IN the cloistered corridors of power, civil servants at directorate level and above, talk about the importance of 'the rule of law'.
To those of a cynical disposition, or who have spent any length of time in the territory, the rule of law must be defined in more explicit terms, for it is generally accepted that there are two distinct laws - one which serves the rich and powerful, and another that governs the poor and underprivileged.
The people of Hong Kong, particularly those who have invested a lifetime in toil and sacrifice for the common good, are becoming deeply disillusioned and demoralised. They are fed up with the uncompromising political stand of the two main protagonists in a conflict which shows a total lack of care or concern for the millions of citizens who call Hong Kong home. This has cast a shadow over the future scheme of things and people are concerned with what will happen not just in the near future but also what Hong Kong will be like as it enters the next cent-ury.
The rule of law, whether it favours the powerful or the poor, offers little integrity, when all the great and noble enterprises that have made this place such a success story, fade away and die, because of the prejudice of certain individuals.
I am sure all the people of the territory would join me in asking the Governor, Mr Chris Patten, and the Director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs office, Mr Lu Ping, to resolve their immediate differences and replace them with a new vision of the future. They should lend their combined direction in creating and guaranteeing a brave and splendid future for the citizens of Hong Kong.
JONATHAN GRAY League of China Patriots
