從過去深圳醫院欠款事件，到副校長委任風波，港大已遭校委會的校外委員蹂躪得體無完膚，百年風采逐漸褪色。除夕之夜，梁振英政權再次強姦民意，無視本校師生及校友反對，委任惡名昭彰的「教育沙皇」李國章為校委會主席，令港大前路更顯坎坷。
李國章過往所作所為，港人有目共睹。「沙皇」擔任中大校長期間，曾逼令中大科大合併，兩校教職員及同學群起反對。在擔任教統局局長期間，李國章又曾以「強姦」教院等字眼恐嚇時任教院校長莫禮時，迫使教院與中大合併。李氏亦曾以「三三四學制」為由，削減大學經費，令眾大學財政拮据。種種惡行，罄竹難書。試問如此聲名狼藉的教育界敗類，何德何能領導港大最高決策機構？港大同學反對李國章作校委會主席，絕非一時三刻所致！
今日我校種種危機，歸根究柢乃因制度不公，加上梁振英有權必濫，以殖民時期過渡至今的校監權力，安插爪牙到校委會內，意圖干預院校自主。有見及此，同學在罷課大會中通過以下四點罷課訴求：
- 成立「審視《香港大學條例》專責小組」;
- 行政長官不應是必然校監；
- 校內校務委員之數目需佔整個校委會一半或以上；
- 現時行政長官所委任的校務委員（包括主席）需改由校務委員會委任。
港大風雨飄搖之際，另一邊的臺灣政局變天，迎來新時代。對此，港人流露出無限欣羨，卻往往忽略了數代臺灣人以鮮血寫成的歷史。我們此刻需要的，不是現時社會上四處散佈的現實主義和悲觀氣氛，而是一種純粹的理想主義、一顆求變的決心與一股實踐的勇氣。
過往，一眾港大同窗為抵抗校外勢力干擾校政，遂訴諸靜坐、示威、公投、甚至圍堵衝擊等行動，但彷彿都徒勞無功。我們的反抗，也許未能在一時三刻撼動高牆半分；我們的反抗，在當權者看來也許不自量力。儘管如此，反抗的聲音絕不能就此消失，團結的力量絕不能就此潰散。
改革校委並非易事，前路定必荊棘滿途。前路漫漫，罷課只是展示決心、喚起關注的首步。各位同學、老師，如果你們不甘我校、我城繼續淪陷，那麼請不要坐以待斃。如魯迅所說：「其實地上本沒有路，走的人多了，也便成了路。」請立刻加入我們，攜手以行動捍衛尊嚴。
While colonial bad laws exploit our autonomy, it becomes imminent for us to save ourselves
Declaration for Students’ Strike of Students’ Strike General Meeting of the University of Hong Kong
From the unsettled debt from HKU-Shenzhen Hospital to the recent crisis caused by the appointment of PVC, external members of the HKU Council have been playing havoc with HKU and desecrating her century-long reputation. On New Year’s Eve, CY Leung once again shamelessly disregarded the overwhelming public objection by appointing Arthur Li as the chairman of HKU Council. The future of HKU will only be gloomier with the appointment of this notorious “Tsar of Education”.
All past misdeeds of Arthur Li are surely witnessed by all Hongkongers. As ‘The Tsar’ was the President of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), he forced the merger of it with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), inducing much opposition from students, employee and academic staff from both institutions. When he was the head of the Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB), he threatened Professor Paul Morris, the President of the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd), with the indecency ‘rape’, forcing another merger between CUHK and HKIEd. He also rashly cut financial resources to universities with the pretext of the ‘3-3-4 Curriculum’, resulting in acute financial situations in various universities. His myriad misdeeds are simply too many for our mention. How would such notorious scum in the education sector ever be qualified to lead the highest decision-making body of our University? Our strong opposition against the appointment of Arthur Li to become the Council Chairperson is never ill-founded and illogical.
The inherently unjust system is the cause of all these crises that HKU is now facing. CY has been exploiting his power as the Chancellor by placing his puppets into the Council to disrupt our institutional autonomy. In light of this, participants of the meeting have approved the following requests to be achieved through class boycott:
- Establish a "Review Panel on ‘The Hong Kong University Ordinance'";
- The Chief Executive shall never be the ex-officio Chancellor;
- University members shall take up at least half of the seats in the Council;
- All members (including the Chairperson) who are currently appointed by the Chief Executive shall be appointed by the Council.
While it is a time of storming at our university, the total reverse in the Taiwanese politics ushers in a new age. Though Hongkonger are not shy to express their jealousy, they mostly neglect the blood that several generations of Taiwanese have shed throughout their history. Instead of the realism and pessimism that overcast our current society, pure idealism, determination for changes and courage to act are all we need at this very moment.
Over the past few months, in order to fight against the unscrupulous intervention outside the University, HKU students have employed multiple means, such as sit-in protest, demonstration, referendum, and were even forced to besiege and barge at last. Yet, all these actions seem in vain. Our resistance has indeed produced no immediate impact on the authority, and may appear feeble and useless. However, this is no excuse to halt resistance or dissolve our unity.
Reforming the Council will never be easy, the road ahead is surely grown with thorns and spikes. The Class Boycott is only the very first step to show our determination on this lengthy journey and arouse public awareness. Students and Teachers, are you not willing to witness the fall of our University and city, please never remain indifferent and yield. As Lu Xun said, “For actually the earth has no roads to begin with, but when many people pass one way, a road is made”. Please join us and together shall we act and safeguard our dignity.