University ‘de-recognises’ student body over freedoms push

The Chinese University of Hong Kong said in a statement on Thursday that it is “severing ties” with the union on national security grounds, claiming the union cabinet known as Syzygia had made allegedly false statements. The unprecedented move effectively de-recognises the university’s student union.

Relations between the university administration and the union had reached breaking point over the union’s push to maintain on-campus freedoms.

The university said it would stop collecting fees on behalf of the student union, stop providing venues for its activities, withhold administrative support, suspend its members from their positions on all university committees, and require it to register as an independent body and assume legal responsibility for itself.

The union described the university’s announcement as “extremely regrettable” and accused it of suppressing student voices.

The university administration said in its statement that it would take further action “if deemed necessary”.

Regarding student union fees, the university said financial assistance for the affiliated organisations of the student union would not be affected. “Support for student services that may be affected will be provided by the university Office of Student Affairs.”

The university said it had made the decision after the newly elected union cabinet failed to clarify “potentially unlawful statements”, made false allegations against the university and “exploited the campus for their political propaganda”, the statement read.

The hard-hitting statement said: “The university will not tolerate any behaviour on campus that may endanger national security.

“Disciplinary actions will be taken on any student who incites unlawful behaviour, which may lead to sanctions including suspension of studies or expulsion from the university.”

Tensions between the university administration and students have increased after national security police arrested eight persons in December and two more this month after slogans which are forbidden under national security laws were displayed during a campus protest march in November.

The university administration had called the police to campus over what it called an “unauthorised demonstration and procession” by graduating students.

Three students at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), including former CUHK student union president Owen Au, were arrested by police after masked individuals pushed down newly erected campus fences and threw an unidentified powder substance at guards on the first day of the new semester on 11 January in protest at stepped-up campus security.

CUHK and Hong Kong Polytechnic University were the scene of major campus battles with police in November 2019 during student protests and were closed for months to repair damage and improve security, and because of COVID-19.

Election platform warning

The new CUHK union cabinet was elected this week, with a 23% student turnout. The university administration had in early February objected to the candidates’ election platform.

“Subsequently, the university communicated with the students concerned and cautioned them that their remarks regarding national security matters might contravene the law,” the university said in a statement at the time.

In its manifesto, Syzygia accused the university of “kowtowing to the regime” and said the national security law, imposed on Hong Kong by Beijing in July 2020, infringed on people’s basic human rights and freedom.

An online petition in support of the newly elected cabinet of the union, urging the university to recall its decision, was launched on Thursday and attracted thousands of signatures from CUHK staff, students and alumni within hours.

“We are deeply regretful and distressed to know that the university renounces its [own] students,” the petition states.

CUHK’s Employees General Union said in a statement on Friday: The university’s actions “are overly harsh and the decision lacks transparency. It also raises the concern of whether the actions were taken under political pressure.” The employee union noted that over the years the university “has been tolerant and inclusive of student organisations and a diversity of academic thoughts”.

The union’s president-elect, Isaac Lam, said the union cabinet had been shocked by the blow but said: “Our pursuit of democracy and freedom will not be abated by any form of intimidation.

“The university leadership was targeting not only the union cabinet but the union’s foundation, authority and existing powers,” he added.

Lam said the university had failed to give examples of what it termed unlawful statements or false allegations.

He urged the university’s management to respect the union’s mandate, saying it had won nearly 4,000 votes from students during the campus election on Wednesday.

The union said it was considering whether to register as an independent society, which could meet with police objections.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong Baptist University this week has scrapped an exhibition of World Press Photo winners just days ahead of its opening, citing “safety and security” fears. The exhibition was set to include prize-winning images of the protests that swept Hong Kong in 2019.

“After giving due consideration to campus safety and security, and the need to maintain pandemic control, Hong Kong Baptist University considers that it is not an appropriate time to hold the ‘World Press Photo Exhibition 2020’ on its campus,” the university said in a brief statement.

This article was modified on 2 March 2021 to clarify that Syzygia refers to the union cabinet group and not the student union itself.