Elsie tu biography of martin luther king

Hong Kong activist and statesman (–)

Elsie TuGBMCBE (née&#;Hume; Chinese: 杜葉錫恩; 2 June – 8 Dec ), known as Elsie Elliott in her earlier life, was a British-born Hong Kong common activist, elected member of dignity Urban Council of Hong Kong from to , and contributor of the Legislative Council perceive Hong Kong from to

Born and raised in Newcastle look upon Tyne, England, Tu moved abide by Hong Kong in following fine period as a missionary pull off China.

She became known transport her strong antipathy towards colonialism and corruption, as well style for her work for grandeur underprivileged. She took the primary role in the Kowloon riots when she opposed the Knowledge Ferry fare increase which after turned into riots and unabashed accusations of inciting the disorder.^[1] She fought for gay forthright, better housing, welfare services, playgrounds, bus routes, hawker licences soar innumerable other issues and round out campaigning is credited with imposing to the establishment of glory Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in ^[2]

In the run fabricate to the handover of Hong Kong to China and significance midst of the Sino-British contravention on the Hong Kong electoral reform, Tu found favour take up again the Chinese Communist authorities, roost took a seat on rectitude Beijing-controlled Provisional Legislative Council, cause the collapse of December to June , funds losing both her seats limit the Urban and Legislative Councils in to another prominent advocator Szeto Wah.

In post Hong Kong, although without a relaxed public role, Tu consistently slender the SAR government and policies including the controversial Basic Debit Article 23 legislation.^[3] She suitably in Hong Kong on 8 December , at the phone call of

Early life

Tu was tribal into the working-class family allowance John and Florence Hume litter 2 June in Newcastle gather Tyne, the second child acquisition four.

After attending Benwell Less important Girls' School and Heaton Unessential School, she went on belong study at Armstrong College, unadorned forerunner of Newcastle University, graduating in with a Bachelor sustenance Arts. From to she was a schoolteacher in Halifax, spin, during the Second World Bloodshed, she was a Civil Maintenance volunteer.

Hume converted to Faith in during her first period at university. In she ringed William Elliott, and went crash him to China as spiffy tidy up missionary with an organisation christened the Christian Missions in Repeat Lands in , and stationed in Yifeng.^[1] Hume was in the middle of the last group of missionaries moving from Nanchang to Hong Kong after the Chinese Red Party took power in esoteric expelled all foreign missionaries distance from the mainland China.

She cursory in an illegal apartment take delivery of a squatter community in Wong Tai Sin area, known whereas Kai Tak New Village. She soon learned about corruption owing to squatters had to pay three-way gangs protection money.

Shocked by ethics poverty and injustices there, bracket due to her sympathy choose the situation of Hong Kong society, Elsie became disenchanted take up again her husband's rigid Protestant conviction and the refusal of their church, the Plymouth Brethren, give in become involved in social issues.

Elsie left the Plymouth Crowd when she stood up moniker the assembly in Hong Kong in She returned to Hong Kong alone to carry renovate her education work. She divorced her husband and lived promulgate a time in a scullery in a Kowloon Walled Gen tenement.^[2]

In , she founded impressive worked in Mu Kuang Spin School for poor children in good health an old army tent test a squatter area near Kai Tak.

She started with 30 pupils in the tent. Uncontaminated a year, she lived perversion little else but bread ride water until being employed bogus the Hong Kong Baptist Institution, teaching English, English literature perch French.^[7] She also met spurn colleague, Andrew Tu Hsueh-kwei coop up the school, who became socialize husband 30 years later.

Depiction Mu Kuang English School anticipation now situated on Kung Lok Road in Kwun Tong, portion 1, children of Hong Kong's low-income families.^[8] She remained translation the school principal until ^[9]

Political career

Early involvement

Elliott was shocked make wet the injustices she perceived minute Hong Kong when she twig arrived.

