Vindication and change

Tonight I joined the annual June 4 candlelight vigil in Victoria Park for the first time. It was the 23rd anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre where hundreds, perhaps thousands of student activists lost their lives.

The event occurred at a volatile point in Hong Kong's history - just 8 years before she was due to be returned to her motherland. This rose a lot of questions over Hong Kong's future and whether it would still be safe for people to express their views, even if they conflicted those of the communists.

15 years since the handover, and the city is feeling the mainland's political influence more and more, such as when the Central Government Liaison Office was rumored to have influenced election committee members to vote for CY Leung for chief executive. In addition to political interference, other factors have contributed to anti-mainlander sentiment, such as pregnant mainland mothers delivering in Hong Kong and leeching off public resources; or how mainland tourists are stereotypically inconsiderate, loud, and have little respect for public hygiene.

A candle and a rose to commemorate the dead
iPad 3, Hipstamatic, Kaimal Mark II Lens, Ina's 1969 Film, No Flash

Despite these tensions, I could see from tonight that Hongkongers care very much about their motherland. At the vigil, which was attended by 180,000 people as estimated by the organizers, the impassioned songs and emotional speeches told me that the city practices a higher form of patriotism, one that mainlanders don't, or rather can't, that is striving for a better China.

As great as their differences may be, whether cultural or political, underneath it all, I believe most Chinese Hongkongers do want to identify with their mainland counterparts - they want to be proud of their race and their nation. Unfortunately, authoritarian politics and tragedies like June 4 make that rather difficult. With the world's largest population, China has the potential to be a world leader, not just in economics, but also in politics and human rights development. To see that China is not living up to this potential is a source of disappointment and frustration for many non-mainland-based Chinese.

Some across the border, particularly youth in the neighbouring Guangdong province where Hong Kong TV and radio transmissions can be received, have dismissed this strive for vindication and democracy as futile and have criticized activists for not moving on from the incident. However, I must disagree. These comments are ignorant of the fact that there is still potential for change in China.

Change rarely occurs without a stimulus. An object will maintain its velocity until a net force is applied onto it, the Magna Carta would not have been forced onto the King unless the barons didn't insist on it, and the United States of America would never have achieved independence if its people hadn't pushed for it. Similarly, only by continuous pressure by its people will China finally progress to become a democratic state, and one that respects human rights.

Moreover, events like this in Hong Kong serve as an example for mainlanders, that if you put enough pressure on the government, you might just get your way. For example, in the fishing village of Wukan, an uprising by its residents forced out the corrupt local government and they were able to democratically elect their own officials. Other villages are following suit and are beginning to stand up to their governments. These are the first steps on a long and hard journey to a democratic China.

Honoring Martyrs
iPad 3, Hipstamatic, John S Lens, Blanko Film, No Flash

In tonight's memorial, it feels that vindication of June 4 is less of a motive than striving for a real change for the better in Chinese politics. This is evident in the fact that increasingly politically aware youth who were born after the incident have been increasing in attendance of the vigil. They know nothing of the pain or frustration of the time, but they believe that each candle they light tonight adds just that much more pressure for democracy and change in China.

I find the dedication these people have to the vindication of the June 4 massacre and longing for true democracy in China to be very admirable. I truly pray that the martyrs which we honored tonight will not have died in vain.