Hong Kong: Cardinal Tong calls for government to listen, citizens
to avoid violence
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| Protesters rally on the streets of Hong Kong (ANSA) |
With tensions in Hong Kong running high despite the
withdrawal of a controversial extradition bill, Cardinal John Tong invites
citizens to hope, avoid anger, and work toward harmony, and he asks the local
government to truly listen to the voice of disillusioned young people.
By Vatican News
In an exclusive interview with Vatican Radio, the Apostolic
Administrator of Hong Kong, Cardinal John Tong, lays out his hopes for the
people of his city.
The full text of the interview is below:
Cardinal Tong: In a recent radio program in Hong
Kong, I shared my thoughts and prayers with the people in Hong Kong. Even
today, I am deeply saddened by the unrest in Hong Kong, which shows little
signs of easing, but tensions continue to mount. I had three points to make:
First, hope over despair: I am not a politician
myself. I can by no means offer here any resolution to resolve the crisis. What
is happening now seems impossible to explain with common rationality. But I
trust God will accompany us through these difficult moments.
Over the past months, many Catholic faithful have asked me,
“Besides prayer, what else can we do?”. Prayer is not meant to change others,
but rather, as I believe, can convert our own hearts, enabling ourselves to
face the crises and to find hope.
We can take a deep breath, recalling some depressed moments,
and contemplate how we got through them and restored hope. Or, we can talk to
some well-trusted friends. This may be a way of finding consolation that can
guide us to move forward.
When our legitimate demands are not met, we may feel
frustrated. But do not despair. Despair keeps a person from looking to the
future, and it exhausts our lives.
Second, anger leads to hatred. Anger easily
generates hatred. With hatred, the human capability to discern right and wrong
will be lost, and one’s goodness of heart will diminish. Violence will be
aroused.
I firmly believe that violence produces violence. Brutality
definitely cannot resolve the current problems, but will only incite more risks
and threats of harm, and cause deeper wounds. The prominent Indian Mahatma
Gandhi and Nelson Mandela of South Africa adhered to the use of peaceful means
to fight against tyranny, and they gained worldwide applause.
Third, harmony in differences. We have a Chinese
saying that within the four seas all men and women are brothers and sisters.
This concurs with the values of the Christian faith. As all peoples come from
the same root, we are all human and have the same characteristics. We ought to
act out of our conscience and respect one another. This is one of the key
elements of the success of Hong Kong over the past years.
To restore harmony, a true and sincere response to public
opinion is a good policy. The primary task of today is to rebuild trust between
the government and the people, so that the cherished harmony in society can
manifest itself once again.
Q: What path would you propose to the people of Hong Kong
who are participating in the protests?
Cardinal Tong: Here are my words for the
local people: the responsibility falls on all of us. Many youngsters
appear to be anxious and worried due to the current social situation. I have
heartfelt compassion for their anxiety. The social issues have made them
perplexed and disillusioned. How can we help them come out of their
disillusionment?
All sectors of society, including the government
authorities, are shouldered with the responsibility to help them. I want to
plead with the local government to really listen to the voice of the people of
Hong Kong.
The law-enforcers must abide by the law, and must execute
the law with their consciences. In this way, the trust and reverence between
the authorities and the local people can then be rebuilt.
May God bless us all.
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