Senator Ngo urges Canada to support the pro-democracy Hong Kong protestors

October 6, 2017

October 15, 2019: Today, Senator Thanh Hai Ngo issued the following statement regarding the pro-democracy Hong Kong protestors:

“After close to 6 months of protests, Hong Kong is on the verge of chaos because of the progressive failure of “the one country, two systems.”

As we idly observe the People’s Republic of China’s military massing at the border, everything possible must be done by Canadian private companies, organizations, and public officials to dissuade Beijing from escalating the violence, listen to the demands of the Hong Kong citizens, and free Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig from jail.

Our responsibility to stand up to the giant wave of abuse, censorship, intimidation, and gross human rights violations committed by the single ruling Chinese Communist Party reminds me of a post-World War 2 poem exhibited at the New England Holocaust Memorial in Boston, entitled First they came…, by Pastor Martin Niemöller, a Lutheran Minister, and an early Nazi Supporter who was later imprisoned for opposing Hitler’s Regime.

Inspired by Martin Niemöller’s words (left), I have written an adaptation of this poem (right) in honour of the pro-democracy Hong Kong protestors who have won the hearts and minds of people around the world.

 

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist

Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist

Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew

Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

 

 

 

 

  

First they came for the Tibetans
And we did not speak out
Because we were not Buddhist

Then they came for the students at Tiananmen Square
And we did not speak out
Because our liberty was not threatened

Then they came for the priests
And we did not speak out
Because we were not Christian

Then they came for the Falun Gong
And we did not speak out
Because our organs were not harvested

Then they came for the Uyghur Muslims
And we did not speak out
Because we were not forced into concentration camps

Now they come for the Hong Kong protestors
And we are not speaking out
Because profit is worth more than freedom

Soon they’ll come for us
And there will be no one left
To speak out for us

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First, they came for the Tibetans

And we did not speak out

Because we were not Buddhist