GSHK Newsletter Vol. VI (December 2020)

DEC 2020 Vol.VI

GERMANY STANDS WITH HONG KONG Newsletter Vol.VI December 2020

23.10.2020 Brandenburger Tor - Save 12 Hong Kong Youths

In This Issue

A Word From The Editor

A Word From The Editor

GSWHK Social Media Team

Highlighted Past Events

As we draw nearer and nearer to the end of 2020, we are once again reminded how much time has elapsed since the first shots rang out on Tim Wah Avenue on June 12th, 2019, marking the start of a massive struggle led by Hongkongers that is unprecedented in scale in the history of Hong Kong. Since then, Hongkongers from all walks of life have been affected. Doctors, teachers, businessmen, journalists, politicians, and especially students threw themselves wholeheartedly into the movement and gave everything they had to support a larger cause, a wider dream that stretches as far as many can see.

Ongoing Concerns Upcoming Events Letter from Ray Wong

DEC 2020 Vol.VI

But this outpouring show of support was not met with initial success. The government denied the demands of its citizens and turned to using more violence by the police to suppress the basic freedoms and rights enjoyed by Hongkongers.

Over the course of last year, blood spilled over the streets as protesters fought for what they believed in, giving their freedom and lives in the process. As one united collective, the strong spirit of the Hongkonger has been proven time and time again through countless tales of bravery and selflessness, like the story of one young man holding off numerous police officers so that his companions can escape, or the one diving into a crowd of policemen to rescue his arrested comrade. Their sacrifice allowed many of us to continue the fight and reminded us of our duty to give what we have, no matter the price.

With the introduction of the National Security Law and the heightened police presence in Hong Kong this year, many have fled the city in search of better prospects elsewhere, including some activists and politicians. The abduction of the 12 Hongkongers in the South China Sea by mainland police in late August proves that “One Country, Two Systems” is no more, and Hong Kong is no longer the same city that we used to love and cherish. Those still in

2

Hong Kong are forced to reduce their presence for fear of repression, while many of us are scattered in various countries in the West, seeking sanctuary and protection in a place we now have to call home.

But though we are apart, we are connected by one identity - the identity of a Hongkonger. And this identity is not defined by how we look, what language we speak, or where we are born. It is defined by how much we are willing to give this city, how much we are willing to contribute to this nation of Hongkongers. We must therefore act as one and stay united, because only by staying united can we live out this predicament and tell our version, the right version, of what happened to our people and our land.

In the midst of numerous challenges around the world, we would like to reach out to each and every one of you reading this and reassure you that it is normal to feel lost and disoriented, especially at a place far from home. The task set upon us will not be easy. There will be dark days ahead. But if we commit resolutely to our cause and believe in ourselves no matter the hardship, we will prevail.

Merry Christmas. 煲底見

Highlighted Events

13.06.20 Demonstration: Bury Hong Kong Democracy To express our opposition against the National Security Law in Hong Kong, Hongkongers in Germany gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy to mourn for the death of the democracy in Hong Kong.

DEC 2020 Vol.VI

15.08.20 Protest against political censorship in Hong Kong With the arrest of Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai, founder of the popular Apple Daily newspaper, and the application of the National Security Law in Hong Kong, a protest was held in Alexander Platz to raise the local awareness for the extraterritorial law and voice our support for him.

3

01.09.20 Human Rights 01.10.20 Global Day are NOT Negotiable, Herr of Action - Protest Mass at Chinese Embassy Berlin "Resist China Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Freedom now!"

Yi visited Berlin to meet German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on 1 September . Together, we gathered around to urge the German foreign minister to take concrete steps against China.

On the 1st of October, the National Day of China, we Hongkongers gathered with Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongolians, Germans and many others to remind us the continuous struggle against China.

"In the end, we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

-Martin Luther King Leipzig Summit “No Summit but Solidarity” In September, we organized a series of events in Leipzig in cooperation with Leipzig Stands with Hong Kong. We hosted several talks and workshops with Wir für Hongkong, Junge Taiwan Initiative, David Missal and Glacier Kwong, who gave insightful talks on topics that are relevant to China. We discussed different topics over the current relationship between China and EU and the surveillance threat on German’s personal freedom and national sovereignty from China. We urged the German government to take a stronger stance and action to protect the basic human rights of those oppressed.

DEC 2020 Vol.VI

4

Ongoing Concerns Public Hearing in the Bundestag : Sanction China for Imposing “National Security

Acceptance of Hong Kong Refugees in Germany

Together with David Missal and Glacier Kwong, Wir für Hongkong initiated the Bundestag petition, which urges Germany to react to the establishment of the National Security Law in Hong Kong, including imposing sanctions on individual Chinese officials who committed human right crimes in China and Hong Kong. The petition is now being slotted for public hearing and we will provide updates to the event.

We thank Germany for granting asylum to several protesters from Hong Kong and cancelling the mutual extradition agreement with Hong Kong after the establishment of the National Security Law. We also urge Germany to simplify its asylum application process for the Hong Kong protesters and offer a “lifeboat” scheme to provide a pathway to citizenship for Hongkongers.

#Save12HongkongYouths 12 Hong Kong pro-democracy activists have been detained in China since August for fleeing Hong Kong by boat. Lawyers appointed by their families are refused access to the detainees.

They are now facing unfair prosecution in Chinese province of Guangdong, paving the way for years of foreign detention.

If Beijing is allowed to prosecute these Hongkongers without international response, they will further extradite more Hongkong activists to stand trial in China, which is why we urge the international community to join the campaign of #save12hkyouths for their return to Hongkong.

Upcoming Events It is foreseeable that in the coming future, the freedom of the Hongkongers will be greatly limited. As a group of Hongkongers in Germany, we hope that we can use this special identity to urge more concrete actions from Germany towards China. We will continue to organize different exhibitions and discussion forums about the current threat of China and possible solutions, which German citizens and Hongkongers can work out. We will also hold fundraising events, such as selling T-shirts and tote bags to support our work in Germany. Please stay tuned and support us. Your help will be greatly appreciated.

DEC 2020 Vol.VI

5

Spring will arrive Ray Wong Ray Wong is an activist from Hong Kong who is wanted by the government for several charges, including "Inciting subversion of state power" under the National Security Law. He has been granted asylum in Germany in 2018 and has lived there ever since.

It was in early winter when I fled Hong Kong, started my life in exile in Germany. What was welcoming me here was the mercilessness of German winter-bitterly cold, drizzly and sunless.

Everything - the sky, air, and foreign faces - was just as melancholy as my mood. Nothing in my life was certain. It was this very moment at which I realised what disorientation truly means. I am sure many HongKongers are now undergoing the same phase of exile as I did.

However, it is important to remember that every cloud has a silver lining and the sacrifices we are all making will eventually pay off.

This phase would not last forever as at the end we will have to accept the undeniable fact that we could no longer go back to our beloved homeland until we won this struggle. There is no time for sentiment. The only thing we could do to accelerate the collapse of our enemy, is to carry on our fight even from a foreign country.

In the post-National Security Law era, more arbitrary arrests and prosecutions are expected. Hong Kong’s future seems to be as unbearable as German winter. However, let’s not forget: spring always follows winter.

Someday we will all celebrate the arrival of spring.

Follow us on

Written and edited by GSWHK Social Media Team.

Website: https://standwithhk.org/de/ Email: germanystandswithhk@gmail.com

PRESS HERE TO SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER