Mainland rights matter most to HK students
News about human rights on the mainland dominates a list of the year's 10 most important news stories voted for by more than 21,000 secondary school pupils in Hong Kong.
Top of the list is the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to human rights activist Liu Xiaobo. The poll was conducted this month by the Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong.
The controversy surrounding the jailing of the pro-democracy Charter 08 co-author, who is serving an 11-year prison sentence for sedition, was chosen by 16,532 students as the year's most important news event.
The jailing of Sichuan quake activist Tan Zuoren , who investigated the deaths of thousands of children in the 2008 earthquake, was fifth with 13,258 votes.
Seventh on the list was the incarceration of Zhao Lianhai for 'provoking quarrels and making trouble' in his campaign on behalf of victims of melamine-tainted milk.
Other events in the top 10 included the Yushu, Qinghai province, earthquake (second), the Shanghai World Expo (third) and the Foxconn worker suicides in Shenzhen (sixth). A total of 21,175 Form One to Seven students from 45 schools were polled - an increase on last year's survey of 7,000.
Wong Sze-man, a Form Five student from Chiu Chow Association Secondary School, said she chose the activists' jailing as the most important news. 'China is enjoying robust economic growth, but its political development is still lagging behind the West. What's happened on the mainland makes me treasure the freedom of speech in Hong Kong,' she said.
Tung Ka-ho, a Form Six student from Cheung Chau Government Secondary School, said he objected to Liu's jailing and Beijing's refusal to let him go to Oslo to receive the prize.
Two Form Five students from CCC Kei To Secondary School, Ng Ching-yin and Lee Tsz-hang, wrote to Zhao yesterday expressing admiration for his courage. 'The granting of medical parole was the first step China has taken in the right direction. That he was only granted parole instead of having his conviction quashed altogether means Beijing still clings to its power,' they wrote.
Social worker Yeung Lai-ha said the list showed students were increasingly concerned about human rights on the mainland.
