【Joshua Wong speaking to the Italian Senate】#意大利國會研討會演說 —— 呼籲世界在大學保衛戰一週年後與香港人站在同一陣線
中文、意大利文演說全文:https://www.patreon.com/posts/44167118
感謝開創未來基金會(Fondazione Farefuturo)邀請,讓我透過視像方式在意大利國會裡舉辦的研討會發言,呼籲世界繼續關注香港,與香港人站在同一陣線。
意大利作為絕無僅有參與一帶一路發展的國家,理應對中共打壓有更全面的理解,如今正值大學保衛戰一週年,以致大搜捕的時刻,當打壓更為嚴峻,香港更需要世界與我們同行。
為了讓各地朋友也能更了解香港狀況,我已在Patreon發佈當天演說的中文、英文和意大利文發言稿,盼望在如此困難的時勢裡,繼續讓世界知道我們未曾心息的反抗意志。
【The Value of Freedom: Burning Questions for Hong Kongers】
Good morning. I have the privilege today to share some of my thoughts and reflections about freedom, after taking part in social activism for eight years in Hong Kong. A movement calling for the withdrawal of the extradition law starting from last year had escalated into a demand for democracy and freedom. This city used to be prestigious for being the world’s most liberal economy, but now the infamous authoritarian government took away our freedom to election, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression and ideas.
Sometimes, we cannot avoid questioning the cause we are fighting for, the value of freedom. Despite a rather bleak prospect, why do we have to continue in this struggle? Why do we have to cherish freedom? What can we do to safeguard freedom at home and stay alert to attacks on freedom? In answering these questions, I hope to walk through three episodes in the previous year.
Turning to 2020, protests are not seen as frequently as they used to be on the media lens, partly because of the pandemic, but more importantly for the authoritarian rule. While the world is busy fighting the pandemic, our government took advantage of the virus to exert a tighter grip over our freedom. Putting the emergency laws in place, public assemblies in Hong Kong were banned. Most recently, a rally to support press freedom organized by journalists was also forbidden. While many people may ask if it is the end of street activism, ahead of us in the fight for freedom is another battleground: the court and the prison.
Freedom Fighters in Courtrooms and in Jail
Part of the huge cost incurred in the fight for freedom and democracy in Hong Kong is the increasing judicial casualties. As of today, more than 10 thousand people have been arrested since the movement broke out, more than a hundred of them are already locked up in prison. Among the 2,300 protestors who are prosecuted, 700 of them may be sentenced up to ten years for rioting charges.
Putting these figures into context, I wish to tell you what life is like, as a youngster in today’s Hong Kong. I was humbled by a lot of younger protestors and students whose exceptional maturity are demonstrated in courtrooms and in prison. What is thought to be normal university life is completely out of the question because very likely the neighbour next door or the roommate who cooked you lunch today will be thrown to jail on the next.
I do prison visits a few times a month to talk to activists who are facing criminal charges or serving sentences for their involvement in the movement. It is not just a routine of my political work, but it becomes my life as an activist. Since the movement, prison visits has also become the daily lives of many families.
But it is always an unpleasant experience passing through the iron gates one after one to enter the visitors’ room, speaking to someone who is deprived of liberty, for a selflessly noble cause. As an activist serving three brief jail terms, I understand that the banality of the four walls is not the most difficult to endure in jail. What is more unbearable is the control of thought and ideas in every single part of our daily routine enforced by the prison system. It will diminish your ability to think critically and the worst of it will persuade you to give up on what you are fighting for, if you have not prepared it well. Three years ago when I wrote on the first page of prison letters, which later turned into a publication called the ‘Unfree Speech’, I was alarmed at the environment of the prison cell. Those letters were written in a state in which freedom was deprived of and in which censorship was obvious. It brings us to question ourselves: other than physical constraints like prison bars, what makes us continue in the fight for freedom and democracy?
Mutual Support to activists behind-the-scene
The support for this movement is undiminished over these 17 months. There are many beautiful parts in the movement that continue to revitalise the ways we contribute to this city, instead of making money on our own in the so-called global financial centre. In particular, it is the fraternity, the mutual assistance among protestors that I cherished the most.
As more protestors are arrested, people offer help and assistance wholeheartedly -- we sit in court hearings even if we don’t know each other, and do frequent prison visits and write letters to protesters in detention. In major festivals and holidays, people gathered outside the prison to chant slogans so that they won’t feel alone and disconnected. This is the most touching part to me for I also experienced life in jail.