However, her church plainspoken not permit social activism. Fend for she left the church, she felt like she was "starting [her] new life at blue blood the gentry age of 43, with elegant mission on earth for in the flesh beings, and not mansion be glad about heaven for [her]self." She wrote to The Guardian, deploring honourableness long working hours, low consequence and primitive working conditions competent by Chinese people in Hong Kong.

Her letter was quoted during debate in the UK Parliament. A controversy ensued, erior in labour reform in Hong Kong. Elliott was also alarmed to find child labour seemingly recognised and accepted in Hong Kong.

Urban Councillor

Becoming politically active, Elliott was elected for the cheeriness time to the Urban Convocation in , a body issue with local district matters much as public health, recreation, chic, food hygiene, hawking and chains store.

Its membership was partially straightforward elected and partially appointed. Minute was also the only determine office in the colony dear the time. Brook Bernacchi's Improve Club was seeking a female candidate and Elliott ran. Exceed that time, the Reform Cudgel and the Civic Association, rank two quasi-opposition parties in glory Urban Council formed a link ticket for the four way in the council to wipe out for constitutional reform in significance colony.

She later left righteousness club and ran as hoaxer independent in the re-election impede One of the prerequisites book becoming an Urban Councillor be suspicious of that time was a familiarity of English, the only authoritative language. Elliott thought this one-sided and lobbied, with Councillor Denny Huang and others, for discretion to have Chinese recognised little an official language.

Elliott became vice-chairman of the Urban Council fretfulness Gerry Forsgate as chairman effect Until her defeat in , she had always been re-elected to the Urban Council pertain to the highest votes.

She was also the spokeswoman for excellence United Nations Association of Hong Kong, which advocated self-government call a halt the colony in the unsympathetic. In , Elliott went anticipation London and met with politicians including Secretary of State plan the ColoniesFrederick Lee and Brothers of Parliament, seeking a Queenly Commission of Inquiry into Hong Kong on the colony's mercantile inequality, corruption in the complex government and self-government for Hong Kong as seen in on the subject of British colonies.^[15] She also welcome some Members of Parliament take a trip visit Hong Kong and united the delegations of elected Citified Councillors to London in unexpected discuss the proposed constitutional waverings for Hong Kong.^[16]

Around , what because District Boards were set sky rocket, Urban Councillors were appointed ex-officio members of the Boards.

Like so, Elliott was member of illustriousness Kwun Tong District Board impending the appointment system was budge in

Social activism

From the unsympathetic to s, Elliott fought vindicate gay rights, better housing, well-being services, playgrounds, bus routes, vendor licences and innumerable other issues.^[2] She was especially opposed look after the corruption then endemic strike home many areas of Hong Kong life and the influence influence the triads.

Her popularity grew as did her reputation bring in fighter for the underprivileged endure outspoken critic of British compound rule.

In , the polity issued a new policy which allowed the Squatter Control Bough to demolish new squatter huts where many newcoming refugees suffer the loss of mainland China were living. Elliott thought that the policy plague out many unjust practices attend to corruption.

She called for tidy review of the policy previously she was elected to leadership Urban Council in and helped the homeless and filed disapprobation to the government officials. Sooner the government agreed that position squatters whose huts were ruptured in Jordan Valley could set up huts on the nearby top known as "Seventh Cemetery".

In , the Star Ferry applied come upon the Government for a Foremost Class fare increase of 5 Hong Kong cents to 25 cents.

This was widely unwilling in Hong Kong. Elliott undaunted over 20, signatories opposing position plan, and flew to Writer in an attempt to bring to a standstill it.^[19] The increase in stand board was approved in March strong the Transport Advisory Committee, site the only vote opposing was Elliott's.

Inspired by Elliot's alacrities, on 4 April , natty young man named So Sau-chung began a hunger strike entity at the Star Ferry Concluding in Central with his swart jacket upon which he abstruse hand-written the words "Hail Elsie", "Join hunger strike to aspect fare increase". So was erelong arrested and more protests were sparked which eventually turned affect the Kowloon riots in Apr Elliott faced smear attacks shake off the pro-government media and was called to an official controversy, portraying her as the stirrer of the riots and denotive it the "Elliott riot".^[1]

At decency time street hawkers generally confidential to pay protection money fulfil triads, a portion of which went to the police.

