Single mainland mothers in limbo call for solution to residency issue
Over the past four years, Luo Xizhao has left her 10-year-old son in Hong Kong from time to time while she returns to the mainland to renew her temporary permits for staying here.
Luo, 42, was denied permanent residency when her Hong Kong husband died. 'I only wish the government would grant me a one-way permit so my son and I can live a proper life in Hong Kong. I really want to take good care of my son,' she said.
A group of single mainland mothers in similar situations urged the government to let them live permanently in the city with their Hong Kong children. A 150-a-day quota for mainlanders to be reunited in Hong Kong with spouses and children does not cover mainland mothers separated from Hong Kong husbands.
'The government should help spare the pain of these separated families. These are children of Hong Kong residents,' said Sze Lai-shan, a social worker with the Society for Community Organisation.
Sze estimated that there were around 5,000 such cases, so helping them would not pose a great burden on the government. 'The 150 daily quota is not fully used. Why not give them some of the quota?' she said.
Lou said having to leave Hong Kong to renew temporary permits had put great pressure on herself and her son. 'Sometimes I would take him, but that would disrupt his studies. When I leave him in the care of a friend, I worry about his safety and health.'
Sze pointed out that a lot of single mainland mothers had no choice but to stay in Hong Kong. 'It would be even more difficult for single mothers and their children to make a living on the mainland,' she said.
They also face the problem of having to remain unemployed as they do not have a Hong Kong ID card.
'We live on my son's HK$3,465 Comprehensive Social Security Assistance a month. We don't have enough to eat and I can't afford to have breakfast. We're not living like humans,' Luo said.
Shi Qiongxin, 30, has been waiting for a one-way permit since 2002. She was declined one when her Hong Kong husband abandoned her and she could not present his documents.
'In 2007, the liaison office had said they were processing the matter, but still they haven't got back to me,' she said. 'We have to stay in Hong Kong because of my son's poor health. He has medical welfare here but not on the mainland.'