The cohesion, the connection and bonding among protestors are the cornerstone to the movement. At the same time, these virtues gave so much empowerment to the mass public who might not be able to fight bravely in the escalating protests. These scenes are not able to be captured by cameras, but I’m sure it is some of the most important parts of Hong Kong’s movement that I hope the world will remember.
I believe this mutual support transcends nationality or territory because the value of freedom does not alter in different places. More recently, Twelve Hongkong activists, all involved in the movement last year, were kidnapped by China’s coastal guard when fleeing to Taiwan for political refugee in late-August. All of them are now detained secretly in China, with the youngest aged only 16. We suspect they are under torture during detention and we call for help on the international level, putting up #SAVE12 campaign on twitter. In fact, how surprising it is to see people all over the world standing with the dozen detained protestors for the same cause. I’m moved by activists in Italy, who barely knew these Hong Kong activists, even took part in a hunger strike last month calling for immediate release of them. This form of interconnectivity keeps us in spirit and to continue our struggle to freedom and democracy.
Understanding Value of freedom in the university battle
A year ago on this day, Hong Kong was embroiled in burning clashes as the police besieged the Polytechnic University. It was a day we will not forget and this wound is still bleeding in the hearts of many Hong Kongers. A journalist stationed in the university at that time once told me that being at the scene could only remind him of the Tiananmen Square Massacre 31 years ago in Beijing. There was basically no exit except going for the dangerous sewage drains.
That day, thousands of people, old or young, flocked to districts close to the university before dawn, trying to rescue protestors trapped inside the campus. The reinforcements faced grave danger too, for police raided every corner of the small streets and alleys, arresting a lot of them. Among the 800+ arrested on a single day, 213 people were charged with rioting. For sure these people know there will be repercussions. It is the conscience driving them to take to the streets regardless of the danger, the conscience that we should stand up to brutality and authoritarianism, and ultimately to fight for freedoms that are guaranteed in our constitution. As my dear friend, Brian Leung once said, ‘’Hong Kong Belongs to Everyone Who Shares Its Pain’’. I believe the value of freedom is exemplified through our compassion to whom we love, so much that we are willing to sacrifice the freedom of our own.
Defending freedom behind the bars
No doubt there is a terrible price to pay in standing up to the Beijing and Hong Kong government. But after serving a few brief jail sentences and facing the continuing threat of harassment, I learnt to cherish the freedom I have for now, and I shall devote every bit what I have to strive for the freedom of those who have been ruthlessly denied.
The three episodes I shared with you today -- the courtroom, visiting prisoners and the battle of university continue to remind me of the fact that the fight for freedom has not ended yet. In the coming months, I will be facing a maximum of 5 years in jail for unauthorized assembly and up to one ridiculous year for wearing a mask in protest. But prison bars would never stop me from activism and thinking critically.
I only wish that during my absence, you can continue to stand with the people of Hong Kong, by following closely to the development, no matter the ill-fated election, the large-scale arrest under National Security Law or the twelve activists in China. To defy the greatest human rights abusers is the essential way to restore democracy of our generation, and the generation following us.
.................
💪小額支持我的獨家分析及文章:https://bit.ly/joshuawonghk
╭────────────────╮
╞🌐https://twitter.com/joshuawongcf
╞📷https://www.instagram.com/joshua1013
╞📧joshua@joshuawongcf.com
╞💬https://t.me/joshuawonghk
╰────────────────╯
同時也有2部Youtube影片,追蹤數超過24萬的網紅Kyle Le Dot Net,也在其Youtube影片中提到,This is not the end of Vietnam videos! Good news! When I left Vietnam in early March (when this video was filmed) I never thought I would be returnin...
