The 79-day Umbrella Movement of 2014 was a watershed moment in the history of Hong Kong. Not only has the protest movement transformed the political and social dynamics of this former British colony, it has also deeply affected overseas Hong Kong and Chinese communities.
Here is the story of Mike.
Project details and other interviews:
hksi.ubc.ca/after-the-protest
Mike Luk did not expect to be living in Vancouver. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Mike went to university in the United States in the 1990s, in part, he said, because his grades were not good enough for the schools in Hong Kong. But he did return to the city before the Handover, to be with his aging parents but also in recognition that the economy there seemed to be performing quite well.
To be sure, from Mike’s perspective, the city was becoming more and more “Mainlandized” after the Handover. But it was not until after Leung Chun-ying had been (s)elected as Chief Executive of the Special Administrative Region that Mike noticed some significant changes. Whereas earlier chief executives and government officials would still listen to the people, the elevation of Leung seemed to signal that being transparent and fair was no longer the city’s most-valued attribute.
Then came the 79-day Umbrella Movement. Mike was sympathetic and would from time to time show up in the Occupy areas to show his support. What he witnessed was a display of civic-mindedness, and what he saw was a largely peaceful protest—though he acknowledged that, as time went on, especially in the Occupy area of Mong Kok, where the make-up of those who had been assembling there was becoming increasingly complicated, conflicts and clashes did break out.
Mike would agree that the Umbrella Movement was a failure. It has not led to any obvious meaningful changes, and it has further polarized society. People in Hong Kong are now firmly divided into two camps: the pro-democracy “yellow ribbons” and the pro-government “blue ribbons.” And at least among the former, according to Mike, there is a sense of hopelessness and despair as well a desire to leave Hong Kong.
And so Mike left—for Vancouver in 2015—along with his wife, who is already a Canadian citizen. It has not been an easy journey, as he has to leave behind a career and most of his connections. For Mike, there is something special about being a Hongkonger. Whether that would still be the case when the special administrative region becomes increasingly integrated into the Greater Bay Area remains to be seen.
22 May 2019
Mike Luk was an information technology professional in Hong Kong before immigrating to Canada.
Mike Luk 隨太太一家移民到溫哥華只有數年光景。快到知天命的年紀，他絕大部分的人生都在香港度過。讀畢中學預科後，他負笈美國修讀資訊科技。正值主權移交前夕，雖然香港前景有不確定性，但 Mike 眼見父母年紀漸漸老邁，而香港工作環境並不如預期中差，所以他最後放棄美國的工作和移民機會，回港工作。
九七後，他見證了香港一步步走向無望的境地。他覺得回歸初期的政治環境仍然不錯，行政長官仍然願意聆聽香港市民的意見，而中央政府亦沒有對香港作出太大干預。直至梁振英上台後，他開始感覺到生活環境慢慢變得大陸化，而香港政府的問責制度亦變得形同虛設。雨傘運動後，社會撕裂日趨惡化，人們不是自我就是被標籤為「黃絲」或「藍絲」，兩者之間好像已沒有任何溝通空間。
雨傘運動期間，家住旺角的他較常到旺角佔領區溜躂。他特別留意到不少參與佔領的人會自覺撿起地上的垃圾，認為這些行為很能突顯當事人對公民責任的態度。從他的角度來看，佔領區內的氣氛大致平和。很不幸，後來事情發展漸趨暴力，警方又放過滋事者，令他對香港政府漸失信心。
雨傘運動無疑令社會愈加撕裂，運動的失敗亦令人感到絕望。政府的禮崩樂壞以及「一國兩制」的變質都令不少人萌生去意。在香港攻讀碩士時認識的太太本身持加拿大籍，家人回歸後回流香港，不過眼見香港社會每況愈下，經一番討論後，最終決定再回流溫哥華。2019年《逃犯條例》修訂的爭議、草案在立法會未依規程討論就圖謀表決、加上中聯辦及港澳辦官員公開發表支持通過草案的言論，有干預香港事務之嫌等等，都令Mike 對香港一向引以為傲的制度漸失信心，認為眼下的香港已是人治多於法治。
Mike 坦言仍在適應溫哥華的新生活。他除了太太的家人和表姐外，基本上沒有朋友在這裏。另外，年齡和美國的學位都令他在找工作方面也遇上困難，所以他決定在卑詩理工學院修讀一個文憑課程，也權作休息。亦幸好他有在美國留學的經驗，適應新生活對他來說不是新鮮事，較其他人容易接受。
對於「香港人」這個身份，Mike 覺得是受社會及成長環境所影響。香港人有他們的獨特性，不願意接受太多控制，亦因此會支持「兩制」多於「一國」。不過他憂慮，隨著大灣區的發展以及越來越多大陸人移居香港，「香港人」這個身份也許會漸漸被「沖淡」。
2019年5月22日
Mike Luk 跟隨太太移民到溫哥華前，在香港是從事資訊科技行業。
Videos of Mike's interview will be available shortly. Please check back.