Barbaric Behaviour in Hong Kong

Dated: Aug 28, 2010

Political and social problems arise between Hong Kong and the Philippines in the wake of the hostage situation.

Following the hostage siege in Manila, the people in Hong Kong who are normally as nice a group of people as you could meet anywhere in the world, are acting in what can only be described as a most unreasonable manner. Some incidents that can only be described as displaying barbaric behaviour are taking place across the country.

Many Filipino’s are being frightened and threatened out of Hong Kong. What the locals there are hoping to achieve by these violent reactions against the poor Filipino people who are working there is difficult to comprehend.

Officially the government line has been a ban on any increase in wages for Filipino people for 12 months, but that is only the official line. The reality of the people there is far more menacing. One worker has had to have dozens on needles removed from her body. She says they were thrust inside her body every time she did anything they did not approve of. There are also unconfirmed accounts of rape and other offences against these totally innocent workers.

If mistakes were made during the hostage situation in Manila, that resulted in eight Chinese deaths, then certainly there was no fault by these workers. The fate of what is being perpetuated against these innocent workers is shaming the whole population of Hong Kong.

People all over the world were saddened by the loss of these Chinese nationals, and nowhere more than here in the Philippine islands. As a U.K national here at the time of the incident, and a person who witnessed the whole set of events that led to these tragic losses, I am well aware of the feelings of sadness that swept all over the Philippines as we saw these tragic events unfold.

The fault here must lay first with the hostage taker, and all those with the benefit of hindsight must realize that the effort to free these hostages bravely undertaken by the Filipino police service was done with the best intentions at the time, and under the most difficult conditions. Could it have been handled better? I am sure it could, and I know that if there are lessons to be learnt for the future they will be.

Tony Palfrey:
Reporting from the Philippines