[asia-apec 1673] HK: Signature campaign against the conferment of an honorary doctorate on Lee Kuan Yew

[Kevin Yuk-shing Li]

Signature campaign against the conferment of an honorary doctorate on Lee Kuan
Yew 
by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)

We are deeply perturbed by the conferment of an honorary doctorate degree this
year by The Chinese University of Hong Kong on Lee Kuan Yew.

Lee Kuan Yew is a notorious dictator in Singapore who rose to power during the
decolonization of Southeast Asia in the 1960's. He exploited the massive
opposition against British colonialism by posing initially as a leftist. On
assuming power, he consolidated it by making an about turn and spearheaded
attacks on Communism in the Cold War. In any case, he had never wholeheartedly
accepted the values of freedom and democracy.

Lee's authoritarian paternalism has deprived Singapore of true democracy in
spite of regular general elections. The rule of law is little more than a
facade as the ruling party has constantly abused it to crush dissent. The
country might have enjoyed economic growth in the past, but its people have
been largely silenced for fear of Lee's arbitrary rule. Press freedom has been
curtailed, opposition parties and voices severely suppressed, and the people's
daily life controlled by the omnipresent government power.

The Chinese University has always purported to shoulder the ideals and
missions of Chinese education. But it was precisely under Lee Kuan Yew's rule
when Nanyang University, established after the ideals of Chinese education,
had been forced to close down, so that dissident voices among Chinese educated
students could be stamped out. Soon, Chinese primary and secondary schools
contracted into obliteration in Singapore. One wonders how The Chinese
University evaluated this part of history as it decided to confer the honorary
degree on Lee. Also, in crowning him with the highest honour of a university,
does The Chinese University approve of and hold in high esteem Lee's political
values of pseudo-democracy and the denial of human rights?

The Chinese University has never before conferred honorary degrees on any
foreign political figures. But then there is no lack of outstanding political
leaders who espouse democracy in Asia. Why should The Chinese University grant
its highest honour to such a notorious authoritarian politician in such haste,
three years after Hong Kong's return to China? Here, when political
conservatism is becoming more rampant by the day, big wigs and high officials
have been refering to Singapore as a model. We are deeply concerned that, amid
this adverse current, the academic honour of our universities may be turned
into cheap political instrument to herald the coming of
authoritarian rule in the SAR.

We cannot allow values to be twisted around so as to cherish the wrong as if
it were right. The Chinese University must not rub salt at the deep wounds
inflicted on those who have fought for freedom and democracy in the Lion City.
In the name of social conscience and international solidarity, we are making
this protest statement as an expression and evidence of our discontent. We
hereby call upon the people of Hong Kong to treasure human rights, freedom,
and the values of an open society, and never to revere the example of a Lee
Kuan Yew.

November 2000

Signed by a group of CUHK students, staff and alumni


Petition to CUHK: Say No to Lee Kuan Yew (in Chinese)
http://go.to/sayno-lky/

For CUHK alumni:
http://ns18.newsbook.net/%7Ejimmywong/cgi-bin/anti-lky/CuCampaign.pl?Sign_Form

For other public:
http://ns18.newsbook.net/%7Ejimmywong/cgi-bin/anti-lky/Campaign.pl?Sign_Form