what to do on world refugee day 在 Alena Murang Facebook 的精選貼文
Happy birthday Rav 💖 Here’s a story. I met Rav and the boys of Diplomats of Drum at Rainforest World Music Festival around 2008. Four years later I was sitting at my desk as part of a mgmt consultant team for an aeroplane engineering project (MRO, SAPs 😳), and this new guy on the team (Rav) sits opposite me, says “woi, you don’t remember me ah?”. It took us a couple of years to leave PwC, I went to art school in Singapore. Finishing my course in 2014 I had no idea what I was going to do, and Rav invited me to join Diplomats of Drum on their USA tour. The experience was heart-bursting, mind-blowing, humbling. We played in neighbourhoods with the highest gun crime rate in the US (Southside Chicago), World Music Fest Chicago, universities - the largest pep rally in the US!, community halls, refugee centres, kids music lessons, hippy communes, a full church, we taught joget in a library, shared bill with @yunamusic , cooked Malaysian food for people who had never seen Asians before 🔹 With Rav’s sudden passing, many of us thought it was too soon for him to go. Diplomats of Drum was his vision of bringing together musicians of different race and religion to play music together and be ambassadors of unity. He believed that people were manipulating words to gain power and ego, and that music and the beat of the drum could garner peace. His vision was far bigger than any of us. My trip to the US set me off in my career as a musician (I wanted to be a painter!). I believe he quietly saw that potential in me, so I owe it to him to continue using my music to bridge understanding. Today is also International Day of Peace ✌🏽 Love, Peace, Happiness & Unity. We’ll be releasing a music video soon, with footage from our tour🎶 Even when I travel the world now, I meet people who knew Rav as a world class drummer. @altimet @daddyeddy @dreamdroner @satpaldhillon @tailolee @muhammadabdulkarim @bobonawawi @randomliy_ @mohawkevolution @ravster86 @diplomatsofdrum @theofficialjett @charlesboey @faliqauri
what to do on world refugee day 在 Kyle Le Dot Net Youtube 的精選貼文
This is not the end of Vietnam videos! Good news! When I left Vietnam in early March (when this video was filmed) I never thought I would be returning so soon. That's right, I'm coming back during the summer for 1 month only to film more content. I am only visiting and have no plans to move back. I was given an opportunity a few weeks ago through a flight sponsorship to film a documentary about a boat refugee story that is quite compelling. There's someone out there who really enjoyed my boat refugee videos and want their story told. It's as simple as that. If I could get these stories on a mainstream site, like the Huff Post, I feel like I've done what little I could to preserve Vietnamese history through oral history. If we don't record history, it'll be lost forever. I was unsure but with the approval of my parents, I'm going to accept this blessing and opportunity. Hard work pays off in ways you could never imagine it. Plus, I felt incomplete towards the end of my stay in Vietnam because I couldn't film as many documentaries as possible, including one about my grandmother. In order for me to truly begin something new, I have to finish what I started. I feel very "unfinished" right now. I just ran out of time from having to edit so much. In the past two months I've met so many of you and to hear your support and love for Vietnam videos, made me feel like it was my duty to delay reality a little longer so I could present more content. In other words, a month of my time can equate to two or three months worth of videos that many people can enjoy. I don't miss Vietnam and I'm happier since leaving, but I'm excited to get back to see Vietnam from a slightly different perspective as a tourist and not as someone living there. During the summer, a lot of familiar faces and featured guests will also be there, so it would be very fitting to be there as well. I can't wait to see my friends and family again. There are other opportunities that also came up that allowed me to make this decision, but you will see them at a later time. This is kind of a redemption trip for me where I can tie up all the loose strings and feelings of incompleteness that I've felt since leaving. Again, I want to emphasize that I'm happy and fine since leaving. There's no yearning to move away from America right now, but I do have a passion to create a few more Vietnam videos. I don't really care much about the famous places as I have been to most of them, but this time it's more about telling stories. I will have some travel vlogs as usual, but I want to focus more on short documentaries. Again, thank you for everyone who wrote me messages the past few days. Nothing much has changed in life, I'm currently in SoCal just editing videos like crazy every day. You will love the Vietnamese diaspora content coming up and the limited run Vietnam content coming in the near future. So my question to you is, and probably for the last time is, what would you like to see in Vietnam?
My biggest regret when it comes to living in Vietnam for over 5 years is the fact that I worked too hard, especially on weekends, and didn't have a chance to spend more time with my family. I was too tired from work to make the drive and I didn't want to displace anyone from their rooms. I didn't want to bother them or I was annoyed of their antics and opinions. It was also very hot most of the time as few of my relatives actually have AC in common areas. Towards the end of my sojourn, I visited them more often and thus we got closer towards the end. I will return soon to spend more time with them and to film more content from Vietnam for you guys!
Subscribe Now for MORE Videos: https://goo.gl/tMnTmX
New T Shirts are here: http://www.kyleledotnet.zibbet.com
Help me make more videos: http://www.patreon.com/kylele
Sign Up for Exclusive Content and to Keep in touch with me! https://madmimi.com/signups/172747/join
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About Me: I'm Kyle Le and I used to live, travel, and eat in Vietnam and many Asian countries. I'm passionate about making videos and sharing modern Asia to the world. I've traveled everywhere in Vietnam, from Hanoi to Saigon - Far North, Central Highlands, Islands, and Deep Mekong Delta - I've visited there. In addition to 15+ countries from Indonesia to Thailand to Singapore, you'll find all of my food, tourist attractions, and daily life experiences discovering my roots in the motherland on this amazing journey right on this channel. So be sure to subscribe- there's new videos all the time and connect with me on social media below so you don't miss any adventures.
