Punish Lantau villagers who think they're above the law
Villagers fighting development restrictions in North Lantau blatantly disregarded the law when they aired their grievances over a government plan to turn the area into a protected zone.
There is a clear distinction between the right to protest and contempt for the law. Villagers fighting development restrictions in North Lantau blatantly disregarded the law when they aired their grievances over a government plan to turn the area into a protected zone. Not only was an ecologically sensitive mangrove flattened, law enforcers were also blocked from carrying out on-site inspections to determine breaches and possible prosecution.
It remains unclear if villagers had deliberately padlocked the gate on a footpath leading to the site in question. A villager reportedly said officials first had to seek permission to enter via the rural affairs body. It amounts to obstruction of enforcement if investigation requires prior consent from those who have allegedly broken the law.
This is not the first time indigenous villagers in the New Territories have asserted their so-called traditional customs and rights with unruly action. It would not be surprising if the public associated villagers with lawlessness.
Like anyone in Hong Kong, villagers have the right to protest. But they should not do so at the expense of the environment. Well-known for its oyster-rich mudflats and horseshoe crabs, the destroyed mangrove is said to be the city's third-most ecologically important site. That it is located near private land makes the case for protection even stronger. Sadly, this is seen as a threat to villagers' right to development, including the much-criticised scheme that allows male villagers to build a three-storey villa totalling 2,100 square feet.
A law held in contempt is arguably worse than having no law. It reflects badly on the government if a small padlock is suffice to keep out law enforcers. The government should send a signal that villagers are not above the law. The matter should be handled seriously lest more protests follow to curb protection efforts initiated by the government. The public expects nothing short of firm and forceful enforcement against acts that fly in the face of the law.