Mabel Tung

Mabel Tung would call herself a Canadian Hong Konger—“Canadian” because Canada is where she has called home for forty years and where her children were born, “Hong Konger” because Hong Kong was where she herself was born, where she was educated, and where she became who she is as a person.

Mabel immigrated to Canada along with her family in 1979. Chatters concerning Hong Kong’s eventual handover to the People’s Republic of China were then beginning to circulate. And since some of Mabel’s relatives had suffered under the Chinese regime, and because Mabel’s father had his own reservations about the Chinese Communist Party, it was decided then that they would leave as soon as possible.

Although Mabel had routinely served as a community volunteer when she was in Hong Kong, it was not until after the crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Beijing in June 1989 that she realized that, in order for her voice to be heard, in order for the voices of Canadians of Chinese descent to be heard, she and other like-minded Canadians must take an active part in the political process and community affairs in Canada.

As Chairperson of the Vancouver Society In Support of Democratic Movement, Mabel is surprised—and upset—by what has been happening in Hong Kong. She is outraged by the suppression of peaceful demonstrations, the imprisonment of protestors, the disqualification of duly-elected legislators, among other misdeeds of the Hong Kong government. And she is saddened by the fact that, in the rallies she has helped organize, it has become necessary to include “democracy for Hong Kong” as one of the slogans.

But Mabel remains hopeful. She is proud of the courage shown by the young people during the Umbrella Movement, and she does not consider the Movement a failure because, in her view, “seeds [of democracy] have now been spread and sown in the hearts” of many a Hongkonger.

With regard to the recent anti-extradition bill rally held in Vancouver, Mabel observes that the number of participants was actually much higher than that for the latest commemorative rally held for the June 4 crackdown. For Mabel, people who were born in Hong Kong “do feel a sense of responsibility.” They might not be particularly concerned about June 4, but they do want to show their support for the city they came from.

15 July 2019

Mabel Tung is a retired nurse and a community organizer.

現為溫哥華支援民主運動聯合會主席的 Mabel Tung 是於1979年隨家人移民到多倫多。對在加國已定居了四十年的她，家固然是在加拿大，但根還是在香港。

由於有親戚在大陸受過共產黨的逼害，亦由於父親因在香港軍部工作的關係，在1976、1977年左右知道香港似乎將會回歸中國，Mabel 一家遂毅然決定移民。那時的 Mabel 剛在香港讀畢護士課程，而移民後她亦以護士為志業，一直至2016年退休為止。來加後首十年左右，因工作及孩子的關係，Mabel 並未能花很多時間當義工。直至1989年六四事件。之後，她明白到要平反六四，與她持相同信念的人都必須參與加拿大的政治及社區事務，盡其所能把華裔群體關心的議題帶進國會，然後透過外交手段或國與國之間的聯繫把民主、自由意識帶到中國。

對於近年溫支聯舉辦集會時，除了一如以往高喊「民主中國」(“Democracy for China”) 外還要高喊「民主香港」(“Democracy for Hong Kong”)，Mabel 坦言感到很悲哀。對於和平示威被鎮壓、抗爭者被囚禁、民選議員被無理取消資格等種種不公義，她亦感到很憤怒。身為加拿大人，她認為和平示威、佔領街道、為不公義發聲，在自由民主國家是一件平常不過的事，但為何近年的香港卻似乎偏偏容不下這些行動或聲音?

對與雨傘運動期間香港年青人展現的勇氣，Mabel 明言感到很驕傲。她認為不少年青人的思維，要比許多坐在立法會內的成年人更加成熟。Mabel 認為雨傘運動並沒有失敗，因為民主的種子已通過運動散播在每一個香港人的心目中。

關於近來在溫哥華舉辦的反修例運動集會，Mabel 觀察到參與人數要較參與悼念六四集會的人數多很多。她認為溫哥華的華人畢竟有很多是來自香港，而他們會有一份責任感，會在需要時走出來支持香港。

關於身份認同這問題，Mabel 認為自己是「加拿大香港人」。「加拿大」是因為她的家在這裏、她的孩子是在這裏出生、而她亦在這個國家住了四十年，已經融入了這個社會。而「香港」則因為那是她自己的出生地，她受教育的地方，換句話說，也就是 Mabel 之所以為 Mabel 的原因。

2019年7月15日

Mabel Tung 是一名退休註冊護士及社區組織者。

Videos of Mabel's interview will be available shortly. Please check back.