Majid Gafoor

Putting words on paper or on the computer screen is more than mere communication, it is an art. It conveys meanings, ideas, images, emotions, thoughts and illusions. It can be wielded in so many forms. It can make you laugh, cry, angry, intrigued or even feel a surge of love. It is no wonder that as early as 1839, the power of writing was celebrated by English author Edward Bulmer-Lytton, who coined the phrase, “The pen is mightier than the sword.”

People in Hong Kong, under colonial rule, were for the most part, apolitical. They just wanted to be left alone to make a good life for themselves. However, ever since the handover in 1997, there has been a growing movement for the citizens to exercise some sort of control over their own destiny.

Once upon a time there was a kingdom called Nland. It was ruled by a king who sent emissaries all over the world to discover new places where Nland could be further enriched. One day an emissary returned with the news of a new place called Hong.

In Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs, shelter runs second only to survival. It is a topic very much in the hearts of everyone who lives in Hong Kong right now. Anyone who has visited or lived in Hong Kong will believe the myth that it is very overcrowded and there is very little land available for development. It is a myth perpetrated by developers and silently aided and abetted by the government.

In my first article on the Hong Kong protests about the extradition bill, I had ended with:

Beijing may feel that the “One country, two systems” experiment has failed and decide that it may be best to have Hong Kong run like a province of China. This, Beijing can achieve with a mere stroke of a brush.

Never has the world faced such a cruel foe, so deadly and so unfeeling. It recognizes no borders. It does not discriminate between women, children or the elderly. It runs rampant through cultures, race, religion and political affiliations. In other words, it is an evil unto itself.

Now that the protests in Hong Kong have gone on for eight months and counting, it is perhaps time to take a closer look at what the fuss is all about. The initial impetus – objection to the extradition bill is long gone. The bill is dead, but the protests remain very much alive.

Two men turn up for the business meeting of a corporation. One arrives in a Mercedes in a designer suit, checks his gold watch and enters. The other turns up in an old sedan, wears an unassuming suit with no tie and walks in wearing running shoes.

Am I my brother’s keeper?

In the Bible, in the story of Cain and Abel, we are asked, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” In today’s age with the pursuit of personal pleasures and instant gratification, we often forget that no man is an island and we are surrounded by our brothers and sisters – of mankind. So, yes, to answer the question, we ARE our brother’s keeper.

How do you define a civilized society? It is one where you can go about your business without interference or harassment. You have freedom of movement and can pursue gainful activities to support yourself and your family. You feel no fear or intimidation from others because you know there are laws to protect you.

By Majid Gafoor Back

There is a saying, “Spare the rod and spoil the child”. That is the maxim that my parents and those of previous generations had followed. Indeed, it was carried over to teachers of the old order who felt that a caning now and again was necessary to get the message across.

When the people in Hong Kong took to the streets in June to protest the introduction of the extradition bill, I applauded their action. The bill posed a challenge to the unique “One country, two systems” formula for Hong Kong under the Basic Law, the mini constitution.