MR Evans Ward in his letter (South China Morning Post, June 14) has the audacity to accuse Mr Hendy (Post, June 8), of a ''gross display of ignorance'' for his perspective of human rights in China, then proceeds to equate the students in Tiananmen Square with the victims of past colonial genocide. Mr Ward is not thinking logically. There are few Western democracies, even the so-called advanced democracies, that can boast a completely harmonious environment, be the problems be termed human rights, civil rights, racial rights, ethnic rights, religious rights etc. Therefore it is sheer arrogance to attempt to force the Western concept of democracy on to China.
For the last 200 years China has relatively successfully repelled rapacious colonialisation attempts, which must be to the credit of the Chinese people and to their leaders from the Empress Dowager to Deng Xiaoping.
The resultant defensive isolation of China has resulted in slow social, economic and industrial development which has been accentuated by the sheer size of the country and its enormous population. Any attempt at this stage to introduce a form of Western-style democracy would result in complete anarchy and a breakdown of the limited law and order that currently exists in the former Yugoslavia.
Democracy cannot be implemented in a few weeks or months, but needs to be nurtured and developed over several decades.
Intimidation and trade embargoes by the West are self defeating, when what is required is the removal of trade barriers, increased cultural and sporting exchanges and more tourism. China is already more democratic than it was a mere 20 years ago and if allowed to develop slowly without interference in its internal affairs, an acceptable form of Asian democracy will evolve over the next two decades.
J. H. T. GRIFFITHS New Territories