---------------------------------------------------------------
More Info: http://www.KyleLe.net
Like: Facebook: http://www.fb.com/KyleLe.net
Follow: Instagram and Snapchat @KyleLeDotNet
Original Music by Antti Luode.
Filmed with a Panasonic G7 14-140mm. 15mm
Audio from a Shure VP38F
what to do on world refugee day 在 Kento Bento Youtube 的最佳解答
Official Kento Bento Merch: https://standard.tv/kentobento
Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/kentobento
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kentobento2015
Facebook: https://facebook.com/kentobento2015
Business Inquiries: kentobento@standard.tv
Other videos you may like:
These Events Will Happen in Asia in 2020: https://youtu.be/qrataK7FxRA
How Would You Take Down North Korea? (The 7 Choices) https://youtu.be/VM_fzaWAybw
How North Korea Held the Greatest Pro Wrestling Event in History: https://youtu.be/U_ZkqfSpbg4
The $1,000,000,000 North Korean Bank Heist: https://youtu.be/Usu9z0feHug
How Macau Became North Korea's Base of Operations: https://youtu.be/BQ5x8riJ6SA
How This Lake in Northwest Asia Got Deadlier Than Chernobyl: https://youtu.be/SQCfOjhguO0
Music:
Ross Bugden: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQKGLOK2FqmVgVwYferltKQ
Brandon Maahs: brandonmaahs.com
Channel Description:
We do videos on intriguing & thought-provoking Asiany topics, including stereotypes, history, culture & geography.
Credits:
Research, Script, Narration & Video Editing by Kento Bento
Artwork by Nina Bento
————————————————————————————————————————
[HOW WOULD YOU ESCAPE NORTH KOREA? (THE 7 CHOICES)]
If you were living in North Korea right now - trying to survive on a diet of rats, grass, soil and tree bark, quenching your thirst by drinking out of mud puddles in the ground - what would you do?
There's also the conceivable chance of being sent to a political prison camp for years on end just because you innocently thought out loud one day to a bunch of friends (North Korean propaganda is strong), where you are then beaten, tortured, and left so hungry that you are forced to dig and consume the grains out of faeces, or the maggots from dead bodies just so you have the energy to perhaps last one more day.
You'd probably wanna escape. But how?
The North Korean government in Pyongyang refuses to let its citizens leave, a clear violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, viewing North Korean defectors as traitorous criminals. Captured North Koreans would be subject to unimaginable torture and often public executions.
If they are successful in their escape, then three to four generations of their family back home would be sent to North Korean prison camps to rot ....or worse. This is a strong deterrent.
But this still doesn't stop desperate North Koreans from tempting fate. In this video, I'll go over the seven ways to escape the DPRK, including the most dangerous, the most unforgiving, the most unique, and the most unexpected.
The North Korean border on the south side (ie. South Korean border / Korean DMZ) is the shortest distance to travel for safety and stability but as a result, the regime makes it dangerously hard. A North Korean escapee can be shot down by North Korean soldiers (border guards) or step on the many landmines in the area.
The northern border to China has it's own set of challenges. Most North Korean refugees escape through this way, usually crossing the Tumen River border (like the famous North Korean defector Hyeonseo Lee). Once in China, the nightmare doesn't end there.
There are also other, more unconventional ways you can try to escape such as through North Korean labor camps.
Even if you make it to safety and resettle in a stable country, the North Korean regime will still try to hunt you down, so you're never truly safe. Especially if you're an outspoken critic or a threat to Kim Jong-un's power - just ask his half brother, Kim Jong-nam.
Sources:
https://web.archive.org/web/20070303203248/http://www.hrnk.org/refugeesReport06.pdf
http://bushcenter.imgix.net/legacy/gwb_north_korea_executive_summary_r4.pdf
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/16/world/asia/north-korean-soldier-braves-dmz-to-defect-to-south.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/11033003/North-Korean-pair-swim-across-sea-border-to-defect-to-South-Korea.html
http://time.com/4205785/london-new-malden-north-korean-refugees/