鄧永鏘（DavidTang） 中國會、上海灘創辦人
Iabhorhumanrightsabuses.Idetesttorture.Iresentthelimitationsofcivicfreedom.Iloatheanypolicestate.AndIshunnaturalinjustice.IsaidasmuchonBBCTelevisioninLondonearlierthisweekwhenPresidentHuJin-taoarrivedforhisstatevisittoBritain.ButIamnotahumanrightsactivist.Idonotinvestigateabuses.IdonotregularlyreadaboutthefindingsoforganizationssuchasAmnestyInternational.That'sbecauseIamavulgarmerchant.Myvocationisinbusiness.AndIconcentratemylifearoundmybusinesses.Itdoesnotmean,however,thatIdonotcareaboutsuchbasicfreedomsashumanrights.Imostcertainlydo.Isympathize,andsympathizegreatly,withtheplightsofthoseunfortunateoneswhoseliveshavebeenmistreated.Soonthetelevisionprogramme,IstressedthistoanotherpanelistwhowasadistinguishedChinesedissident.
YetthepresenteraskedifdoingbusinesswiththeChineseregime,whichhas"theworld'sworstrecord"ofhumanrightsabuses,wasright.Myanswer,effectively,wasthatifwewanttochangetheregimeforthebetter,weneedtogettheChinesepopulationatlargetodoso.Chinaisavastcountry.Chinaoccupiesacentralpositioninworldpoliticsandeconomy.EngagementwithChinahastobethebestwaytomakeadifferencetoherpeople.Andtotheworld.Throughhereconomicboom,agreatnumberofChinesepeoplehaveimprovedtheirlivelihood.Theyhavealsobeenempoweredbyagreatersenseoffreedom.Thismattersagreatdealfortheywillbetheoneswhowillchangethecountry.Ofcoursetherearestillmillionswhoremaindisadvantaged.Butthenlifeisunfair.Itisfullofdilemmas.Wehavetodealwiththemeveryday.Becausetheyaredilemmas,thereareneveranysolutionsinthewaythattherearesolutionstomathematicalpropositions.Buthoperesides.Andoptimismiswhatspursusallontodothingsforthebetter.
Thereisalsoanotherpointaboutmoraluniversalization.Itchangeswhenitimpingesononeself.Iftomorrow,Godforbid,Iweretofindmywifeormydaughterarrestedandincarcerated,Iwoulddefinitelybehavedifferently.IwoulddropallmybusinessesanddoeverythingIpossiblycantofreethem.Iwouldprotest.Iwouldmarch.Iwouldshout.Iwouldriskpunishmentinordertoprocurejusticeforthem.Iwoulddieforthem.Butluckily,veryluckily,theyarefreeandleadacomfortablelife.SoItakethingsforgranted.Andthat'slife.Ifinthemeantime,Icarryonwithmybusinesslife,IdonotbelievethatIshouldbepresumedtobeuncaringandnotdoingenough.Myheartwouldalwaysgoouttothosewhohavebeenabused.
SoIadmirethoseactivistswhoactuallyexposethemselvestodangerforthecauseofothersandinthenameoffreedom.Atthesametime,theyshouldrealize,however,thatbeingconfrontationalcanoftenbecounter-productive.RememberWuerKaixi,thestudentleaderatTiananmenSquare?WhenLiPengreceivedhim,heworeapairofpyjamasandsatwithotherthuggish-lookingstudentsshoutingabusesandgenerallybehavingarrogantly.Hemightwellhavebeenqualifiedtodoso.Butitclearlyupsetthepremierwhothensentinthetanks.WuerKaixi'sbehaviour,inmymind,wascounter-productive.Ifhehadharanguedallthestudentsandpersuadedthemtoretreatafterhismeeting,hemightwellhavesowntheseedsofproperdemocracyinChina.ZhaoZi-yangmighthaveconsolidatedhispositionasasympatheticpartyleaderandcommandedconsiderablepeoplepower.Buttoday,weendupcommemoratingthedeadincludingZhaoZi-yang.Thisseminalexampleprovestomethatsometimes,itdoesnotpaytobeconfrontationalifwearemoreconcernedwiththeendratherthanthemeans.
ThesesoberingthoughtsmakeusrealizehowincrediblyfortunatewearewhenweliveinarelativelyfreeandcomfortablesocietysuchasHongKong.Sometimes,IwishedIcouldbecontentwithless,muchless,andhavethecourageanddedicationtohelpthoselessfortunate.AdamLindsayGordononcewroteanepitaphwhichIadore:-
"Lifeismostlyfrothandbubble,
Twothingsstandlikestone,
Kindnessinanother'strouble,
Courageinyourown."
P.S.TheSecretaryforCivilServicehaswrittentomeaboutmycauseforDownSyndrome.IplantopublishhisreplynextweektoshowhowourGovernmentthinksandacts.