Talented citizens have had enough of racist SAR
I am deeply concerned about the problem of racial discrimination in Hong Kong.
I sympathise with everyone in the SAR who is a victim of racism, especially members of ethnic minorities.
I became more keenly aware of the problem when I read in the Chinese press about the difficulties experienced by a Form Five student of Indian origin. She has sufficient points from her Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination to go on to Form Six. However, because she is so sick of the racial discrimination she has suffered here, she has decided to continue her academic studies in Canada and after completing them will not return to Hong Kong.
She said that when she went out with her family they would be insulted by shopkeepers. She has had enough.
This is supposed to be a highly developed centre of international finance and yet we keep hearing of cases of people of darker complexions being rejected or badly treated by Hong Kong people.
They find they are refused flats they want to rent by racist landlords and rejected by potential employers, or by schools when their children are trying to find a place for the next term.
The Government must enact legislation outlawing racial discrimination. We want to import talented people from abroad. But how can we hope to attract them unless we can offer them certain legal safeguards? In general Caucasians are shown more respect, while people with darker complexions are discriminated against. Can anyone explain to me the logic behind this attitude?
I am really worried about the future of our city.
The schoolgirl I mentioned earlier had said if it wasn't for racism, she would be happy to continue living in Hong Kong.
She would have been able to make a valuable contribution to this society. I am afraid that unless the Government acts, we are going to lose more talented people like her who are disappointed with our attitudes. They will be welcomed with open arms in developed nations like the United States and Canada. We will be the losers.
Hong Kong cannot be regarded as a genuine international city until it enacts laws against racial discrimination.
IRENE TANG
Ngau Tau Kok
