Letters to the Editor, May 4, 2017

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Soldiers are called in to deal with a disturbance in a Kowloon street during the 1967 riots. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Published: 5:05pm, 4 May 2017Updated: 12:41pm, 15 Oct 2020

Government needs to show it really cares

I believe, like Alex Lo (“Carrie Lam should heed the lessons of deadly riots that took place 50 years ago”, May 3), that the social problems Hong Kong is facing should be thoroughly considered by the government, as they will have an impact on the city’s future.

We are all aware that for some time now, Hongkongers have been absorbed by a variety of social problems, such as high property prices, poverty, and the widening wealth gap.

They are a cause of a great deal of social discontent in this city. Some people actually feel hatred towards the very rich and resent the government for not listening to their voices.

Leaders, past and present, have claimed they are doing their best to deal with these problems, but there has been no genuine alleviation of the plight of residents.

One of the main reasons we study history is to try to ensure we do not repeat the mistakes of the past, so that we can all face a brighter future. There is a lesson to be learnt from the large-scale riots of 1966 and 1967 – anger boiled over into violent protests over the then colonial administration’s inaction in dealing with the city’s deteriorating living and working conditions.

People resorted to violence in an effort to get the government to heed their demands. And some of our citizens today think they must adopt extreme measures to get the government to listen to them.