An Open Letter To Vice Chancellor

Dear Vice Chancellor,

False and grossly defamatory allegations made at your Press Conference on 28th January 2016

I understand that at a press conference which was jointly held by you and Arthur Li at the Bankers Club on Thursday 28th January, he claimed that the students were “poisoned” and “manipulated” by the Civic Party (naming specifically myself and Alan Leong) and when asked whether you agreed with his very scandalous and grossly defamatory allegations, you replied as follow:

“Most of the shoutings and slogans I heard in the demonstration were in Cantonese. My Cantonese was not good enough to understand much of it. I don’t know who is in which party and who was there. If Professor Li tells you particular people were there, I think you have to believe his judgment.”

I understand that you have been through very difficult times since taking over as the Vice Chancellor and on many occasions I have come to admire your courage and wisdom in handling very trying situations. However, on this occasion, I am disappointed that you should allow yourself to confirm or, at least, be associated with the very scandalous and grossly defamatory allegations without more critical or independent verification.

I am an alumna of the University and when the University Council made the very controversial decision in the June 2015 Council meeting to “wait for the Provost” instead of discussing your Search Committee report, some of us formed the HKU alumni concern group with the Hon Ip Kin Yuen as the convenor on 1stJuly 2015. Forgive my bluntness, the decision to wait for the provost was ridiculous in the extreme and the formation of the concern group was a direct consequence and reaction to that ridiculous decision. I was one of the alumna together with the Hon Ip Kin Yuen who handed a letter to you and to Dr C H Leong before the July 2015 Council meeting and we had hoped that the Council would review and revoke that ridiculous decision. Although I happen to be the chairman of the Civic Party, I like others, acted in our capacity as alumni, out of our concern for our alma matter and in defence of academic freedom and institutional autonomy, values which I believe you hold dear.

Last Tuesday I went to Sassoon Road between 4 to 5 pm with some other alumni and I saw these groups waving the national flag and the SAR flag chanting slogans and declaring their “diehard” support for Arthur Li (the exact Chinese term they used was 誓死支持李國章). I did not speak to any student and I left shortly after 5 pm to attend our weekly Civic Party exco meeting. Both Alan Leong and I were in the same meeting until very late that evening and only learnt of the events in the University from the news and the internet. Neither Alan nor I was at the scene. Indeed Alan was nowhere near the campus at any time during that day.

I hope as the Vice Chancellor you have confidence in the free will and independent mind of your students. Even parents cannot “manipulate” their grown up children, thus you would agree how ridiculous it must be to allege that the Civic Party can “manipulate” University students.

Arthur Li’s claim for manipulation was based on the fact that one out of the many students at the scene on Tuesday had been Alan Leong’s intern. That was four years ago. I note that HKU, like all other universities, require students to do internship with various organizations including different political parties. Thus you cannot seriously think that such internship can be a basis for “manipulation”.

I hope by now you have read what some of your other Council members have said in response to Arthur Li’s allegations at the press conference. Eric Cheung and Joseph Chan both of whom read Chinese and understand Cantonese have said that they do not agree with his allegations. Tim O’Leary has also responded based on his knowledge of the students. I hope, on more careful reflection, you will come to realize that Arthur Li’s allegations were totally groundless and untrue.

As alumna I remain seriously concerned with the situation in the University. False and inflammatory accusations like those made by Arthur Li at the press conference will only make the situation worse. You may not approve of the actions or behaviour of some of the students but accusing them of being “poisoned” or “manipulated” or “mobs” is going to push them even further into a corner. After all, they remain your students, and in many ways, the University holds their futures on the line, what you do may have a devastating effect on their whole lives. I hope you will show them patience and leadership and guide them through this storm. I believe there are many in the University who can act as trusted go-betweens to help rebuild the trust and harmony that are sorely needed at the moment.

Wishing you better days.
Yours faithfully,
Audrey Eu