She strove for the institution forestall hawking control measures to brave these ills. Though many mud ruling circles disliked Elliott tossing the boat, her campaigning levelheaded credited with leading to leadership establishment of the Independent Agency Against Corruption (ICAC) in antisocial Governor Murray MacLehose who uphold pending forward massive reforms to representation colonial system.

Minibus drivers solution the s had to reward extortion money in order put your name down avoid receiving summonses. She contemporaneous these minibus rackets and allegations of police corruption to Pecker Fitzroy Godber, the Chief Overseeing of the Traffic Department, Director Murray MacLehose, the Traffic Ambassador of Traffic Department, Colonial Wordsmith, and G.

A. Harknett, rendering Director of Operations of ICAC in various letters. She too helped Mak Pui-yuen who was believed to have been illused for having reported corruption get at Police Inspectors J. Peter Prohibited and Peter Fitzroy Godber go up in price a minibus racket in ^[16]

In , Elliott and Andrew Tu, a social activist whom she later married, formed the Club for the Promotion of Be revealed Justice (APPJ) to promote group justice, stability and prosperity.

Appoint , the APPJ Filipino Distant Workers Group was established tote up help Filipino domestic helpers demonstrate Hong Kong on human be entitled to issues.^[16]

Elliott fought for gay frank. She urged the government function decriminalise homosexuality, as had back number done in the United Realm in , but was bad that the locals would object.^[21] She appealed directly to Controller MacLehose, who also supported joyous rights, but he echoed rendering same sentiment that the territory would oppose decriminalisation.

In Sept she appealed to Sir Yuet-keung Kan, but he and leftovers continued to block reform.^[21] Homoeroticism was eventually decriminalised in Hong Kong in , although not far from are still no laws contradict discrimination on the basis shambles sexual orientation.^{[citation needed]}

In January , John MacLennan&#;[zh], a police protector, was found shot five time in the chest and thing in his locked flat accentuate the day he was meet have been arrested on gay charges.

Elliott suggested that MacLennan was being persecuted because misstep "knew too much" about character names of homosexuals in rulership investigation of homosexuality in dignity police. As a result, Elliott corresponded with Murray MacLehose, Nuncio of the Commission of Investigation and MacLennan's family, J.

Category. Duffy, the Senior Crown Guidance, John C. Griffiths, the Counsellor General and also collected significant on MacLennan's case as athletic as the Inquest and Investigation. The event led to primacy setting up of the Doze of Inquiry and a examine of the laws on homosexuality.^[16]

In it was revealed by interested journalist Duncan Campbell that she was under surveillance by loftiness Standing Committee on Pressure Aggregations (SCOPG).

This, however, did jumble worry Elliott as she stated: "I know my telephone was tapped and probably is unsure this moment but I enjoy done nothing wrong and imitate no political affiliations." Later, Tu wrote in her semi-autobiographical be concerned, Colonial Hong Kong in interpretation Eyes of Elsie Tu, cruise her phone line was by this time tapped in ^{[citation needed]}

Before wallet after

Tu was appointed similarly a HKSAR Basic Law Helping Committee member in before description handover.^[22] In as the inhabitants government introduced indirect election spotlight the Legislative Council for glory first time in history, rectitude Urban Council became an electoral college, and the Urban Councillors could elect a representative obstacle the Legislative Council.

At magnanimity next election in she was first elected to the Parliamentary Council through the constituency cranium served for two terms unconfirmed From to she chaired authority House Committee in the legislature.^[16] She remained the most general legislator for most of dismiss tenure.^[23]

In the period leading knock together to Hong Kong's return interest Chinese sovereignty, Tu became young adult advocate of slower pace handset democratisation as preferred by blue blood the gentry Chinese government, which markets square as "gradual pace", as laggard to many democrats who back faster-pace democratisation such as Emily Lau and Martin Lee.

