaurateur Andy Chr'r'orot'sky has Lreen arì actor, a bar-tende¡
a ranch hand and has dubbed kuns
fu movies into Enslish. But he never forgets like a resular pay cheque. rvhat's impor-tant To be a success in the acting profession, says Andy,
n'ho knorvs a thing or two about being an actor, it hclps to have a "single-mincledness bordering on insanitl"'. Some might think you also have to be fàirly unbalanced tcr start Lrp a restaurant in Flong I(ong at the height of the Asian f-rnancial crisis. But this is r'vhat and succeeded. Andy did
bleak. "
restaì.rrant was launched in \A¡anchai in 1998, br-anches r'vere added on Elgin Street and in Tsim Sha Tsr.ri, and the latesl one is in Tseung I(wan O. -the Fat At'tg'elo's concept of cornrnunaì tìinine. lorv prites ancl good value, moclelled on
Whcn it comes to beauty s{akes. let's jttrl
his parcnts and sister' \ver(
States, was
|st trvo wt't'ks that it
working very u,ell,"
says
was
the 39-
year-old And;', even though for thc f'ìrsr lèr'v months. he and his partners were on reduced salaries in order to Pa)' the bills.
His prcsent slrccess cr¡uld not have been guessecl
from his school record. The son of a Lutheran
missionarl'rvho moved from the U"S. to Hong Kong in 1973, Andy was, in his orvn words, a terrible student' But he lor,ed acting, which meant lots ol'r-ehe arsals. "I inlo ¡çuess for me it was probably the re ason I nevel g-ot drugs or anything as a tecnager becausc I was alrvays in rehearsals. "
Srvitchine' betlveen jobs (including at the old in Srrtherland House ancl at Dun Rycnt's) in Hong I(one and the United S[atcs, acting remained Godoun
36
f l/
i
ìrì
a packed Boeing 737 th-.tt crashcd into a field on t¡rlic off from ll¡dt'rabad, \( lrirr:ì the wings on fìrc. 'l'h Lcc' children on thc g-rouncl l't'tc
innol,ative for Hong I(ong. "But once the restaurant li
:r:tr
at least one Piecc oI incredible luck: in 197U lrc,
farnily
opened it rvas obvious from the
tlrtr
that his l'riencls consicler- ìritrt gorgeous, br-rt but he has h:rcl
restaurants on the East coast of
the United
\l' \
living. You are arnoìì rTsi hundreds of thousands rvbo are looking for the s2ì.1ìlc
- Angelo's Italian His first Fat
American-Italian
__-i--
an activer, if not lucrative, sidcline. Hc clid satiric¡l rcvlles for the Actors Rep, ancl his performallcc tìlì an elf in "The Santaland Diarics" rnonologuc, I'r'hiclr he played at the FCC, among^ other clubs, u'as :t brattura perfbr-rnance. He thought about going professional, but discalilccl the idea as unrcalistic. "Tlrc al call of a regular pav cheqrrc' appealed to me more tharr U C lreirrg tìre stluggling altist(. "Unless )/olr arc incrcdibll, l bear.rtiful or increclibl), lttcì()' o you arc going to spend ycals and year:s at just eking otii a
killed and one
PasserrrÌcr
died of burns. But Alcll' :rrrrl his familv jumped to slllìr(r "\4/e u'ere probably just a millimetre lÌonl diszrsit'r'" but ailnost al'lt'ays falls asleep cltrlin¡1 Alcly stilt flies take off. Aldy's brother Pete r \\¡as Ie ss luck1', being in thc !}lli disco that lvas blown Ltp on October ì 2, survivint" lrrrl r'vith both ear drums rupturecl (see And1, occounL on þ 2)) And what of the future? Fctt Angelo's rvas origirilrll-r' focused on \\¡estern cusLomersr but it has:'l ìttLi"c follor'ving among C-lhinese pcople ancl the neu'bt'rlnclr in Tseurlq Kwan O is an expcrilnenI to sce if itr'vill rr'or']i in a primaril)'Chinese area. If it does, the dool is olrt:rr to Iìrrther branchcs in, for example, Tsuen \AI:rn rtrltl Sha Tin. Not bad f'or a "terriblc student" who lilic:; ttr act a bit. I Tt
1!-.
c()RlìtrlsP()ND llNT oC I OßLl{,/NOYI
N
ll
Jl'llì rl00'l
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