Can you hear us, Donald?

Scholars in support of the preservation of Star Ferry Pier

The people of Hong Kong have spoken and their demand for the preservation of the Star Ferry Pier has not stopped during the last few months. Initially, the movement was started by some dedicated citizens, professionals and local community groups, but it has since evolved into city-wide movement that includes university students, academics and ordinary Hong Kong citizens. More recently, a group of students and local citizens had embarked on their own hunger strike to signal their demand for the government to stop the demolition of the Star Ferry Pier.

These actions show that Hong Kong people are not indifferent to culture. They care about their own history and wish to participate in the planning of public space. Unfortunately, their voices have fallen on deaf ears. The government officials not only refused to consider the alternative proposals put forward by the professional groups, they also refused public demand to put the demolition on hold and discuss further over the fate of the Star Ferry Pier.

It is obvious that serious mistakes have been made in the planning process on the issue of re-development of the Star Ferry Pier and its surrounding area. On the one hand, the public consultation conducted by the government only focused on zoning regulation of the area; the public was never been properly informed or consulted on demolition of the iconic Star Ferry Pier. On the other hand, the Antiquities Advisory Board has expressed views in favour of preserving the Star Ferry Pier, but their opinions were brushed aside by the government. If anything the recent response from our officials had exposed the governmentp's utter inability to comprehend the meaning and essence of culture, social memory and the preservation of heritage.

The participants of the Save the Star Ferry Pier movement tried various methods, including acts of civil disobedience, in an attempt to put the demolition on hold. However, the government chose to react to the situation by sending out large police forces to the scene, arresting protesters and cordoned off the site. To add insult to injury, the government bypassed normal procedure to obtain a special permit to speed up demolition. This completely contradicts Mr. Donald Tsang's promise in his policy address that he would put "people first". This is also not an action that would be undertaken by any responsible government.

As a part of the post-secondary education sector, we would of course like to see the citizens of Hong Kong respect and care for our culture and history, so that Hong Kong as a city can have an open milieu conducive to the nurturing of creativity, and the cultural awareness of this generation of Hong Kong people and of the next will be enhanced and activated. But seeing how the government had trampled over Hong Kong culture and how the voice of those whose wished to preserve their history were brutally ignored, we have little choice but to raise our views as intellectuals. We thereby urge our Chief Executive Donald Tsang:

• To immediately halt the destruction of the Star Ferry Pier and preserve the building in its original location;
• To put "people first" as promised in the policy address and to initiate direct communication with the people; and
• To drop charges against all protesters, who merely want to protect the Star Ferry Pier with acts of civil disobedience.

Initial signatories:

Cheung Chiu-hung Fernando Chan Ching-kiu Stephen Hung Wing-tat Ho Chi-kwan Szeto May Mirana
Hui Po-keung Ip Iam-chong Tsang Tak-ping Kith Chan Ka-lok Kenneth Wong Ying-kay Ada
Chong Chan-yau Yeung Yeung

17 December 2006