Unionists recognise mistakes during 'anti-British struggle'

Leaders of the pro-Beijing trade union that played a crucial part in the 1967 disturbances may insist the incident was an anti-British struggle that helped push the government to care for the underprivileged and the working class.

But underlying this unified stance is the recognition by some - especially among the younger generation - that while the leftists have made contributions to society, they also made mistakes.

Stanley Ng Chau-pei, vice-chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions, said he regarded the incident as an anti-British struggle because of the colonial government's long-term suppression of the workers and the leftists.

Mr Ng formed his view both from what he had heard about the experiences of veteran unionists, and from his discussions with rightists and leftists.

Mr Ng - at 36, the union's youngest leader - said veteran unionists had told him that some of the bombs that rocked the city in those days had been planted by parties who shifted the blame to the leftists. But he also acknowledged that some were planted by the leftist camp.

'Those extreme acts reflected their strategic mistakes and their wrong assessment of the situation,' he said. 'Everybody's heads were overheated at the time.

'In this part of history, I think the leftists made mistakes,' said Mr Ng, who joined the union after the handover. 'But they also made many contributions, especially in forcing the British administration to improve its governance.'