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A6 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 21 June 2022
Hong Kong’s last UK governor says crackdowns ‘heartbreaking’

By SYLVIA HUI prised and distressed by
Associated Press the extent to which Beijing
LONDON (AP) — Beijing’s disregarded the Sino-British
crackdown on civil liberties Joint Declaration, the trea-
in Hong Kong has been “a ty that set the conditions of
lot worse” than expected, Hong Kong’s handover to
the last British governor of Chinese rule.
the city said Monday as he “I’m surprised that Xi Jin-
launched a new book to ping has taken steps which
coincide with the 25th an- are I think so, so bad for
niversary of the former Brit- China’s medium and long
ish colony’s handover to term interests, not only in
Chinese rule. managing the economy,
Chris Patten, who led Brit- but also in managing Chi-
ain’s last government in na’s soft power around the
Hong Kong before the world ... which is dissipating
Asian financial hub was very rapidly,” Patten said.
returned to Chinese rule Patten described as “ludi-
on July 1, 1997, said it was crous” how authorities in
“heartbreaking” to see its Hong Kong are reportedly
transformation. planning to introduce new
“I thought there was a pros- school textbooks claiming
pect that (China) would Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong speaks ahead of the publication of his book the city was never a British
“The Hong Kong Diaries”, during a press conference hosted by the Foreign Press Association at the
keep its word, and I’m sor- Royal Over-Seas League in London, Monday, June 20, 2022. colony. He joked that his
ry that it hasn’t,” he said Associated Press new book, a collection of
in London. “I just find it in- his diary entries during his
tensely difficult. I do believe moment.” Hong Kong, Brit- 2019, when massive pro- tervene in the city’s affairs. time as governor from 1992
that Hong Kong is a great ain’s last significant colony, democracy protests trig- Reflecting on his time in the to 1997, showed that “I do
city, I hope it will be a great reverted to Chinese rule in gered violent clashes be- city and what happened exist and I’m not a figment
city again.” 1997 under a “one country, tween activists and police. after the British left, Patten of my imagination.”
But he added that he two systems” principle that Since authorities intro- said that “by and large, Asked about his view on
wasn’t too optimistic. “I’ll was supposed to preserve duced a wide-ranging na- Hong Kong remained pret- China’s military ambitions
believe that things are for 50 years its rule of law tional security law in 2020, ty much the same” for a over Taiwan and whether
changing when some of and civil liberties includ- dissenting media have decade after the hando- that may result in a situa-
those who’ve gone into ex- ing freedom of speech and been shut down and over ver until Xi came to power. tion comparable to Russia’s
ile in the last few years start assembly not found else- 150 people have been ar- He said “(Chinese President war in Ukraine, Patten said
to want to go back to Chi- where on mainland China. rested on suspicion of of- Xi Jinping) and his goons” he hoped Xi realizes “what
na, to Hong Kong,” he told But Beijing has dramatically fences including subver- were terrified by anti-gov- an incredibly dangerous
The Associated Press. “And intensified its crackdown sion, secession, terrorism ernment protests in Hong enterprise it would be” to
that isn’t happening at the on dissent in the city since and foreign collusion to in- Kong, and that he was sur- assault Taiwan. q

East African leaders send regional force to eastern Congo

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — statement said. The heads group that has carried out a key town in eastern Con- called on international
East Africa’s leaders have of state told the force to renewed attacks in recent go last week. leaders, including British
responded to the threat cooperate with Congo- months. The statement Asked after Monday’s Prime Minister Boris John-
of war between Rwanda lese forces to stabilize the noted the “presence of for- meeting whether Rwanda son, to step up the pressure
and Congo by instructing region. There was no direct eign negative elements” as would contribute troops on Rwanda when it hosts
a new regional force to mention of Rwanda, which a critical issue. Rwanda has to the regional force in the Commonwealth sum-
deploy in eastern Congo Congo has accused of long denied supporting the eastern Congo, deputy mit this week. Each side has
and ordering an immedi- supporting the M23 rebel M23 rebels, who captured government spokesman accused the other of incur-
ate cease-fire. A statement Alain Mukurarinda said he sions. Congo now seeks to
after the leaders’ meeting needed to check with the suspend all agreements
in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, president’s office. Congo is with Rwanda. Rwanda’s
didn’t give details on the not the one who chooses state minister for foreign
date of deployment of the who should deploy or not, affairs in charge of East Af-
force or its composition. he added. rican matters, Manasseh
Congo had welcomed the Congolese President Felix Nshuti, has said dialogue “is
force’s presence but not Tshisekedi on Friday ac- the solution” to the issues.
neighboring Rwanda’s par- cused Rwanda of trying to Dynamics in eastern Con-
ticipation. The presidents of occupy his country’s land go “were already strained”
both countries attended for its vast mineral wealth, by Congo and neighboring
Monday. hours after Rwanda said Uganda carrying out a joint
The regional heads of state a Congolese soldier had operation there against
adopted “for immediate crossed the border and be- another rebel group, the
implementation” the sta- gun shooting at Rwandan Allied Democratic Forces,
tus of forces agreement, Rwandan border security forces stand guard on their side of the security forces and civilians according to a new report
concept of operations and Petite Barriere border crossing with Rwanda in Goma, eastern before being shot dead. by the U.N. panel of experts
rules of engagement, the Congo Friday, June 17, 2022. Congo’s president has also on Congo.q
Associated Press