On December 7th, Taiwan and Hong Kong residents gathered in Taipei to hold a rally and memorial service to reject oppressive laws and condemn the Hong Kong government. They put forward five demands to support the silenced people of Hong Kong who are seeking truth and requested a public investigation into the truth of the Hong Kong Fok Yuen Estate fire, as well as a thorough investigation into regulatory dereliction.
The fire at the Fok Yuen Estate in Tai Po, Hong Kong on November 26th has already resulted in the deaths of 159 people, with 31 still missing and 79 injured. Some Hong Kong residents have been arrested by the police for seeking the truth. The Taiwan-Hong Kong Association Chairman, Sang Samp, described it as a very tragic moment and criticized the government’s actions in response to the fire. He mentioned that the fire claimed lives while the government detained people, prioritizing the suppression of citizens over fire prevention. He emphasized that the incident reflects a systemic breakdown in Hong Kong, from exorbitant maintenance costs to malfunctioning alarm and sprinkler systems, as well as controversies involving officials deflecting blame to temporary structures. The actions of the Hong Kong government and the Chinese Communist Party are synonymous.
Exiled Hong Kong resident Fu Tang expressed that in a normal and healthy society, identifying responsibility and ensuring public safety are basic rights, but those in Hong Kong who dare to voice questions have been labeled as troublemakers, arrested, and silenced. He condemned the tyranny of the Hong Kong government’s actions, which seriously violate human rights and blatantly defy international human rights laws. He urged the Hong Kong government to immediately cease using oppressive laws against the people and to prevent interest groups from endangering the safety of Hong Kong residents.
Hong Kong scholar Xu Cheng’en, expressed deep sorrow for the displaced victims of the Hong Kong disaster. He believed that the Fok Yuen Estate fire was 100% man-made and questioned the use of non-compliant construction materials due to collusion between officials and businesses, condemning the mistreatment of Hong Kong residents as mere tools. He called on Taiwanese people to learn from the situation in Hong Kong and safeguard the frontline of freedom and democracy. While acknowledging that Taiwan is not perfect, as long as it remains a free and democratic country, there are opportunities to raise issues and improve the situation through civil society pressure.
Former deputy convener of the Civil Human Rights Front, Zheng Siju, noted that in the past, independent investigation committees were set up in Hong Kong to deal with major disasters, ensuring the safety of those involved. While some former high-ranking Hong Kong officials and overseas individuals have proposed an independent investigation into the Fok Yuen Estate fire, Hong Kong citizens who have similar demands face suppression, arrests, and silence. He called for international attention to the human rights situation in Hong Kong.
Feng Shaotian, Chairman of the Hong Kong Border Youth Association, emphasized that the significant loss of life in the Hong Kong fire is not just a source of mourning but also of grief and indignation. He criticized the government for preventing Hong Kong residents from seeking the truth and ignoring issues raised by various sectors, even going as far as using the National Security Law to arrest protesters for questioning, which is unimaginable for many.
Furthermore, Feng Shaotian pointed out that despite the tragedy, Hong Kong people still exhibit resilience in various forms, continuing to embody the “Hong Kong spirit.”
The organizers stated that they aimed to convey the silenced plight of the people of Hong Kong to the international community, urging continuous attention and presenting five demands: condemnation of the Hong Kong government’s abuse of the Hong Kong National Security Law to suppress people’s rights; proper resettlement of all affected victims; support for all silenced Hong Kong citizens seeking truth; a public investigation into the truth of the Tai Po Fok Yuen Estate fire; and a thorough investigation into the dereliction of duty by relevant officials and engineering supervision.
After the rally in Taipei, the Hong Kong residents in Taiwan held a memorial service inside the Jinan Church, where many came to mourn those who perished in the Hong Kong Fok Yuen Estate fire.