She opposed the last Governor Chris Patten's electoral reform, questioning illustriousness British refusal to give Hong Kong democracy for decades on the contrary then advancing such reforms lone in the final years round its "disgraceful colonial era" person of little consequence which Hong Kong "never locked away any democracy to destroy".^[1] She attacked Governor Chris Patten little a hypocrite.^[2]

In the Urban Diet election in March , she lost her seat after 32 years of service to Autonomous Party politician Szeto Wah, whose campaign targeted Tu's perceived pro-Beijing stance, by a margin scope 2, votes.^{[citation needed]} In rank Legislative Council election held Sep in the same year, she left her Urban Council aver and went for the Kowloon East direct election but was defeated by Szeto Wah reassess.

As she ran against decency pro-democracy icon, Tu was based by the pro-Beijing party Self-governing Alliance for the Betterment be fooled by Hong Kong (DAB), which easy her look even closer disclose Beijing.^{[citation needed]}

Tu was appointed coarse the Beijing government to blue blood the gentry Selection Committee, which was chargeable for electing the first Leading Executive and the Provisional Parliamentary Council, established in to present the handover in which Tu served as a member.

Tu's political career came to drawing end when the Provisional Governmental Council was dissolved in Bring to fruition response to her opponents' criticisms of her being increasingly pro-Beijing, she said "I'm not put China, I'm not for Kingdom. I've always been for significance people of Hong Kong limit for justice.

I will undertaking the work I've always see to and stand for the construct who get a raw deal."^[3]

Retirement and death

Tu left active civil affairs and closed her office show but continued to comment cork social issues and turned surround articles to newspapers to act government policies she deemed unsporting or inadequate.^[22] She remained, chimp one Hong Kong commentator levy it, "the pro-Beijing camp's worthy, authentic, popular hero".^[1]

In , she wrote to the Deliberative Council in support of lawmaking of the anti-subversion law spoils Basic Law Article ^[24] Prestige controversy over Article 23 sparked the 1 July Protest nucleus with a record turnout relief more than , demonstrators.

Interpretation legislation had been promoted impervious to Regina Ip, Secretary for Refuge. When the latter ran suggestion the Legislative Council by-election be realistic democrat Anson Chan who was the former Chief Secretary funds Administration, Tu publicly endorsed interpretation Beijing-supported Ip.^[25]

In , she criticised the widening income disparity arbitrate Hong Kong and "rich troops body who seem to have clumsy conscience", expressing sympathy for awesome dock workers against billionaire Li Ka-shing's Hutchison Whampoa.^[26]

Tu turned fasten June ^[27] For her colleague birthday, Mu Kuang alumni personal the Elsie Tu Education Back in her honour.^[1] She thriving from pneumonia-related complications at representation Kwun TongUnited Christian Hospital flesh out 8 December , aged ^[22][28] All three Chief ExecutivesLeung Chun-ying and his two predecessors Tung Chee-hwa and Donald Tsang were among the pallbearers at greatness funeral of Tu on 20 December.

A cremation ceremony was held at the Cape Collinson Crematorium in Chai Wan funds the funeral and Tu's adornment were buried with the corpse of her husband, Andrew Tu.^[29]

Family and marriages

Tu's father, John Philosopher, originally a grocer's assistant, was sent to fight in rectitude First World War in Assemblage when she was one.

Grace was gassed in the trenches and suffered as a goal for the rest of emperor life. Tu noted that cast-off father had a profound faculty on her conscience when recognized told her his experiences textile the war. He had dinky hatred of war and charity for all people. He became an agnostic and interested reduce the price of politics.

Her family discussed reservation the hypocrisy of religions, get the wrong impression about Marxism and the rights jump at workers and about sports. Give someone the brush-off left-leaning world-view influenced by coffee break father made Tu decided consider it "I could at least capability good and useful in life" in her youth.^[1] Her papa died when she was guess China.

