Australian Oblate Missionary Father John Wotherspoon is a philanthropist. He came to Hong Kong in 1985 and has since then ben involved in humanitarian service to the Hong Kong society and now serves as a prison chaplain. He shares his experiece in a violence-ridden Hong Kong.
The collapse of Hong Kong is continuing at exponential speed: vandals bring the city to standstill. Yesterday (October 7, Monday) before midday as I crossed the intersection of Nathan Road and Jordan Road to join two very special friends for a Yum Cha, I noticed the traffic and pedestrian lights were not working. With pedestrians running the gauntlet between buses, trucks and cars to cross the road…and vehicles blasting horns trying to force their way through the intersection…with not a few near-misses. I actually made a video of a police car going through the intersection, but not stopping to help the situation.
More than an hour later when I returned to the same place, after the Yum Cha, the situation was just as chaotic. So, I went home, got my trusty bush hat, and went back to the intersection as a volunteer traffic guide… for which, as the afternoon went on, many dozens of bus drivers and other drivers waved a thank you sign to me as they went past. Many pedestrians gave me bottles of water… from a few of which I took a few mouthfuls before putting the bottles at a crossing island.
After about 30 minutes a police car stopped and several policeman told me to stop. I said I’d be happy to stop if they would do the job. They asked me to get in their car. I declined and walked to a footpath. Then I went home for a drink and toilet break, then went back. Since the police was still not helping, I went back to work. Having a bus licence (in Australia and formerly in Hong Kong) I understand traffic and felt in no danger.
Just got tired after another 90 minute stint, with a cramp in my left foot. So I went again to the footpath. Providential timing! Within a minute another police car came and two polite officers and I had the same conversation as earlier. They told me to go. I said I would go if they would do their job. My left foot and tiredness decided on a trip home, where I had a shower and rest.
Violence just makes things worse. And this is a lesson that the Hong Kong government is just not getting. It caused the original peaceful protests by its crazy extradition amendment, and then by ignoring the peaceful protesters, the government bred violence, bred radical vandals, some of whom didn’t need much breeding. They were waiting for a chance to destroy Hong Kong.
About 6:30pm I went back to the intersection…as part of a prayer walk and was pleased to see four(!) traffic policemen on the job. But when I returned an hour later, they were just leaving…walking away from a dangerous situation.
So I ask myself, as on last night’s menu: why are police not on the job? Why are they letting vandals have hours of freedom to wreck MTR stations and smash shops? Some people say the authorities want to see Hong Kong in chaos so that the People’s Liberation Army can come in and restore order and the rule will be from Beijing. To this end, some people even say that some of the destruction is being done by undercover policemen…maybe from the mainland since some don’t speak Cantonese.
Some people say that while the vast majority of protesters are peaceful, there’s a small minority of radical vandals whose aim is anarchy.
So, the vandalising is maybe coming from more than one source, but it is turning one of the safest and most beautiful cities in the world into a place of destruction and despondency. I felt absolutely gutted last night as I walked down Nathan Road from Jordan Road to Waterloo Road, seeing the trail of destruction. And I noticed many groups of mainly young people in black carrying umbrellas (on a fine night) heading towards Mong Kok…trouble brewing there.
Violence just makes things worse. And this is a lesson that the Hong Kong government is just not getting. It caused the original peaceful protests by its crazy extradition amendment, and then by ignoring the peaceful protesters, the government bred violence, bred radical vandals, some of whom didn’t need much breeding. They were waiting for a chance to destroy Hong Kong.
Is this all a bad dream? If only. God, please help Hong Kong to get out of this mess and thwart the plans of the wicked.
Father Wotherspoon’s webpage: http://www.v2catholic.com
