Hong Kong Cardinal: Violence
is not the solution to crisis
 |
| Proresters gather in central Hong Kong (ANSA) |
Cardinal John Tong Hon appeals against violence in Hong
Kong, and calls on the government and citizens to rebuild mutual trust.
By Devin Watkins
The Apostolic Administrator of Hong Kong is urging increasingly-violent
demonstrators to regain their inner peace and to carry out protests peacefully.
Cardinal John Tong Hon sent his appeal in an open letter to
local citizens on October 11th.
The Cardinal says he is deeply pained by the worsening
situation in the city.
Hope over despair
He acknowledges he is not a politician, and so declines to
offer a solution to the crisis.
But he does express his hope that God will help the people
of Hong Kong to overcome “this period of repeated disorders”.
“When our legitimate requests are not accepted, we may feel
disappointed,” Cardinal Tong says. But, he adds, “you must not lose hope, for
despair blurs our gaze towards the future, draining our lives.”
Anger leads to hate
Hong Kong’s Cardinal says anger leads to hate, which
“consumes our ability to distinguish between good and evil, destroying goodness
and causing violence.”
“I firmly believe that violence is not the solution to the
current problem, but only causes deeper and deeper wounds,” he says.
Rather, Cardinal Tong offers Gandhi and Nelson Mandela as
models who “have carried out peaceful protests against tyranny”.
Harmony in difference
Hong Kong has thrived, he adds, because of its people’s
ability to respect each other’s differences.
Cardinal Tong says harmony can be rebuilt, “only by
responding to the demands of citizens.”
The government and citizens must work to rebuild mutual
trust, he notes.
“I feel deep sorrow when I see young people anxious and
worried because of the current social situation,” says Cardinal Tong, “because
they not only represent our future but also our present.”
Everyone’s responsibility
Finally, the Cardinal calls on all social classes and
authorities to ease young people’s concerns and find a way out of the impasse.
“I urge the government to listen carefully to the cry of
Hong Kong citizens,” he concludes, “those in power must apply and respect the
law conscientiously, restoring the trust and respect of the citizens towards
them.”
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