Jens Galschiot

Banevaenget 22

DK-5270 Odense N

Tel.: (+45) 6618 4058

Fax: (+45) 6618 4158

E-mail: aidoh@aidoh.dk

Internet: www.aidoh.dk

Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen

Ministry of the Prime Minister
Christiansborg
Prins Jørgens Gård 11
DK-1218 Copenhagen K

Tel.: +45 3392 3300
E-mail: stm@stm.dk

 

Odense, 14 May 2009

 

Dear Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen,

 

I hereby request for the Danish governments support in connection to my entrance into Hong Kong.

 

As it appears in the attached correspondences I have, for some time, been in contact with Hong Kong’s authorities and politicians regarding a request for admission to enter Hong Kong. I have been invited to Hong Kong by the Chinese Democratic Movement (the Hong Kong Alliance) to participate in the memorials surrounding the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre.

 

In the spring of 2008 I traveled to Hong Kong with a film-crew and two co-workers. The purpose then was to participate in a protest-meeting about the human-rights situation in China in connection to the Olympic torch’s relay in Hong Kong. The idea was that I, along with Chinese activists, should paint ‘The Pillar of Shame’ orange. ‘The pillar of shame’ is a sculpture that I inaugurated in 1997 together with the students as a monument to commemorate the Tiananmen-massacre. However did not get to participate in the painting of the sculpture as I was refused entrance to Hong Kong and had to return back to Denmark empty-handed.

 

With this in mind I would, this time, like to be sure that I can actually enter Hong Kong before I leave Denmark. I fear yet another expulsion is reinforced as Hong Kong’s authorities on May 11 refused entrance into Hong Kong to Dr. Yang Jianli, see http://intiativesforchine.org.

In 1989 he was a part of the Democratic Movement on the Tiananmen Square and he therefore wanted to participate in the 20 year memorial in Hong Kong. This is basis for my belief that Hong Kong’s immigration authority could deny me entrance as well. This is an assessment that Hong Kong’s President Jasper TSANG Yok-sing agrees with which is why he has send me his support in my efforts in getting a prior authorization.

 

It is very apparent that Hong Kong’s immigration authorities try to sort politically when deciding who should be allowed to enter Hong Kong. This sorting is getting more and more systemized and apparent. This is putting pressure on the democratic rights and especially the freedom of speech in Hong Kong.

 

The present Danish Government has made, and makes, a lot of effort to defend the freedom of speech. Amongst others in connection to the cartoon-case and the defense of Gert Wilders’ right to be free to go where he likes. Therefore I suggest that the government expands this engagement and put a political and diplomatic pressure on Hong Kong’s authorities. In this way the Danish government might help prevent the practice of political sorting of who is allowed entrance into Hong Kong.

 

A political pressure and an official protest are needed to protest against the incident of a peaceful Danish artist being denied entrance. Thereby denying him the possibility to accept an invitation from a legal democracy-movement, which moreover consists of several members of the parliament of Hong Kong? An official pressure will;

 

·        Make sure that I can, again, enter Hong Kong freely.

·        Support the guarantees that were given to Hong Kong. Namely that Hong Kong could keep its type of society in connection to the reunion with China in 1997. It was promised that the principle of ‘One country – two systems’ would secure Hong Kong’s rights to keep its democracy and freedom of speech. Many democratic minded people had hoped that Hong Kong’s system could, in time, spread into main land China. But unfortunately it seems that the opposite is happening.

·        Lastly, and maybe most importantly, pressure would help support the good democratic forces in Hong Kong as well as China that are working for respect for the human rights and to preserve the freedom of speech in Hong Kong.

 

As is appears in the attached copies of the correspondences, I have myself done quite a bit to promote the case. I have;

·        Applied the immigration authorities for a prior expression of whether I can enter Hong Kong.

·        Contacted the Danish representatives in Hong Kong to get help in my effort.

·        Contacted all the members of Hong Kong’s parliament, LegCo.

·        Contacted the president of LegCo

·        Made interviews with many of South-Asia’s newspapers.

 

I am of the opinion that my own possibilities of finding a solution on the issue have been exempted. With this letter I therefore request that the Danish Government take active part in the case.

 

All important documents in the case can be found at www.aidoh.dk/4June09.

This letter will also be placed on the internet.

 

I will send a copy of this letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as they have earlier been involved in the case.

 

I am at your service for further information.

 

 

Best regards

Jens Galschiot