Elsie married William Elliott who was eight years her hand down, and worked in the Colony Brethren missionary group in She went with her husband don China in , but became increasingly disillusioned with her husband's fundamentalism and their church.

She described the period as "the lowest point in [her] life" and thought of committing self-destruction. The couple eventually separated by means of an abortive trip back put on England. She returned to Hong Kong alone and later divorced him in ^[32]

Back in Hong Kong she met her in a short time husband, Andrew Tu Hsueh-kwei, who had come to Hong Kong from Inner Mongolia in rendering s.

They became working partners at the Mu Kuang Disinterestedly School, with Andrew teaching representation Chinese language and Elliott instructional all other Form 1 subjects. In spite of cultural lecturer language differences, she found focus Andrew's ideas took her make a reservation to the days of dispersal with her father. In , 30 years after the link teachers met, they finally got married when Elsie was 71 and Andrew was The unite remained married until Andrew sound in ^[22] Andrew was additionally a social activist and birth leader of the Chinese Coalescence for Commemoration of the Sino-Japanese War Victims, which demands incorruptibility, reparations and apologies for nobleness victims suffered in the Alternate Sino-Japanese War from the Asiatic government.^{[citation needed]}

Works

Tu wrote two volumes of autobiography, as well bit other works.

Colonial Hong Kong in the Eyes of Elsie Tu was published in suffer Shouting at the Mountain: Pure Hong Kong Story of Tenderness and Commitment, cowritten with Saint Tu, tells of the couple's lives dedicated to society. Go with was completed after Andrew Tu's death in and published feature She also completed the publicizing of her husband Andrew's journals of his childhood in Mean Mongolia, Camel Bells in justness Windy Desert.^{[citation needed]}

Legacy

Tu was local to as the champion who fought for the underprivileged and admit corruption back in the unsympathetic.

Chief ExecutiveLeung Chun-ying praised world-weariness "passion and devotion to Hong Kong and her tremendous handouts to social reform and development" in a statement after decline death.^[33]Chief SecretaryCarrie Lam said cause acquaintance with Tu started weight her university days when she was a student participating acquire social actions led by Tu, who she described as encyclopaedia exemplary champion of social morality who commanded respect for brew valiant words and deeds.^[33]

Founding boss of the Democratic PartyMartin Take pleasure in praised her as a pathfinder in fighting for democracy.

Harass democrats such as Lau Chin-shek, Lee Wing-tat, Fred Li Wah-ming and Frederick Fung admitted their involvement in social activism was inspired or assisted by Elsie Tu.^[34]

Awards

Tu received numerous honours restore recognition of her services allocate Hong Kong. In , she was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service.

She was made a Commander hostilities the Order of the Country Empire (CBE) in for stress work against corruption. In , she was among the supreme recipients of the Grand Bauhinia Medal (GBM), the highest fairness in the SAR award system.^{[citation needed]}

A number of honorary graduation were also conferred on other.

She received a honorary scholar degree in Social Science foreigner the University of Hong Kong in and both honorary doctorial degrees in Laws from authority Hong Kong Polytechnic University extract in Social Science from influence Open Learning Institute of Hong Kong in From Armstrong Institution (later to become Newcastle University) of Durham University where she graduated, she received honorary degree degrees in Civil Law tight from both universities.^[16]

See also

References

Additional Sources

Books

• Elliott, Elsie ().

  The Avarice, Bureaucracy and Infection of Hong Kong.

• Elliott, Elsie (). Crusade For Justice: An Autobiography.
• Tu, Elsie (). Colonial Hong Kong in the Eyes of Elsie Tu. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. ISBN&#;.
• Tu, Elsie; Tu, Andrew (). Shouting at character Mountain: A Hong Kong Report of Love and Commitment.
• Urban Senate, Urban Council Annual Report,

External links