Szeto Wah

Infobox_Politician
name =Szeto Wah
司徒華

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caption = Szeto Wah (left in gray suit) sitting next to James Lin, the interpreter (right in black suit)
office = Chairman of The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China
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birth_date = Birth date|1931|2|28
birth_place = Hong Kong
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nationality = Chinese - Hong Kong Special Administrative Region/ British National (Overseas)
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party = The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China
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residence = Hong Kong
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profession = Politican
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Szeto Wah (zh-t|t=司徒華), Pinyin: Situ Hua; (born February 28, 1931, hometown Hoi Ping), currently the chairman of The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, was a member of the Legislative Council from 1985 to 1997 and 1998 to 2004. Aside from his political career, Wah is also well known for his Chinese calligraphy skills.

Biography

Szeto was formerly a primary school principal, and chairman of the Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union from 1974 to 1990. Under his leadership, the HKPTU expanded rapidly and eventually became the most powerful pressure group in the late 70s and 80s. He played a leading role in the Precious Blood Golden Jubilee Secondary School issue of 1978, which was one of the greatest social protests in the 1970s. Louise do Rosario, writing in the Hong Kong Standard in 1981, called him the doyen of the Hong Kong pressure groups and "one of the most influential persons in Hong Kong's political scene since mid-70s."

Szeto took part in drafting the Hong Kong Basic Law. However; after the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, he was removed from the drafting committee.

Since the establishment of The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, his relationship with the Communist Party of China became strained. He has been banned from visiting mainland China since serving as the chairman of the alliance.

Szeto was elected to the Legislative Council through the functional constituency of the education sector in 1985 and 1988. He was returned in the Kowloon East in 1991 and in the redrawn constituency in 1995. In the 1998 and 2000 election, he was returned through the multi-member constituency in the same area. During his tenure in the Legislative Council, Szeto was the Chief Whip of the Democratic Party caucus.

In a democratic conference in 2007, Szeto Wah publicly stated that the People's Liberation Army is controlled by the Communist Party of China and not the country. He reiterated that the army is a tool to ensure the party's authoritarian rule. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HByoMnNaD8 Youtube.com Szeto on democracy part 1 in Cantonese with English translations by James Lin.] ] He also mentioned that 50 years ago illiterate peasants could implement a democratic system, yet Chinese people are struggling to implement it today. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bujzi48INQM Youtube.com Szeto on democracy part 2 in Cantonese with English translations by James Lin.] ]

Citizen's radio broadcast incident

On May 25, 2007 Szeto Wah was speaking at Mong kok street hosted by Citizen's radio. The topic of the program involved the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Eight people including Wah was charged.Alliance.org.hk. " [http://www.alliance.org.hk/english/index.html Alliance.org.hk] ." "Szeto Wah under Prosecution." Retrieved on 2007-12-29.] Critics have argued that the Hong Kong government has selectively persecuted Wah for using unlicensed equipment when delivering the political message as other members have spoken on the radio and were not charged.Alliance.org.hk. " [http://www.alliance.org.hk/english/index.html Alliance.org.hk] ." "Szeto Wah under Prosecution." Retrieved on 2007-12-29.]

References

*do Rosario, Louise. “Szeto Wah, doyen of HK pressure groups,” in: "Hong Kong Standard", March 23, 1981.

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