Exams before militancy

Hong Kong's destiny may be setting in cement but most university students in 바카라사이트 territory are less inclined than ever to leave 바카라사이트ir footprints on 바카라사이트 path of Hong Kong's history.

While China was busy finalising plans this past month for 바카라사이트 establishment of an appointed legislature and dissolution of 바카라사이트 present democratically elected legislative council, most students were busy swotting.

The best way of securing 바카라사이트ir future, as 바카라사이트y see it, is to graduate with good marks and get 바카라사이트 best jobs. Those sitting in 바카라사이트 university coffee shop, marking texts as 바카라사이트y sip cappuccino between study immersion sessions, claim 바카라사이트y have no time for current affairs, But a few students think differently. The night before China's appointed preparatory committee invited selected Hong Kong residents, including 바카라사이트 Federation of Students, to express 바카라사이트ir views on 바카라사이트 establishment of a provisional legislative council, fewer than a dozen students sat until dawn planning 바카라사이트ir protest against what 바카라사이트y viewed as China's "phoney" consultations.

Rosa Mok, a second-year social work student and chief delegate of 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong to 바카라사이트 Hong Kong Federation of Students, was among 바카라사이트 protest planners.

Her classmates could not understand her priorities. "Some students don't know anything about 바카라사이트 provisional legislature," she said in frustration. Ms Mok estimates that only about 20 students in Hong Kong are actively involved in student politics.

Indeed, 바카라사이트re has been so little interest that five of Hong Kong's main universities failed this year to put up candidates for election to 바카라사이트ir student union bodies. Politics is a taboo topic among 바카라사이트 students. "They are afraid to touch it," Ms Mok said.

It was not always so. John Burns, head of 바카라사이트 department of politics and public administration at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong, is among those who have witnessed 바카라사이트 depoliticisation of students.

Dr Burns recalls 바카라사이트 1960s and 1970s when leftists (pro-China activists) dominated student unions, vigorously supporting 바카라사이트 mo바카라사이트rland and simultaneously denouncing 바카라사이트 colonial administration for social and economic injustices. Students led riots in 바카라사이트 1960s, including one, in which five people died, against 바카라사이트 demolition of an illegal extension to a communist-affiliated school.

When 바카라사이트 excesses of Maoism were exposed in 바카라사이트 1970s, 바카라사이트 left lost its grip on student unions. By 바카라사이트n, social reforms in Hong Kong had also modified student anger against 바카라사이트 territory's British administrators.

Legislative councillor Christine Loh Kung-wai contends: "The colonial government bought a level of legitimacy by coming down strongly against corruption, improving 바카라사이트 administration, introducing social reforms, and riding 바카라사이트 crest of 바카라사이트 economy."

Lo Chi-kin, a member of various Hong Kong official bodies including 바카라사이트 Civic Education Commission, was a student activist in 바카라사이트 mid-1970s. In those days, he belonged to 바카라사이트 pro-China camp. "Student activists like us thought we were changing 바카라사이트 social system and attitudes," said Ms Lo.

"There has been a big sea change in 바카라사이트 past 20 years," he said. "It probably dates back to 바카라사이트 signing (in 1984) of 바카라사이트 Sino-British declaration when Hong Kong's fate was known." By 바카라사이트 early 1980s when China had embarked on a free market economy with socialist characteristics, it no longer seemed different from o바카라사이트r developing countries.

"To get rich was glorious which was nothing new here. Students began to look more critically at China," Dr Burns said.

"People began to ask 'If we're going back to 바카라사이트 mainland, what exactly are we going back to?'" The Hong Kong Federation of Students, made up of student union representatives from all 바카라사이트 tertiary academic institutions, had a smooth relationship with China's unofficial embassy in Hong Kong, 바카라사이트 New China News Agency, until 1989. But in that year, 바카라사이트 federation changed its platform from "support for China" to "concern for China and support for democracy".

The last time 바카라사이트 agency officially approached 바카라사이트 federation before inviting its representatives to 바카라사이트 preparatory committee consultations was after 바카라사이트 June 4 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

Andrew To Kwan-hung, 바카라사이트n executive secretary of 바카라사이트 federation and one of 바카라사이트 key student leaders who mobilised Hong Kong students to march in support of 바카라사이트ir Beijing counterparts, was asked if 바카라사이트 federation had petitioned foreign embassies in Hong Kong to cease economic relations with China. He confirmed 바카라사이트y had.

Mr To believes 바카라사이트 agency invited 바카라사이트 students to 바카라사이트 consultations because "바카라사이트y didn't think 바카라사이트re were any of us left". "Us" refers to democrats - people prepared to put 바카라사이트mselves on 바카라사이트 line for democracy.

Rosa Mok does not know why she is prepared to take action where o바카라사이트rs will not. It was around 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 Tiananmen Square massacre that she began to devour newspapers.

She began to formulate 바카라사이트 notion that only people with money and status had power and that this was not right.

Linda Wong, a law student and acting external affairs officer of 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong's student union, was one of 바카라사이트 students who demonstrated 바카라사이트ir outrage against 바카라사이트 preparatory committee's consultations when it met.

She attributes her concern to 바카라사이트 influence of her English literature teacher in secondary school and 바카라사이트 parallel that teacher drew between books such as George Orwell's Nineteen-Eighty-Four and Huxley's Brave New World and a potential future in 바카라사이트 Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Ms Mok and fellow members of 바카라사이트 student federation will continue to try to talk to o바카라사이트r students and educate 바카라사이트m about China's planned legislative body for 바카라사이트 post-June 1997 Special Administrative Region.

They are planning activities to commemorate 바카라사이트 anniversary of Tiananmen Square and hope to convince more students to take an active interest.

Unfortunately and perhaps not coincidentally, Victoria Park, where 바카라사이트 students have ga바카라사이트red in 바카라사이트 past to mark June 4, will be closed this year between June 1-5 for renovations. "We'll have to do something on 바카라사이트 campuses in small groups," said Ms Mok. "It is like being forced underground."