Updated: 20-06-00
Press Release
28th of may 1997
Updated: 20-06-00
The Battle of the Pillar European Firm Counteracts Democracy Movement in Hong Kong
For fear of losing ground on the Chinese market, the big Swiss forwarding agent Metzger + Richner has refused complying to the agreement of storing the Pillar of Shame and setting it up in Victoria Park in Hong Kong. Today the manager of the company Mr Richner has confirmed the ban on the controversial sculpture. The creator of the sculpture, Jens Galschiot declares: We had from the very beginning made it absolutely clear to M+R that we are dealing with a controversial political sculpture in support of the democratic movement in China. They completely consented to the conditions. But now they've got cold feet and exert self censorship at large scale! When even a European company is afraid to make ordinary business with democratically elected parliamentarians in Hong Kong - who can then be expected to support the Hong Kong citizens if the old men's regime in Beijing does not comply to its guaranties for human rights and freedom of expression?? It is outrageous that business people who have grown rich and mighty by trading on the East run away with their tail between their legs when they are asked to defend the basic rights that they in their own country hold for unalienable. M+R in Basel and Mr Richner can be contacted for further information about the decision of giving higher priority to greed than to the defence of basic human rights: tel. 41 61466 9111 - fax 41 61466 9247. Maybe information is also available at the Hong Kong branch: M+R Forwarding (HK) Ltd - 7th floor Centre Point - Att. Gordon So - tel. 856 2591 0677.
Pillar of Shame Delayed
Yesterday I sent out a press release that the Pillar of Shame had already arrived in Hong Kong. I sent out this message according to the information available to me. But now I've received a fax from the shipping firm with the following wording: As promised some details about the shipping from Kaohsiung: at the moment the container is in Kaohsiung (Taiwan). "Ming Promotion" will leave Kaohsiung 30.05.1997 and arrive in Hong Kong 31.05.1997. The liner agent, Yang Ming, has by word of mouth declared to me that there is no political reason for the delay. It is only a matter of reorganization of Ming East's rotation in the East.
More information is available by Blue Water Shipping, Denmark - att. Ms Lene Ploug Lange - tel. 45 6613 0633 and - Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China Contact person: Mr Albert Ho - Tel. (852) 2522 7721/ 2782 6111 - Fax (852) 2868 2797
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| 1997: The Pillar of Shame in Hong Kong |
